Happily Ever After

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

I may not truck with religion and I may not have faith in a God or feel deeply that there is anything greater than the physical Universe (and its multiples…heh), but seeing Heidi and Tom together the weekend of their wedding, listening to their friends and family share stories about their suitability, it’s hard not to imagine some divine plan bringing these two people together. One cannot be around them long without feeling that these two are made for each other. Conceived as whole but separated by time, they were destined to meet and fall in love. It seems so obvious. Their personal destiny, one of the simplest and loveliest stories of all:

Boy meets girl.

Getting ahead of myself, but the reception began at a movie theater adjacent to a hotel and banquet hall. Tom and Heidi spent months composing a motion picture love letter, both to and about each other, to share with their loved ones on their wedding day. The movie was also a thank you to the members of their party, who walked down the aisle of the theaters as the film scrolled through their names emblazoned on “Hollywood Walk of Fame” stars. I will not spoil the movie because doubtless many of you will have the opportunity to see it for yourselves, and it’s so beautifully done I wouldn’t want to squander any minute of it with words. It captured their friendship so perfectly and I cried with happiness watching it, though I managed to get through the ceremony without shedding a tear. I will say this much: Snow White and Prince Charming, Alfred Kralik and Klara Novak, Miss Piggy and Kermit the Frog, a factory worker and a gamin. Heidi and Tom, Tom and Heidi.

When Heidi and Tom, and Tom’s best-friend Anna (beautiful, strong, vulnerable and stalwart, Anna, my roommate for the duration of our stay) met me at the airport, they were all aglow in happiness. Heidi was especially alight with a sunshine that seemed all her own. Beautiful. Our first stop was a minor league baseball game, suite reserved, where the Powers and Moore family would begin the weekend’s festivities with a joint birthday party for Tom and Heidi’s brother. Then the kids arrived. Eight nieces and nephews, five from one family and three form another. I’d met three before and heard many stories about the rest. The first couple of hours in their company was as close to falling in love as I’ve come in years. By the end of the evening I was Half-Aunt Audra. I continued to bask in their company for the remainder of the trip, and called my parents to tell them that I had to get married and have four kids RIGHT AWAY.

We’ll, uh, see about that.

But this isn’t my story. This is supposed to summarize the wedding of Heidi and Tom, which isn’t easy really, because what I came away with was more a feeling of gratitude and happiness, a mixture of longing and belonging, an overwhelming love for everyone with whom I spent some time. Love, love, love every way you turned, burning the dark out of ever shady corner. There are snippets:

Heidi and the girls getting our nails done.

Heidi and the girls in the hair salon. So. Much. Hairspray. Heidi getting dolled up with fake eye lashes and curls, looking prettier and happy than I’ve ever seen her, and we all know just how pretty Heidi is any ole’ average day.

Tom and Heidi during the rehearsal. The priest actually had them rehearse their vows, so in a way I saw them married twice. Heidi got teary during the fake vows, as did her mother. Tom was fearless.

Heidi's sister rocking out to AC/DC on the dance floor. It was the end of the evening. Bride and Groom had retired. Most of the guests were gone. I was helping M pack up leftover cake when the song came on and she said, "The cakes can wait. Let's dance!" I'll also take this moment to express my gratitude to M's husband. Earlier in the evening I was on the dance floor chasing a niece who had changed her mind about wanting to dance with me, leaving me suddenly stranded and embarrassed. I took my seat when he came over and extended his hand. I actually felt like a rescued heroine in Jane Austen movie. That's Heidi's family in a nutshell, I think.

Tom and Heidi at the rehearsal dinner making sure everyone was well fed and cared for, at their own expense. Their dinners sat cold and uneaten as they walked around from table to table, from friend to friend and family member to family member, caring more about the enjoyment of others than their own, even though this was THEIR moment. But they didn't see it that way. To them, their wedding was as much about us as it was about them. The selflessness of it, of them!

