It’s wedding season! I have been to two weddings in 8 days. And, it’s just the beginning. I find that there are many occasions that I need some “go to” stories – at a holiday party, or for sure, at a wedding event where I am at a table with strangers. Everyone has been to a wedding, so generally, everyone can relate. Here are a couple wedding “moments.”
Wedding Moment #1 – the wedding was taking place at a prominent hotel. One of the reasons this hotel was selected was the grand staircase. We were at the rehearsal and getting everyone into their positions. It was in this moment that the mother-in-law (to be) declared that she wanted to enter on the grand staircase as well. Of course, there was laughter, thinking she was kidding, and then the realization that she wasn’t. Let’s just say that the groom and his mother had to have a chat, and, the allegiance of the groom was declared at the rehearsal.
Wedding Moment #2 – again, at the rehearsal. The father of the bride was giving his toast as all the family and friends were gathered around. He did the normal toast in many ways, reflecting on his daughter and some great memories that he had with his princess. He then drifted into a comment that would not soon be forgotten, “You know, (insert groom name), you were not our first choice.” After this comment left his lips there was a gasp of silence in the room – while everyone awaited the comeback. I am not sure what it was, but since I can’t remember it, it was not good enough.
Wedding Moment #3 – I did a wedding in a backyard for a small family and friends gathering. Imagine white chairs, a small white arbor, and a beautiful day. The wedding had two moments I will never forget. One was at the rehearsal dinner at the casino buffet – when the mother of the bride hands me two halves of $100 bills. “Show up tomorrow and get my daughter married and you get the other halves!” I just had never had to tape one hundreds together before.
The second was the crescendo of the wedding was the flying butterflies. (Of course we could not rehearse this.) Every patron attending received a butterfly in an envelope. At this one point in the ceremony I would read this poem (referring to the marriage and the butterfly) and then there was a song that was sung – “Butterfly Kisses” or some song like it, and then I directed everyone to release the butterflies! All was perfect up that moment . . . one kid tore his butterfly in half and was screaming, and not one of the other butterflies flew – they just stood on people’s leg. Let’s just say the moment never quite worked.
Wedding Moment #4 – The wedding was to start at 4:00 PM. I thought the wedding was to start at 5:00 PM. The wedding was 35 minutes from my house with no traffic. So, we need to leave my house by 3:00 to be safely there, but should leave earlier. (Why stress – is what Marni always says) At 2:55 there is one of my boys friends on our kitchen counter as I am cleaning up a knee wound and getting bandages. I have a sharp loud voice in my head – “GET ON THE ROAD! WEDDING STARTS IN AN HOUR!” I will tell you that this was the Lord! I ran upstairs and dug through my materials . . . OH MY!
“MARNI! WE NEED TO BE ON THE ROAD!” Marni is in the garden, and I have not showered. In the next 15 minutes we were dressed, had a babysitter, and had scrambled to the car. As we drove to the wedding (Marni verbally praying for some form of a stall) we were petrified thinking that we were holding up the outdoor, very expensive, super elegant, fabulous beach wedding. We pull into the wedding location – all 200 chairs were full and people were seated – at 3:55. I get out and Marni is going to park the car. The wedding planner at that moment comes around the corner and wants to make sure I know this information . . . “They found his suit, and it will be here in 5 minutes.” All eyes were on the groomsmen who forgot his suit . . . no one even missed me. At 4:03 pm I entered from stage right and started the wedding.
It’s wedding season. Memories are made at EVERY wedding I go to for sure. I can tell you that these are a few of my “go to” stories that usually get a laugh, a gasp, or a reaction. What are yours?
Oh, and that picture was from Neal and Laura’s wedding . . . sometime ask me about the Unity Candle moment . . . great wedding!
Have a great day!
Eric
ericscofield 
Those are great stories. My favorite: I’m doing a wedding for a couple that worked for Disney. I tied in Disney phrases in the message. It was at a very nice private venue. As things transitioned to a song, the soloist sang something like, “As His rain falls down on you.” At that moment a stream of water began to flow from the ceiling, falling right behind the groom. This wasn’t planned. I moved the groom. The soloist keeps singing and everyone is looking to me, yet they are trying to ignore this stream of water now splashing from the floor making a mess. The management scrambles to find out where the leak is coming from. But the crowd is looking to me. Knowing there is still time in the song, I dash back to the bar and say, “I need to borrow this” as I empty the tip jar/vase. I bring it back up, put the vase under the stream, the song ends and we continue on. They shortly thereafter fix the leak- an overflowing sink that was left on. And they lived Happily Ever After.
wow, could this be a fun string!
I did an outside wedding at a gorgeous B&B in the woods – beautiful setting, sunny day, everything is perfect. The wedding party has entered, the pause comes before the bride and dad walks down – and a dog the size of a small pony wanders down the aisle, sniffs a number of guests, then pauses next to the mother of the groom and… we all held our breath, certain he was going to hoist his leg and pee. Luckily he didn’t, wandered off, and the attention returned to the glowing bride. Crisis averted, and lots of chuckles.
These moment you could NEVER orchestrate…