The Wedding Weekend
Thursday
Ohio-Sam arrived in Fort Wayne around 5:30 pm, meeting Indiana-Lyndsay, Minnesota-Becky, and Nevada-Brad at Andrew & Lyndsay's house. Lyndsay and I left to get Andrew from his last day of work and by the time we got back to the house, much of Andrew & Lyndsay's family, as well as many of their friends, had come together for dinner and drinks. While it would be easy to just focus on the so-called, "excess", what I'll remember about that night is having a great time with great people.
Friday
We started the morning at the Art Museum for the wedding rehearsal. After that, Brad and I joined Andrew for brunch at Spyro's; just the three of us. We then spent the next four or five hours running all kinds of wedding errands. Of the whole weekend, those few hours were my favorite. I love those two guys and spending those few hours together, just us, were priceless. We eventually ended up back at the house and helped prepare food for the rehearsal dinner/picnic.
Andrew and I drove together to the park where a large crowd enjoyed great fellowship and great food. After that, a much smaller group of friends went back to the house where Mike and Ginny joined us. We spent the rest of the night playing Beirut and just hanging out, getting to know North Carolina-Evan's wonderful new lady friend, Erica. I left around 1 am to go check into the hotel, Mike and Ginny following soon after.
Saturday
A large group of Andrew's family, as well as Grant & Jess, Mike & Ginny, and me, roamed around downtown trying to find somewhere to eat breakfast. We finally ended up at a nature conservatory eating bagels. A few of us had previously had our hearts set on going to the, "Dash In", a great bar with twenty microbrew taps. My friends Jason, Grant, and I decided we weren't going to be denied, so we bellied up to the Dash In bar shortly after our bagel breakfast. Mike & Ginny joined us soon after.
After a couple good beers, I headed back to the hotel room to follow through on one of Lyndsay's special requests for the groomsmen. A half hour later, I had a killer mustache and part of my chin was looking at the first sunlight it had seen in eighteen years. Weird request, but all of us complied. And we all looked damn sexy. Pictures to follow.
I picked Andrew up at his house and the two of us headed to the museum, meeting the rest of the groomsmen to get dressed in our duds. I completed my outfit with a pair of '80's, yellow striped leg-warmers to match the yellow striped ties. I'm nothing if not classy in my color coordinating. After getting dressed, the guys headed outside into the 96 degree sun to do a half hour photo shoot with the photographers before heading back inside for the ceremony.
The wedding was beautiful. Andrew and Lyndsay are both beautiful people, both physically and spiritually, and are destined to have a beautiful marriage. It was great to see the two families come together as one, and it was an honor that they allowed me and other non-family to join in the union. The ceremony was followed by another photo session, this time with the whole wedding party and complete with bling. Everyone in the party was up for everything the photographers threw at us, and I'm really looking forward to seeing the pics.
A couple hours into the reception, I headed upstairs to plug in my dead cellphone. After it turned back on, I found desperate messages from my Mom that my Dad was fading fast. Knowing there was nothing I could do, the tears flowed freely. Some of my closest friends (including Pennsylvania-Kyle who diligently didn't leave my side the rest of the night) surrounded me with love and prayer. How could this be happening? But I knew one thing, if Dad truly was dying, or already dead, I was too far away to do anything or even be there for my family. Knowing that, I also knew I didn't want any of my personal heartache to crash the happiness that was going on downstairs. So I begged everyone in the room not to tell Andrew or Lyndsay, washed off my face, and went back to the party. An hour later, the same group of friends surrounded me again as I wept in my friend Grant's arms after finding out Dad was coming around.
Sunday
Despite going to bed at 2 am, I woke up at the call of my usual early-morning internal clock. I got a shower, packed my bags, and left the hotel room all without waking Kyle who was crashed on the bed. I met my friend Steve outside, and after putting my bags in the car, Steve and I walked to a coffee shop where he bought me a breakfast sandwich and some java. We hooked up with a few other friends before going back to the Hilton to check out. With those few people I consider to be my core friends, we enjoyed breakfast at Spyro's before stopping at the Wooden Nickel for driving music for the trip home.
I'm home now, laundry in the washer, cats fed, dinner had. Even though I had a great time in Fort Wayne, it's nice to be sitting in my Lay-Z-Boy after an exciting, albeit emotional (high and low), few days.
Andrew & Lyndsay, I raise my glass to you one more time. I send you all my love and wish you all the best.
Ohio-Sam arrived in Fort Wayne around 5:30 pm, meeting Indiana-Lyndsay, Minnesota-Becky, and Nevada-Brad at Andrew & Lyndsay's house. Lyndsay and I left to get Andrew from his last day of work and by the time we got back to the house, much of Andrew & Lyndsay's family, as well as many of their friends, had come together for dinner and drinks. While it would be easy to just focus on the so-called, "excess", what I'll remember about that night is having a great time with great people.
Friday
We started the morning at the Art Museum for the wedding rehearsal. After that, Brad and I joined Andrew for brunch at Spyro's; just the three of us. We then spent the next four or five hours running all kinds of wedding errands. Of the whole weekend, those few hours were my favorite. I love those two guys and spending those few hours together, just us, were priceless. We eventually ended up back at the house and helped prepare food for the rehearsal dinner/picnic.
