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Sunday, January 6th, 2008
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7:09a - just a little bit married
The night before my only sister got married, we sat down to watch ‘Father of the Bride’ together, one of my favourite movies of all time. What better way to calm the nerves than to laugh at Franc, the ‘cak’ and the 80s eyebrows of Annie Banks. Sitting side by side, the bride-to-be and her maid, we painted our nails and tried our best not to be overly sentimental. We both quietly stressed about walking down the aisle, literally, after an abysmal rehearsal on Thursday night. I wobbled between steps and missed me cue repeatedly. Only instead of walking down the aisle, I would just turn around and look shocked. 'WALK!' my sister would say and my Dad would have to give me a little push. But these things are scary. By Friday, I contemplated taking my discman and heels downstairs for a little practice I was that nervous. Our movie vieweing got interrupted as we got called back to the church to practice just one more time. With my Dad continually walking into the doorframe (and consequently getting he and my sister stuck for a bit) and a maid of honour who practically ran down the aisle, the movie had to wait.
And to use cliches, the big day went superbly and without a hitch. Well except for the part when I got locked in the bathroom at the hairdressers but that was kind of funny. We were running very early and after the photographer took photos of us doing absolutely everything at home (she said were a very animated bridal family - she clearly has never seen our Christmas photos), I had time to get changed back into my pjs and mooch around for a few hours. Carla and I just had so much fun the entire day!
Except for when she was just about to walk down the aisle. Then she freaked out. She said she'd never been drunk before but this is what she imagined it would be like. She was shaking uncontrollably at one point and gripping my hand so hard. 'I love you!' she said to me and my Dad as we waited in the foyer, immediately followed by 'I think I'm going to faint!' I told her we loved her too, to remember to breathe and to try not to flap. And that of course she wasn't going to faint (at this stage, I wasn't entirely unconvinced that this could happen but the maid of honour has to lie sometimes...) The moment she saw Geoff she was fine. In tears. It was great.
Being in the bridal party was great fun - we snacked in the car, had a picnic by the water and just messed around a great deal. We convinced the photographers to let us do jumping airbourne shots, cheesy indie band style pics and did smile sensibly for the occasional shot. By the time we reached the reception and touched up our make up for what felt like the hundreth time I had the thought that tomorrow I would wake up and be a normal person again and how sad. Whenever something is going supremely well for me I get that funny feeling - of enjoying it but knowing it's going to end.
I missed Derrick a lot on the actual day. He was around of course but not at my table. Or in the car. Or sitting next to me as I was just about to give my speech. 'You didn't see me as you were walking down the aisle,' he said. But I did. He had coached me for two nights straight and as I beamed down the aisles (no wobbling!) I absolutely saw him, standing upright, also beaming and giving me the two thumbs up. He looked dapper in his new suit. 'Your speech was excellent,' he said. I take great comfort in his reassurances.
Zac stole the show a little. Walk dancing around the reception, he was a time keeper and was in his element. 'You're entering the reception in 2 minutes and 24 seconds,' he would boom. 'You have 33 minutes and 21 seconds before you give a speech.' 'They're cutting the cake in 7 minutes.' He gave a bible reading and cried as Carla walked down the aisle. He snatched my bouquet frequently.
As for my parents - my Dad was his usual ham self. Smiling so hard his entirely lower face crinkled up. Strutting to the wedding car on the way to the church he waved at gawking neighbours like he was famous, accepting their congratulations and wishing them well. 'GET IN THE CAR DAD!!!' Carla and I screamed. So cute but so frustrating. He had spent the entire week stressing over his speech. In the final hours he grabbed anyone who passed by the family computer. What did we think of this sentence? My Mum looked absolutely radiant. She kept it together and was surprisingly calm. And she can't wait to get into the chocolates now she's made her appearance in a very fitted blue dress. Which probably explains this...
And so, my sister is a wife and I have a brother-in-law. When we got home from the wedding I fixed Derrick and I sandwiches and we watched the end of Father of the Bride together. When I woke up this morning and saw Carla's door ajar, I realised she was gone.
x
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