Wedding Party Highlights

This is for posterity...

I can't believe that my cousin, Mae, drove 5 hours just to spend a few hours with me and my family before driving back to Maine because she had work that next morning. (It was much appreciated.)

I can't believe that our toilet/sewer pipe got clogged up so badly that it started disgorging it's contents, not only of what had been in its bowl but that of all the sinks and showers of the house. I think I caught sight of pieces of broccoli floating past.

I can't believe that one night's fee for a hotel room at the Royal Regency Hotel cost $150.

I can't believe how much food, drinks and heat people celebrating can expend.

I can't believe that my brother cried while giving a toast to me, which of course caused me to tear up. Geek.

I can't believe my parents couldn't say a few nice words about me at my own wedding. Then tried to pass if off to everyone else.

In addition, I couldn't believe no one else said anything to us...

Rich and I discussed it later (on our four hour drive back to Massachussetts) and realized that we both had thought of the same thing but we never spoke up. We both were going to ask those who had a successful marriage to come up and share a few pointers with us on how they keep it working so well. (Don't worry, you'll get a second chance...)

I can't believe how good ube cake tastes, especially being forked into my mouth by my husband. heh.

I can't believe Julie caught the bouquet... hmm, do I hear wedding bells in the future?

I can't believe that I will miss you all more than I can say, but I was reminded by Rich that's it's actually only 3 hours from New York to Florida (unlike the 4 hours from Boston to NY), and $69 on Jet Blue, so don't hesitate to come down and spend a few days with me in Disney, or just be my neighbor...

I'm going now to post up the speech I said just before cutting the cake. I really made up 3/4 of that speech that morning in bed. I woke up to it there waiting for me and just a few editorial snips and cuts, additions and switches and I had it to my liking. The fourth part of the speech had been brewing for a few years and had been perfected a while ago. No need to read it if you were there, with the exception of an addition (that would have been said if someone's mother had been there...) it was exactly* how I said it.

"I just want to say a few words before we cut the cake. First off, I'd like to thank the various members of my family, thanks to my brother (for being there). I want to say 'thanks' to my dad and my mom. Thanks for your support, thanks for your love and thanks for your money. Without those three, this wouldn't have been possible.
I wish Aunty Marlette was here because I would like to thank her and Aunty Susie for being witnesses to my wedding. I have always considered you both my 2nd moms, from giving me advice on what kind of man to marry to making me my favorite dishes. Your presence there made it very special.
Now I'd like to thank you all for coming tonight. Many of you I've known since I was four, and many of you I've only met tonight, at 24, and I've learned to call you my 'Titos and Titas' or Aunties and Uncles and although we don't share the same blood I consider you all my family.
Last but not least, I'd like to say 'Thank you' to my husband, Rich. When I was a little girl I used to pray to God to help me find the perfect husband. I'd say, 'God, I don't care if he's funny. I don't care if he's smart. I don't care if he's kind. God, all I want is a man who's wealthy.' And when I met him he said to me, 'Hi, I'm rich' and I said to myself 'yes!!' but it turned out that that was just his name and he didn't have any money at all. Then I realized that he was funny, and smart, and he was kind and because of him I am the wealthiest woman in the world."
Followed by 'kiss, kiss, kiss' from the crowd. Perverts.

Then the mic was passed to Rich who replied "thank you. Thank you Michelle" which was greeted with laughter.

Mike was given the mic after my parents resisted all offers and bad thoughts coming from me. Mike said the following:
"I just want to say congratulations to Rich and Michelle (to which I gently scolded saying "It's 'Ate'"). Congratulations to Ate and Ate Rich (followed by laughter and people correcting him that it was 'Cuya' but we knew he was joking.) I've known about this for a while (then he got choked up which of course got me crying) but I never expected that it would hit me so hard." (Followed by an "Awwwww" from the crowd and Mike's looking for tissue and so am I, then dad says "don't cry mom" which gets everyone laughing).

Then the party commenced, lots of eating, dancing, etc.

Rich and I laughingly fell asleep to a chorus of little girls sitting in my living room, playing their game that I call "crescendo" in which each one successively emits a high pitched yelp, gradually becoming a higher pitch, so that dogs in a ten mile radius raised their heads and howled. That's how I always imagined my wedding to end. Forget fireworks.

Night night all. I'll be posting regular posts again. No more wedding jabber.
Have a great rest of the week.

Me.

*Well not 'exactly' because I didn't write the pauses and sniffles when I got choked up while I said it.