Andrew and I drove together to the park where a large crowd enjoyed great fellowship and great food. After that, a much smaller group of friends went back to the house where Mike and Ginny joined us. We spent the rest of the night playing Beirut and just hanging out, getting to know North Carolina-Evan's wonderful new lady friend, Erica. I left around 1 am to go check into the hotel, Mike and Ginny following soon after.
Saturday
A large group of Andrew's family, as well as Grant & Jess, Mike & Ginny, and me, roamed around downtown trying to find somewhere to eat breakfast. We finally ended up at a nature conservatory eating bagels. A few of us had previously had our hearts set on going to the, "Dash In", a great bar with twenty microbrew taps. My friends Jason, Grant, and I decided we weren't going to be denied, so we bellied up to the Dash In bar shortly after our bagel breakfast. Mike & Ginny joined us soon after.
After a couple good beers, I headed back to the hotel room to follow through on one of Lyndsay's special requests for the groomsmen. A half hour later, I had a killer mustache and part of my chin was looking at the first sunlight it had seen in eighteen years. Weird request, but all of us complied. And we all looked damn sexy. Pictures to follow.
I picked Andrew up at his house and the two of us headed to the museum, meeting the rest of the groomsmen to get dressed in our duds. I completed my outfit with a pair of '80's, yellow striped leg-warmers to match the yellow striped ties. I'm nothing if not classy in my color coordinating. After getting dressed, the guys headed outside into the 96 degree sun to do a half hour photo shoot with the photographers before heading back inside for the ceremony.
The wedding was beautiful. Andrew and Lyndsay are both beautiful people, both physically and spiritually, and are destined to have a beautiful marriage. It was great to see the two families come together as one, and it was an honor that they allowed me and other non-family to join in the union. The ceremony was followed by another photo session, this time with the whole wedding party and complete with bling. Everyone in the party was up for everything the photographers threw at us, and I'm really looking forward to seeing the pics.
A couple hours into the reception, I headed upstairs to plug in my dead cellphone. After it turned back on, I found desperate messages from my Mom that my Dad was fading fast. Knowing there was nothing I could do, the tears flowed freely. Some of my closest friends (including Pennsylvania-Kyle who diligently didn't leave my side the rest of the night) surrounded me with love and prayer. How could this be happening? But I knew one thing, if Dad truly was dying, or already dead, I was too far away to do anything or even be there for my family. Knowing that, I also knew I didn't want any of my personal heartache to crash the happiness that was going on downstairs. So I begged everyone in the room not to tell Andrew or Lyndsay, washed off my face, and went back to the party. An hour later, the same group of friends surrounded me again as I wept in my friend Grant's arms after finding out Dad was coming around.
Sunday
Despite going to bed at 2 am, I woke up at the call of my usual early-morning internal clock. I got a shower, packed my bags, and left the hotel room all without waking Kyle who was crashed on the bed. I met my friend Steve outside, and after putting my bags in the car, Steve and I walked to a coffee shop where he bought me a breakfast sandwich and some java. We hooked up with a few other friends before going back to the Hilton to check out. With those few people I consider to be my core friends, we enjoyed breakfast at Spyro's before stopping at the Wooden Nickel for driving music for the trip home.
I'm home now, laundry in the washer, cats fed, dinner had. Even though I had a great time in Fort Wayne, it's nice to be sitting in my Lay-Z-Boy after an exciting, albeit emotional (high and low), few days.
Andrew & Lyndsay, I raise my glass to you one more time. I send you all my love and wish you all the best.
posted by Sam at 7:23 PM
7 Comments:
Oh my heart jumped when reading about your dad.....how is he doing tonight?
He's doing better, thanks. Check out my Mom's blog for a lot better explanation than I can give here.
Weird to say perhaps, but being a stalker of your mom & sister, and knowing you had wedding plans this weekend, I was genuinely relieved to know you were able to ignorantly enjoy at least most of the festivities.
And so glad you have time for a few more conversations. I couldn't live without the peace obtained from knowing we were good, but what an amazing blessing to be able to continue to share words...and life.
I'm so glad that your dad is doing better. The thought of you being so far away from your family during those uncertain hours broke my heart. I'm so grateful that you were surrounded by good friends to comfort you and also share your relief when you found out your dad was coming around.
Thank God for the support of good friends!
Hey Sam. Hope your dad is doing better every day. Looks as though the wedding was amazing as well as the reception and even the day before! The pictures are great. I am so blessed by all the new friends I have acquired with working with all of these families. Your friends are awesome people ...... I am thinking of you and still looking forward to dinner at Pondi's . You know It is my treat.... :) Take care Sam..
ah sam. i love to read your writings. what a great weekend. and with a happy ending.
Sam- You are family, and we are so glad to have you be a part o such a special weekend- I love your angle on the weekend, and am truly sorry I never got to see your striped leg warmers- hoping for pics! Love Chel
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