On May 4th my husband and I celebrated our 15th anniversary. To celebrate, we spent part of the day looking at the wedding photos. I won’t bore you with them. Well, ok, maybe one or two. I’ll never forget that day, and not just because I looked into my love’s eyes and said “I do.” Not just because it was one of those moments you’re meant to remember. No, I’ll remember it because of the showers.
Let me explain.
The day was spectacular. I was blessed that morning with a warm, sunny day. Maybe too warm. I remember being so relieved about the weather because we had an outdoor wedding planned, and I had no Plan B if it started raining.
The day started out perfectly. Breakfast at a salon, followed by hair and makeup with the girls. Photos with everyone, which took so long I was a bit late for my grand entrance. But hey, the show can’t go on without me, right?
I walked down the aisle, with eyes only for the man waiting at the end of it. I sort of remember giving my dad a kiss, then taking David’s hand. My Uncle Claude officiated the service. He said some wonderful words, none of which I remember. We did all the things you’re supposed to do, you know, exchange vows and vague promises, listen to verses, etc., and then it was time for a song. My brother sang “our song”, Straight to the Heart by Michael W. Smith. We all turned to watch him. And then a jet flew over head.
Hazards of an outdoor wedding, right?
I looked around, hoping the sound would fade. The sound continued, and, if anything, got louder. The white plastic aisle runner lifted up. Wow, that must be a low-flying jet. I looked up. No jet.
My brother sang on.
The guests, about 75 of them, started to scream. They rose as one, and split down the middle just as if Moses stood at the front of the aisle instead of me and my husband, and ran for either side of the garden. What the…?
It was then I noticed that my Dad was standing in the middle of the aisle, watching me. He looked…wet. I looked around to see all the guests now standing along the edge of the lawns, reassembled in respectful silence. All of them stared at me.
My brother sang on.
My uncle put a hand on my back and rubbed it. “This is terrible. This is terrible.”
It was then I realized what had really happened. No, it wasn’t a jet. The lawn sprinklers had gone off, and the sound was water hitting the plastic runner. My Aunt Betty, who was sitting directly above a sprinkler head, got quite a dose of water directly up her skirt, which she called “refreshing.” My bridesmaids were soaked from the knees down. Their dyed shoes left green prints everywhere they walked.
My brother didn’t miss a beat.
At this point, I think they all waited to see how I would react. I suppose many brides would have burst into tears. After all, this was my wedding, and something had just gone horribly wrong. I mean, it couldn’t have been worse if it really had rained, right?
What did I do?
See the sprinklers?
I giggled. Then laughed. I leaned over to my groom and said “it’s ok, honey, this is actually pretty funny.” David laughed with me. Then the crowd did too.
And my brother kept singing.
I will never, ever, forget that moment. The crowd parting in the middle, the screams, my brother continuing like 50 people hadn’t just suddenly run straight at him, my Dad standing on the sprinkler head that would have been pointing directly at me, my mother pulling my grandma away from the sprinkler underneath her, the site of my aunt bounding up the stairs to go find someone to shut off the water, how we all reassembled along the edges of the lawn just exactly as if it had been planned, and how desperately funny it all looked from where I stood.
I didn’t get wet at all. Not even a sprinkle. But everybody else did. And most agreed it was a welcome and cooling relief on a very hot day.
The dyed shoes were ruined. The day was not. It was a beautiful, funny, special moment that I remember as if it were yesterday. It’s a memory that makes me smile and feel the joy of that day more clearly than any photo. What’s more, anyone there that day has the same memory. We all laugh over it. I’ve never been to another wedding quite like it.
Why did the sprinklers go off? A power outage the night before had reset all the timers. So instead of 4 am, they went off at 4 pm. Our garden wasn’t the only one soaked that day. I’ve always wondered how the other weddings fared with their own shower. I hope they discovered the same thing we did, that anything happening that day just makes the memory special and uniquely yours. At the very least, it makes for one heck of a story!
So how about you? Did your wedding or other important event go as planned?
I would have done the same thing as you–burst out laughing. We didn’t have anything nearly that funny happen on our wedding day. We did unfortunately have rain while we were supposed to be taking pictures, which put a crimp in things, but we managed alright. This has got me thinking of posting a few wedding photos when our second anniversary comes along in the fall.
A friend of my Dad’s told us that in Australia, rain on your wedding day is good luck and means a long, happy marriage :-). I hope sprinklers count! I do recommend looking back at the photos on your anniversary. It made me smile. Plus, everybody wants to see the dress 😉
My own experiences weren’t so much funny as mildly disruptive, but we made it through and I found out the kind of amazing friends I have through it. From Christine, Uwe and Chaz who ran 12 extension cords to the nearest bathroom to get us the electricity needed for the DJ equipment (and didn’t tell me until months later that the park service has violated the contract because they didn’t want me getting upset that day), to the stack of cheesecakes instead of a traditional white cake… The hot weather, the foggy day and the horse-drawn carriage….
But as wonderful as I remember my wedding being, I have to say… Your aunt’s line about the water being refreshing was perfect. What a memory.
Ah, we had electricity issues as well, with it being a garden. They had outlets hidden in the bushes which was awesome. I’m sure they didn’t count on the sprinklers going off while all the equipment was plugged in lol. Luckily, it was pretty shielded and nobody got electrocuted. We had a horse-drawn carriage too :-). I loved it, was very romantic. And very slooow. Love the idea of cheesecakes instead of white cake. Yum! As for Aunt Betty…yeah, wish everyone could hear her say it too, because the delivery of the line was priceless lol.