The ceremony itself was lovely and went off without a hitch. Heidi dressed with her sister and mother - the secret girl talk of mothers, daughters and siblings. Heidi looked blushing and beautiful in her gown. I ushered the guests. The procession was wonderful, the ladies in muted yellow, the men in their tuxes. Corsages for all. Her mother looked happy and healthy and strong. Her father looked proud and at ease. We stood for Heidi as she walked down the aisle. I was too far away to hear much of the actual ceremony, but I looked on as they exchanged their vows, eyes glued, not a stutter. Right before, the priest spoke of how Heidi and Tom wanted us to all know that they did not have cold feet, their feet were warm and toasty. They entered their marriage without any doubts.

We could all believe it. Completely.

During the time Heidi and I lived together, I came home from vacation and she told me that she’d started to date online. One correspondence was already important to her, and when she shared with me one of his letters, I was first excited for her and then concerned. This man was so well spoken, so thoughtful, his writing so like Heidi’s, I was certain he was a cad. Or, at the very least, he’d be far less gentlemanly in person and the disappointment would break my friend’s heart. It hadn’t been the kindest of years for H, and I didn’t want to see her sad again.

She came home from their first date, and she was smitten. Maybe she didn’t know exactly what was in store for them, but her hope cast not doubt.
They had their first kiss and she was ‘twitterpated’. Her word, not mine. He must have felt the same way. Most of you know the rest is history. Most of you were around to see it all unfold. Tom is no cad. No disappointment. He's one.

Every couple has their ups and downs and I won’t pretend to know the ins and outs of their relationship. I can’t say with any certainty what lies ahead for these two newlyweds. But if any two people deserve happiness in marriage, it’s these two people. They’re union is fully supported by their family and friends. It was witnessed and blessed. It is a GOOD thing, whatever else it might be. Good for them and good for those who know them. A little more good in the world, even.

I haven’t had a chance to download my pics yet, but I’ll share them. Be warned that they’ll be disappointing. I’m not a stellar photography. But it’ll be something until the Heidi and Tom return with their own stories and photographs to share.

[Ponine]

Lovely.
Thank you for that EH.

[mousepod]

Warm. Fuzzy.
I think that weddings are for those who attend them, the marriage is for the couple.
EH1812, you got to feel the love. Thanks for sharing a bit with us.

(Can't wait to see the pics)

[Eliza Hodgkins 1812]

Originally Posted by mousepod

I think that weddings are for those who attend them, the marriage is for the couple.

That's a lovely way of putting it.

Oh, the one BAD thing? I lost my iPod - my precious Sputnik Sweetheart - somewhere on the return flight. The last flight. That kills me. Almost home, and lost just before. DAMMIT-DAMN. At least my b-day is on the horizon...I can see its replacement in my near future, courtesy of my sympathetic iPod loving parents.

[katiesue]

Beautifully put, sounds like a truly wonderful day (well weekend). Thanks so much for sharing.

[blueerica]

What a lovely memoir of that wedding. I'm so touched, and am so sad that I couldn't have made it out there to see it.

I'm in the MP boat: Warm. Fuzzy.

[Snowflake]

Bravo! (insert Tom Cruise smiley jumping up and down with abandon)

Beautifully composed, I'm sitting here teary eyed, you conveyed the magic, perfectly!

I second the excitement for the photos.

[Strangler Lewis]

Sounds like a happy time. Well married, well written.

[Motorboat Cruiser]

EH, that was so beautifully written and makes me feel like I experienced a good portion of a day that I'm so sad to have missed. Thank you for sharing that, even if I have to now go wipe my eyes.

[LSPoorEeyorick]

Buongiorno from Capri! We have limited internet time but we wanted to pop in to say... Audra, what a BEAUTIFUL recap of such a wondeful time together. We were both so thrilled that you were able to be there to share it with us... after all, you have been with us all along, my stalwart lady'friend.

Cannot get used to this Italian keyboard! That ' was supposed to be a hyphen.

Anyway. Can I, like, print this out and put it in my wedding scrapbook? Lots of love from Italy... from both of us.

XO