Les Mariages: Deux sur Samedi

The hubby and I had a busy weekend; we were both at weddings this Saturday: two weddings, two sides of the family, two completely different days. I love how different two versions of the same ritual can be!

Wedding #1: My cousin married her partner of 11 years at Hanlan's Point on Toronto Island. The bride was walked down the aisle by both her parents, wearing a vintage style dress. She had no bouquet, and no veil, and the groom wore a tan suit. The two bridesmaids wore nude and lace dresses with flat shoes. The ceremony was performed by a Unitarian minister; it took about 20 minutes, and both the bride and groom cried throughout the whole thing. They wrote their own vows, which was really cool, and their music was provided by a record player and some old Sinatra-style music. The reception consisted of dinner and lots of funny speeches by family and friends (both the bride and groom started out as actors, and still have many actor friends), and then we all caught the ferry back to the mainland.

Wedding #2: My brother-in-law's best friend got married an Anglican church, and then had a big reception at a resort in the hills. The bride's dress was sparkly with a long train, and she wore a veil and a tiara. The bridesmaids wore teal, as did the groomsmen. The reception was a big dinner, with a bar-food buffet at midnight. The bride and groom spent the night dancing and doing shots, and didn't go to bed until the next morning.

Big difference! My cousin's wedding was totally my kind of wedding, and the other wedding, while lovely, was totally not. I loved that my cousin and her husband made the wedding into something that fit them and their relationship; they've lived together for nearly a decade, and so they emphasized that this wasn't a new beginning for them, but just a restatement of their commitment to each other. My cousin included "father of my children" in her vows, so we're all taking bets on how long until we have the first family grandchild. So exciting! As for the other wedding, even though I'm not so much into the crazy drinking, dancing, garter and dj kind of wedding, it fit the bride and groom perfectly. The hubby and I both had a great time.

(Btw, it was so nice to be at a wedding that wasn't my own!)