Wonderful Wacky Wedding

I met a girl at a wonderful, wacky wedding reception last night and she stuck out in such a cool way. Her hair was about 1/2 inch all over her head. She looked really cute, her eyes exuding friendship as she told me why she had shaved her head a while ago. Apparently she was washing her soul free of detritus and symbolized her new beginning by shaving her head and having a burial service for her hair. Off with the old hair, in with a new person. I didn't have time to ask--nor did I feel it was polite!--what she was getting rid of, but I felt completely taken in by her need to do so. I love to meet individuals, people who think for themselves, and especially people who dare to be different.

Which brings me to the picture above. This is part of the wedding invitation. An obvious takeoff on the American Gothic, the bride and groom shine from behind the pitchfork as they contemplate their new life together. Guests were told to dress down, the ceremony was to take place by a stream in a wonderful glade of towering maples on a carpet of soft green grass. Guests brought their lawn chairs or stood to the rear and watched the play unfold.

The groom's father, a smiling, happy man was in charge. He is not a minister but assured us the legalities had been taken care of and proceeded to marry the two. But not before lots of speeches, sweet words, sweeter music and some downright tomfoolery. The groom's brother topped off his funny talk with a toast to the couple but not in the usual way. Instead he jumped in the shallow stream behind, rolled frantically from side to side all the while saying something about the bride and groom. I have no idea what. Not because I couldn't hear but because I was so completely surprised and taken in by his exuberant display. To roaring laughter and thunderous applause, he jumped out of the stream, pushed his hair out of his face and sat calmly down with the rest of us wedding watchers.

Finally Sherry and Kelly stood up and repeated their vows to each other, a wonderful trio of talented family performed on guitar, keyboard and voice, and soon that part of the day was over.

We headed to my brother's farm for the reception in a huge barn. You heard me. A barn. Complete with bride and groom arriving behind beautiful Belgian horses in the family wagon with so much history. (Have to talk about that one another day.) People milled about through the food barn where successive courses of the best meal I've ever eaten at a wedding were displayed and devoured. You could move from there to the horse stall section where the bar was set up and run by paid people, and then to a huge drive barn, cleared of all its usual implements and set up with picnic table, sound system, and dance area. Well you had to dance on gravel so that was not too interesting to me. It's a lot of years since I drank enough to want to do that!

Anyhow, the whole event was fantastic, low-key and different enough that people were enthralled. Kids and adults alike loved looking at the little calves that were penned across the laneway, each in its own plastic house. The wedding wagon did double duty becoming a ride to the fields for anyone who wanted to go. While I have ridden in the wagon many times, I had never gone up on the big seat, so this time I asked for the top spot. It was so awesome. Having hoisted myself up using the small steps, I found myself way above the horses on a broad leather seat with nothing to hang on to! There was virtually nothing between me and the huge rumps of two big Belgians. My brother, Keith, beside me was some comfort but my hands searched for something to grasp before the ride began. Then Steve hopped up on the other side of me and I felt a little more secure as we headed off for the fields. Clop, clop, the horses moved doggedly on, tired from their day's work, Keith's soft gee, gee, steadying them and keeping them on course. It steadied me, too. Someone was actually in charge of these great beasts!

Soon the ride was over and I hopped down, well, climbed down, my feet looking for the next steps as I descended to terra firma. So cool. Such a great day! Loved it all.