my best friend’s wedding

No, this is not a blog about the movie, My Best Friend’s Wedding with Julia Roberts. And no, it’s not about my attempt to break up the wedding (the plot of the movie). But my best friend really did get married.

In April, I told you she got engaged. In May, she got married.

Despite the quick turnaround— it was a magical wedding.

It was a spring Saturday afternoon. A bit cooler than usual for mid-May. But I didn’t mind because I was running around like a chicken with my head cut off trying to refine every last detail (sweating).

Her aunt’s open air garage was decorated with color at every turn. A rainbow assortment of lanterns hung on the ceiling. Floral patterned bunting adorned the bar. Taper candles of every color rested atop brass candlesticks. And every floral arrangement (that we made the night before) felt whimsical and intentional.

The cake table held a red velvet cake with cream cheese icing (Elli’s favorite), a labor of love from her father. Topped with two Calico Critter cats in a bride and groom outfits.

Looking out from the garage, you could see the sloping green hill of lush grass all the way to the edge of the Scioto River.

Tucked away near an offshoot creek, the ceremony was held. An assortment of 50 eclectic chairs sat a hodgepodge of family and friends ready to watch Elli and Isaac get married under the twig and floral arch.

Before she walked down the aisle, I checked for the traditional something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue, asking, “do you have them all?”

Something new, check. Dress, shoes, bow.

Something blue, check. Also the dress.

Minutes before she needed to get out there, we realized she was missing something old and something borrowed. Luckily, she had just given me a gift which contained an old, thrifted hanky.

I folded the hanky, stuffing it into her bra.

“Here, now you have them all since you’ll have to give it back” I said as we laughed.

Giving her one last squeeze, I left her at the top of the hill, leading her mom by the elbow as we took our seats to watch our girl.

After the ceremony, we ate a mega charcuterie and pizza while drinking their signature drinks, Cosmos and Negronis. And when they passed out thick slices of red velvet cake, I gave my speech.

Part way through, I barely held it together when Elli started tearing up.

I recounted Elli and I’s first sleepover at her house, when I ravaged her bookshelf and found a E.E. Cummings poetry book. And in our attempt to be mysterious and spontaneous, we took flashlights and read poetry to each other in the backyard, snuggled on the trampoline.

And as a goodbye to our youth and a hello to their future, I left them with this E.E. Cummings poem:

i carry your heart with me(i carry it in

my heart)i am never without it(anywhere

i go you go, my dear; and whatever is done

by only me is your doing, my darling)

i fear

no fate(for you are my fate my sweet)i want

no world(for beautiful you are my world, my true)

and it’s you are whatever a moon has always meant

and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows

(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud

and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows

higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)

and this is the wonder that’s keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart(i carry it in my heart)

After a tearful moment, we laughed and danced the rest of the night until our feet hurt. The stars were out overhead, and though we couldn’t see it from the backyard, the Aurora Borealis was visible that night in the midwest. Which made it feel like there was even more magic woven into that night.

It still feels weird to me to think that my best friends are married. Not because they are married, but in the context of myself. Because I don’t feel ready for that, but there are lots of people my age who are. I’m thinking, wow, we’re already at the wedding stage of life! But then I keep reminding myself that everyone is on their own clock. I’m on my timeline. Breathe.

And in the meantime, I’ll be over the moon for them as I still figure my 20-something-self out.

Enjoy some of the amazing pictures taken by: https://edenphotoandfilm.com/.