Last week on Wednesday I performed 5 wedding ceremonies. And as always, every wedding had something different to remember.
The first couple were older, the groom was 65 and the bride was 59. It started off well. The couple was sweet, very tender toward each other and then it went nutso. During the ceremony the groom starting rolling his eyes until only the whites showed. He was swaying. I thought he was going to pass out. No, she wasn’t concerned, she kept smiling at him. he smiled at her. Then the whites of the eyes were back. He was flat out weird and scary looking. He would totally shut his eyes and then they would pop open, to all white. Zombie??
The next couple were in there 50s. This is not PC, but he looked like a gypsy. He was from Eastern Europe. He was swarthy and had long dark hair in a ponytail. He was dressed well in a black suit and a lavender rose in the lapel. She wore a gorgeous dark burgundy lace dress that matched the color of her hair. She carried lavender roses and had roses in her hair. This couple was very emotional, they both cried during the ceremony.
The third couple was strange. I did not think they even wanted to be in the same room. They seemed so unhappy and they stood way far apart. No smiles, no touching, no happiness. The Marriage Desk Clerk told me later they were smiling and seemed happy. I hope so.
Group four, and it was a group, close to 30 people. It was like herding cats. They had taken over the lobby and were having a loud fun party as they waited. I kept trying to give instructions of where to go for the ones waiting for the next elevator. They just kept talking. Eventually everyone showed up in the Wedding Room.
Then I totally lost control, all the women suddenly had to go to the bathroom. The men were making phone calls, and the groom was posing for pictures. When I finally got all of them in the room again, I used that stern school teacher loud voice of mine. I told them, “From now on only I am allowed to talk. So listen and I will tell you what we are going to do”. And they all got quiet and listened.
I looked at the groom, he is still posing for pictures as I talked. Then I really looked at the bride and had to bite my cheek. Thin white dress, no slip and her underpants’ seams showed. Such a thin dress. But none of that mattered. This couple was in love, they had their families with them, and we had a wedding.
My last couple were in there late 60s. Very tender with each other. Their witness asked if she could read something before the ceremony. I said yes and she began to read. It was a legend about a Native American woman and the Coyote. The woman was a weaver and made beautiful clothes. Everyone wanted to win her for his wife. She didn’t want anyone. Then the coyote courted her and won her heart. The legend told of their coyotes babies and then he takes her to his den and shows her his wonderful home. And they lived happily ever after. It was such a sweet loving story and a great beginning to the wedding ceremony.
I only wished I had asked the name of the book. I would love to read the legends. I will have to do some research and find Native American legends.
I was fortunate enough to teach a number of different native american legends in American Lit. I loved them all and the kids did too! Here's one I taught -
ReplyDeletehttp://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&sqi=2&ved=0CFUQITAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwebcache.googleusercontent.com%2Fsearch%3Fq%3Dcache%3AxtHAjOs3U5gJ%3Awww.paloverde.org%2Fbluthh%2FThe%252520World%252520On%252520The%252520Turtles%252520Back.rtf%2B%26cd%3D1%26hl%3Den%26ct%3Dclnk%26gl%3Dus&ei=FQDdT_qoIbLM6QH_0diRCw&usg=AFQjCNE9Zo2ZgLlZ9OV3-60UbSOSYpXB2w
Hm I don't think that will work- it's called The World On The Turtle's Back
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