Last Saturday I gave my daughter away in marriage to a wonderful guy. They had a wedding on the beach in the Charleston, SC area and the weather and the ceremony was beautiful. I know I am prejudiced but the only thing more stunning than the setting was the bride. Dad kept it together for the ceremony but lost it during the traditional father-daughter dance. She had selected the song (I don't know if this is really the title) Butterfly Kisses and I shed a tear or two. In fact I am teary eyed just typing this.
You really do relive the last twenty some years from the time she was born, to crawling, walking, first bicycle ride, kindergarten, various school plays, birthdays, athletic events, cheerleading, prom, Sweet 16, learning to drive, first job, graduation, going off to college, etc. before, during and just after the ceremony.
The prep for the wedding was monumental and my wife and the hotel pulled it off, but not without hiccups along the way. I arrived on site last Thursday and was immediately hit before, during and after the wedding from various individuals with:
1. Not all the rooms were ready for the guests;
2. The number of guest quoted to the caterer was incorrect, some people actually showed up after sending in their regrets;
3. A/C in room #926 was not working;
4. My room smells like smoke and I asked for a non-smoking room;
5. The hotel restaurant would not take my free breakfast coupons. Well they took it but I wanted to use two of them and not pay the extra $5.00;
6. Aunt J wants to rent a car at the airport but she doesn't have a credit card. Could you help her?
7. The vest to my tux is the wrong color;
8. The photographer is late;
9. Kids went into the reception room and took half of the mints and chocolates and left a mess;
10. Guys would continue to kick their soccer ball into the wedding photos. (This one almost resulted in a fight on the beach, but that is a different story.)
11. Could you have the photographers take a picture of (insert request in here?)
I think you get the idea. Putting on a wedding is a hectic event and very stressful and you just want to beat some people severely around the head and shoulders. But you know what I would do it once again because seeing the look in her eyes and the shine on her face and her new husband made the whole thing very worthwhile.
They are off on their Honeymoon and if I have two pieces of advice for the Dads out there is to cherish every moment with your daughter because one day a fine looking guy will come along and sweep her off her feet and then she will be gone. Thankfully I will be able to see my daughter at least once a week as she still will live in town, but the every day contact will be gone. And that is okay as it is the natural order of things.
Secondly, while we may grumble about the cost of the wedding just shut up, dig out the checkbook and make your daughter's day. I would advise watching "The Father of the Bride" with Steve Martin because I went thought the same cycle of emotions from denial, to we are going to do things this way, to defiance, to defeat, to complete understanding and acceptance, and finally happiness knowing this is what my daughter really wants to do on her wedding day.
Thank God I have only one daughter 'cause if I had to do this again with another it just might kill me.
