Ok, yesterday I couldn’t find words to describe my daughter’s wedding. Now, two days later, I realized I walked around all night long saying it was magical. Magical is definitely the word.
The magic began when “All Of Me” began playing as I waited on my father’s arm to be walked down the aisle. I always told my daughter that that song was written for her and Steve because it totally describes their relationship over this past year. I teared up more than once when it would come on the car radio, and now, here it was, the first song played at the wedding, causing the first of my tears to fall before I even stepped foot in the room.
And my dad – oh Lord – that was the funny story. At the rehearsal dinner, Jennifer, the event director, (who is the most amazing person ever and prevented even one moment of anxiety over this whole last year) tells me I will be the first in line to walk down the aisle with my father. That was my first moment of anxiety – uh oh – just one problem – I forgot to tell my father he was in the wedding! I didn’t even know if he brought clothes to do this. We decided weeks ago to have him walk me down the aisle, but never told HIM.
After the rehearsal dinner was over, we rushed home and went to the cottage where my dad was staying, but it was dark. He was out to dinner with my brother. I rushed to my sister’s cottage and crashed her campfire. I said, “Uh, Deb, I have one problem. I forgot to tell Dad he’s in the wedding. You need to make sure he doesn’t get seated when the bus drops you off at the wedding tomorrow.”
When I got to the venue the day of the wedding, there was my dad, looking as handsome and dapper as ever in a navy jacket, white shirt, red tie, kahki pants and white boat shoes! I cannot believe he looked like he planned to do this the whole time, dressed perfectly for the nautical theme.
We stood there atop the steps, and I said to him, “Hey Dad, do you remember walking me down the aisle 39 years ago just like this?” Then we both teared up as the last lines of All Of You drifted off in the wind. I grabbed my dress in one hand, my Dad in the other, and helped him down the stairs. My Dad is 82 years old and waiting to have heart surgery next week. To have him there to walk me down the aisle at my daughter’s wedding was a the most perfect way to begin the magical night.
And so, as another day goes by, magical IS the perfect word, and…I have written.
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