The Wedding

It's my brother's wedding anniversary today. 

Awfully clichéd but yes, time really does fly! Has it really been more than a decade of marriage? Way back then... in the early primeval internet years, there was no facebook to share, no tweeting to hear of and certainly no blogs to read. Well hardly any blogs, not even mine.

So it didn't surprise me much when my permanently-logged-on sister-in-law sadly mourned the lack of online testimonials to remind her of that special day.

Sue : Damn. I should have blogged about it. 
Paul : You still can. Why don't you just blog about it now and tell us what you can recollect about the day. In retrospect you might look at things differently.
Sue : Alamak. Hardly any time to sit down and recollect!

A pity since it was certainly a memorable day. Since Sassy Sue has decided to keep her reflections to herself for the moment, I might as well share my own recollection of that fateful day more than a decade ago.

First thing I could recall was the fact that my brother was getting married. Like seriously? Sure he's always been shockingly staid, sober and steady.... but settling down? Whoa, what next? Kids?

Second was - of course - that I was wearing a suit. Not often I get the chance to wear it back then. Wore it a couple of times before - my graduation, my brother's wedding pics and a couple of formal dinners.

Thirdly was the amazement at the number of people my astonishingly gregarious parents knew. Weren't my parents antisocial hermetical homebodies? Seemed like they'd practically invited half the town - and the other half had come by to see what's up. Helping out with the ushers at the door, I barely recognized the strange unfamiliar motley crew that came straggling in to the wedding.

Damn, I look good in a suit. 

About the wedding dinner itself? With almost my entire extended family in attendance - and Sassy Sue's even larger contingent, we had nearly five hundred guests in the hall. Obviously wildly unnerving to my sister-in-law! Early in the morning while Sue was still getting her hair done, she had her first military briefing with the entire wedding party from the emcees down to even the tiniest flower girls. I recall a couple of coour-coded folders with specific orders written on them.

Yes, Sue was that nervous. Unlike the plainly ecstatic groom beaming from ear to ear, the anxious bride hardly smiled though. No doubt common in most weddings! Wanting every last bit of the wedding to be picture-perfect like the perfectionista she was, Sue could hardly contain her jangly nerves.

Don't blame her though since I would probably freak out over every last minute detail down to the very hemlines on the dinner tablecloths. With the crazed bitch-fits gay men are prone to, doubt I'd be the first groomzilla ever.

Being forced to daintily nibble during the main course must have given Sue the jitters as well. Pristine white ballgown with elbow length silk gloves tends to curtail gorging on the sumptuous ten-course meal. Thank God guys get to wear suits.

Overall what did I think of the day? Of course I was wildly happy. It was a good day. My brother was getting married. My parents were happy. All my relatives were present. Hell, even my ex was lurking close by. And damn, I'd almost finished a year of grueling housemanship. :)

It was good.