All photos by the absolutely amazing Cliff Brunk.

 

Parts I & II.

 

1. At the end of our kiss, I lay my head on his shoulder and I don’t think I’ve ever loved Steve more then in that moment. Turning, grinning so hard I think our faces might burst. We get to the end of our very short rock-lined “aisle” and there’s really nowhere else to go so we stop and look back at the grinning faces of all of our loved ones and I am giddy. We stand there for a few more moments and no one is quite sure what they’re supposed to do so I throw up my hands and say “That’s it!”

 

2. We fight the wind through group pictures. Wait wait wait, okay, there’s a lull! Quick! Snap the photo! I’m amazed at how big our family is – so much love that I’ve been born into and found and married into.

 

3. Gradually the group dwindles until the last people have been captured on film and are heading up the Inn for cocktail hour. It’s just us and Cliff and Malarie (our lovely photographers) and the light is soft and Steve and I sit on the rocks. Cliff tells us to shut our eyes and I lean into Steve and my heartbeat slows and all I can hear is it pounding along to the tune of the waves crashing around us and I melt into the moment and think remember this, right now.

 

 

4. Climbing all over Muir Beach for portraits. I forget to pick up my dress as I walk and in seconds it’s picked up so many twigs and sticks and burrs. Nothing in me cares, not even a bit. I pick out the biggest ones and call the rest my souvenirs.

 

 

5. Cliff mentioning that he can’t believe that I’m not geeking out over the photo equipment. I think oh yeah, I guess I would normally be salivating over lens and the like. And yet? I just don’t care…

 

6. We enter the reception. It’s the first time I’ve seen any of the flowers that my Mom arranged. They are lining the long, long table, interspersed with candelabras and all of our loves. The room looks so beautiful and elegant and relaxed – like the world’s best dinner party. It’s exactly what we wanted. Exactly.

 

7. Hugging everyone. It seems like no one can squeeze me tight enough.

 

8. A glass of red wine appears in my hand. I am thankful. A plate of food appears. I eat a potato. Yes, singular – I am too excited! I drink all the wine though.

 

9. My sister starts off the toasts. I’m not sure I’ve ever been so overwhelmed as I was during that hour as the mike passed from hand to hand. I keep squeezing Steve’s hand under the table to keep from exploding from the force of it all. So much love from all of the people who made us who we are – who carried us to this moment. I feel wrung out and fiercely proud and I am the luckiest girl in the world. The. Luckiest.

 

10. I take the mike and try not to cry and I surprise myself by admitting that for a long time we weren’t sure we even wanted a wedding. It seemed like so much work and energy and we’d been together so long and we wanted to be married but what would going through the ritual mean, really? But that this, this moment is why we decided to do it. Because this is our community and as we’ve gotten older, we’ve realized that our community is family, is everything. That all of you made this a wedding. Then Steve nods and says Now let’s go eat cake!

 

11. Crowding into the snug room for cake and champagne and it being so snug that I keep smooshing into everyone. It feels like a giant family reunion.

 

12. Walking back into the patio and seeing that the dance party has already started! Thinking this is how you know your true friends.

 

 

13. The joyous first notes of our song begin and Ray’s voice loud and clear and we start dancing. It never occurred to us to practice anything because this is just what we do. Steve spins me and I flash back to him walking up and asking me to dance in swing dance class – I was wearing a thrift store boy’s little league t-shirt and had just turned 18 and it was the first time we ever spoke and I thought he had the biggest grin I’d ever seen and he stepped on my toes and seven years later here we are and he guides me like I’m an extension of his own body. I forget there’s anyone else in the room and I sing the lyrics in his ear and jump a bit when people start clapping at the end of the song. Oh! Right! People are watching!

 

 

14. The party begins – we drink and we dance and I think this is probably the best party I’ve ever been to b/c so! many! people! I love! dancing! together! I keep catching glimpses of our parents and they look so happy.

 

15. At some point, I turn around to see my new husband is now shirtless and shaking it in his vest and tie. Thank god marriage hasn’t changed him a bit.

 

16. The party ends and we retire to the snug room and curl up in armchairs and people take turns donning fake mustaches and napping in the middle of the floor. I’m not sure I have ever been so tired. I am positive I have never been so happy.

 

• October 19th, 2009
• hey! its a wedding, love
• 2 comments
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