Tuesday, January 17, 2012

A Tale of Two Weddings...part 1





This past weekend was our 13th Wedding Anniversary.  Wolfy and I actually have two Wedding Anniversary dates.  


Our first wedding was in Las Vegas in March.  Yes we actually got married in Vegas.  But it wasn't suppose to be that way.  At least that's what I realized afterwards.  Everything that could have gone wrong, went wrong.  


My parents were not at my first wedding.  I was raised in a Catholic home by two very devout Catholic parents, and they wanted no part of a wedding in Las Vegas.  That was like my parents worst nightmare come true.  Their "good daughter" was on a downward spiral and they couldn't stop it.  Oh, but they tried. I almost canceled the wedding.  The week before my wedding my mom got my Auntie to call me.  She cried on the phone and pleaded with me to not go through with it.  I was suppose to get married in the church, with all my family around, and with my parents there.  But it was too late.  Arrangements had already been made and we couldn't just pull out or else Wolfy's parents would have lost money.  


So we headed to Vegas.  We didn't even get a chance to settle into our rooms because I had to go to a fitting for a dress with Wolfy's cousins.  Wolfy's cousins hated me though, so it was really awkward that they were forcing me to put her up there to stand next to me.  But I found the cutest dress and Wolfy's tuxedo and we headed back to the hotel.  


I was so happy when we got back and heard that my siblings had arrived.  My siblings all wanted to be there but they had to rent a car.  None of them at the time had credit cards so they had trouble finding a car.  So they had to resort to a shady little car dealership that rented out some of their cars.  My poor sister was driving the 5 hour drive and was praying the whole time that the car wouldn't break down in the middle of nowhere.  But they finally made it safe and settled into their room.  Only to be kicked out by the hotel staff saying that there was a mistake and that their room had been overbooked.  My mother in law was not having it and gave the front desk an earful.  She had them calling out all the managers, and taking down emails of CEO's.  She was on a mission and finally they were able to get them another room. 


Wolfy still hadn't arrived so I was on the verge of a breakdown.  He was flying in from Chicago straight out of Navy schooling so I hadn't seen him in three months. When he finally arrived I was in his arms again and it was just the best feeling ever.  But then we find out one of his bags were lost.  Of course the bag with his Navy uniforms.  We couldn't really do anything but wait to see if they found it.  We went back to our room and tried to get some sleep through all the problems, and nerves, and excitement.  


When I finally woke I rushed out of bed to start my preparations.  With all that was going on I forgot one lovely detail to my wedded bliss.  It was my time of the month.  Boo...I hate you mother nature!  Of all the days? Come on!  What a boring honeymoon we were going to have.  Right when I was about to start crying, Wolfy calls me from the room.  I came out the bathroom and he was almost done putting on his tuxedo.  He looked so handsome I was smiling from ear to ear.  Then I saw his face, and was wondering, oh my gosh, what now?  I was so busy with trying to find a dress that I didn't double check Wolfy's tuxedo before we left.  His mom decided to pick out a red bow tie for him to wear.  He was mortified.  Only because he is pretty particular with the things he wears, and it sure wasn't going to be a red bow tie.  The morning of our wedding and he did not want to wear his tuxedo.  It was too late to call the tuxedo rental place and he didn't have any of his Navy uniforms either.  So he put on the dreaded bow tie and we headed to the chapel.


The Candlelight Wedding Chapel was a very cute little chapel.  And I'm not lying when I say it was little.  My walk down the aisle probably took only 8 steps, but I took little steps to stretch it out a little longer.  And the "preacher" was so weird.  His voice and the way he spoke with such a slow tempo of loud and soft made me think of going up and down little hills on a long road.  It  was not helping me take the wedding seriously.  So we stood there, Wolfy wanting to rip off his stupid bow tie, while I'm trying not to bust out laughing.  I was actually relieved that the ceremony was nice and short.  


The majority of the wedding guests waited outside while we set up to take some pictures in the chapel.  My older brother finally made it over to us to congratulate us.  But as soon as he hugged me I started bawling!  Not the cute little sentimental cry, but the loud, "I want my Mommy and Daddy" cry that I couldn't hold back anymore.  My brother tried to shush me but my in laws and Wolfy's cousins were all starring at me. What's the best thing to do before you take your wedding photos?  Yea full on cry your eyes out.  Ugh, it was so hard for me to finally stop crying, and then try to get the already swollen and red out of my eyes. I just had to suck it up and take the stupid pictures.  


That's when it came to me.  It wasn't suppose to be this way.  I'm not suppose to be getting married without my parents!  That's just not how it's suppose to be.  And the "universe" was trying to tell me that.    Everything that was going wrong was for a reason.  But it was too late.  I was immensely grateful to my in laws for taking on the expense of our little wedding, but in my heart I knew that Wolfy and I had gone at it the wrong way.  


Since then I always think back to our little Las Vegas wedding as a reminder to be aware of the things that I'm trying to force.  That I need to check my self when I want something so bad, but things just aren't working out.   I stop and think about the what I want, and what I need, and pray.  I've kept myself from making a lot of bad decisions this way.  


So, anyway why was our anniversary this past weekend in January when our Las Vegas wedding was in March?  Well our second wedding was in January.  Two years after our first wedding, we had our vows blessed in a church wedding...and it was PERFECT! 


But this blog is long enough...second wedding details coming soon. =) 




10 comments:

  1. I'll tuning in for Part 2!!! love youre Part 1!
    and its a reminder that for Most samoan weddings, its Never about the couple but for the family pack and some more...malo lava

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank You Goddess! That is so true about Samoan weddings.

      Delete
  2. look at it this way... atleast now you got stories to tell us the faikalas (speakinf for myself lol) ;) congratulations for 13 years of marriage and to the beyond :). looking forward to reading part 2 :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you! I hope you got a laugh out of it. What's the past any good for if you can't laugh at yourself.

      Delete
  3. Congratulations Reenie and HAPPY Anniversary!!! Looking forward to part 2... lol

    ReplyDelete
  4. Holding out for part II now :) As I was reading through the post I kept thinking, everything that could go wrong, is going wrong eek! Congratulations on 13 years of marriage and wishing you many more!! x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Betty! What a wedding huh. lol I don't think I've ever experienced anything that has gone so wrong since then. Thank God.

      Delete
  5. I love this post. I'm of 2 minds right now about how big/small I want my own wedding, my fiance wants a super small one, I'm leaning toward a gigantic one, then sometimes I start to stress and then remember how much hardwork it will be and just think that maybe going small is the way to go, maybe even eloping (just kidding...or am i? lol). Anyway this was a joy to read, now where is Part II?????

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Aww Daffy thank you so much for commenting. It reminded me to break out of my little vacay from my blog. But please don't elope...lol. In the end you want your family around. But little or small it doesn't matter. When your family is there, it feels right.

      Delete