Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Expressing ourselves, Part 2



I've been having a good time following all the "Wedding Dance" videos, including one spoof "Divorce Video" on YouTube. In case you've missed the hype, here's the one that's been making the rounds recently: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-94JhLEiN0
I found myself wishing I'd been the officiant at one of these celebrations where the whole wedding party dances down the aisle.

As a minister, I've presided over many different styles of weddings – brides and grooms wearing casual dress and flip flops; a couple whose children with other partners formed the wedding party; and even one "fake" wedding, where I'd already married the bride and groom secretly, months before.

Just before I saw the Wedding Dance video, I attended the most solemn, formal ceremony I'd been to in decades, on a college campus, in a majestic chapel with organ music and a wonderfully talented soloist singing in Latin.

Each wedding has its own special tone, and I appreciate them all, but the Wedding Dance captured my attention more than any. It might be because all the stress is gone when no one is worried about a missed step or a glitch in the lighting, or a stray flower petal. It certainly puts me, waiting at the end of the aisle, at ease about a possible hiccup or an unsightly sneeze.



It might also be attractive to me because it's unexpected. When the wedding music starts, we usually all fall silent, perhaps stand up and prepare for a well-rehearsed, serious procession. The creative, unexpected happening delights us and we clap along. {happening? Am I stuck in the sixties??}


These days, I think, call for the more fun ceremonies. Not to tell tales, but of all the couples I've married over the last 20 + years, only one has lived apart before the Wedding Night, so that stress is gone, if you catch my drift. Why not enjoy the moment in unexpected ways?

What's your ideal wedding?


I'm already planning an unexpected wedding element in my next book.

4 comments:

Karin Corbin said...

My son and his bride had a very fun wedding they planned for themselves. Their favorite holiday is Halloween and they also love Renaissance Faires. So the wedding was held on Halloween with a Renaissance dress theme. The guest were invited to wear costumes of their choice in keeping with the theme or not. Not all the other parents were on board with the idea but I loved it as did all of their friends.

misterreereeder said...

My wedding was 19 years ago this month. My wife saw that video as well. Now she wants us to to do something similar as we renew our vows. Not just to renew our vows, but to have fun too!!!

Camille Minichino said...

Love the Renaissance theme, Karin; I hope the menu was part of it!

Looking forward to hearing about that renewal service, Dennis.

Betty Hechtman said...

What a concept - a fun wedding. I've been hearing a lot about weddings lately as all my son's friends seem to be getting married and he's been going to all the weddings. What struck me was how not fun they all sounded. Everyone was stressed out and spent too much money.

Love, the pictures, Camille.