Oh my gosh! I laughed at your story and would have reacted the same way. You know, in Hawaii, they say it’s lucky to get rain on your wedding. I wonder what they would say about sprinklers? 😉
They say that in Australia too! I think we should say it here as well. And as far as I’m concerned, sprinklers totally count 😀
What a riot! I’m so glad you reacted this way, and took something positive from it. Those poor bridesmaids’ shoes. Oh, my.
We did a lot of laughing at our wedding, although nothing went terribly wrong. Of course, there was the point in the middle of the ceremony when the best man realized he’d left the ring in his car in the parking lot, and had to go sprinting for it while the rest of us stood and waited for him. But the priest just waved up at the organist in the choir loft: “Christa, play something!” – so we sat and listened to a song until he came back, panting. We were laughing so hard (it was a great nervous-tension-reliever). The priest in included it in the blessing of the rings: “Lord, bless these rings, which have been recovered…” Yeah, our priest was a bit of a comedian. 🙂
Thanks for sharing, Melinda! Great choice of dates, btw – May 4th is my birthday. 😀
Oh my! The dash for the ring hehehe. Love the priest! My uncle was right on queue as well with “May the Lord shower you with blessings” right after they got the water turned off lol. May 4th is definitely an awesome day — happy birthday! just a tiny bit late 😉
What a great story! I would’ve laughed too and it sounds like you remember your wedding more clearly because of that moment. 🙂
I really do! And what’s more fun is so does everyone else. Seriously, can you remember the details of other people’s weddings? I can’t. But my guests sure remember getting doused lol.
How funny! And what a great attitude! So much better than those killer brides or whatever the heck they’re called. LOL I’m so glad you have such great memories of your special day. Your aunt sounds like a hoot and I can just see your brother singing through all the commotion. 🙂 Congratulations to both of you and to many happy years ahead.
Rhonda – I think they are called “Bridezillas” LOL! 🙂
Oh yeah! Thanks, K.B. LOL Well, they certainly kill my interest in wanting anything to do with them. 🙂
Thanks Rhonda 🙂 I have video of Alan singing right along with the screams that’s just priceless. Best decision ever to get so many photos and to have someone record it.
What a great story! I’ll bet it was quite shocking to Aunt Betty (who sounds like a total gem!)! We didn’t have anything quite that dramatic happen at our wedding until after the vows were exchanged and we turned to walk out of the church. We heard a lot of conversational buzzing around behind us, but we didn’t turn to look until we’d made it all the back “up” the aisle. We turned to see one of our bridesmaids had fainted. Just passed out. Later, in the pictures, she’s as white as a ghost. That was sooooooo long ago! Thanks for the reminder, Melinda!
Oh my! I hope she was ok! Yikes. It was YOUR job to pass out, not the bridesmaids ;-). Poor girl. Aunt Betty is a hoot, there’s no other word for it. Aunt Sherry is too, but I don’t think she got water up her underpants ;-). Then again, maybe she did. I’ll have to ask lol.
Oh my, Melinda, what a memorable wedding day. And your dad was so kind to stand on the sprinkler and protect you from the spray. He just knew his lovely little daughter wouldn’t want to have your beautiful wedding gown ruined. Thanks for sharing this memory!
I remember looking at Dad and thinking “why are you standing there getting wet?” It took me the longest time to realize he was standing on a sprinkler head, and that he did it so I wouldn’t get wet. Can you say AWWWWW? Several people leapt to sprinkler head duty along the aisle, but I think Dad was first.
Would do it all over again in an instant sweetie. The best decision of my life!
Can we get an “awwwww!” 🙂 Yes, he typed this himself. I didn’t hold a gun to him or anything 😉
Awwww! How lovely! The only other hubster I know on a blog is Myndi’s! Right, where’s Hugo?
xxx
Awwwww is right!!!!
I love “Hubby” Blogjacking!
Congratulations to both of you! Happy 15th! 🙂
Awww, you did great!
Actually, I’d laugh too because the tension of the day is so much what else can you do? You both look wonderful and so very happy. Congratulations on the fifteen years!
Thanks 😀 It really was a tension breaker. Even his mother giggled.
Melinda, the fact you and David laughed about the sprinklers foretold the success of your marriage better than any compatibility test or psychological profile. Happy Anniversary!
PS: Too sweet that your Dad kept his foot on the sprinkler head.
I’m still sort of shocked at how fast he did it. I mean, he realized what was going on, and that I’d get wet, and that he could prevent it, all in the blink of an eye. Fast thinking Dad!
Happy Anniversary!
Melinda, I’m so glad you told us that you laughed because I read this post to my Hubby and we both cried hysterically! To the point of tears! Oh wow, what a story. Who could forget that event? And yes, just like Pat said, the fact that the two of you laughed was better than any other compatibility test!
I can’t top that story. I wish I could, but no. That’s one of the best I’ve heard.:)
hehe. The ironic thing about the whole event was my photographer. When we first met, he told me no matter what happens that day, it was meant to be and it just makes the day uniquely yours. So don’t worry. I’m sure he was just trying to make sure he didn’t have a hysterical bride on his hands, and I suspect he was thinking about the food going wrong or the DJ not showing up or something. I bet anything he didn’t think the sprinklers would go off lol. But his words have stayed with me to this day. It’s just so true, about any special event. Anything going haywire just makes for a better story later 😀