The Viewing Party

Last week, after seven months of waiting, our wedding video showed up on the front door.  It was one of those moments when, if you stop looking for something, it'll show up.  Like Love.  I was driving home from work when K called and said it was here. 

I was a little disappointed I didn't get to hug the mailman, I'm not going to lie.  Especially if he turned out to be cute. 

Anyway.


Our friends and family were basically on call for the last two weeks, in order to prepare for a viewing party. 

This felt like our first party since we've moved.  And since our last party was probably the Halloween party, and well, nevermind.  What I'm getting at is, I wanted to make it a big deal.  I bought bamboo toothpicks, made my own aioli, found beautiful drink dispensers, and picked up a champagne cake.  Yeah, I didn't even know those exhisted.

We snuggled into the living room, closed the curtains, passed around Kleenex, snacked on whiskey flavored meatballs and bacon wrapped chicken bites, and hit play. 


Our videographer created a highlight reel, set to about ten minutes of music that we chose. 


They captured me sitting on the bed, letting out a semi-nervous sigh.

And the pride on my face when I received my wedding earrings from K. 

There he was, on another floor of the hotel, reading a letter I'd stayed up and wrote the night before.  Filled with inside stories that the photographer didn't quite understand.

It showed him kissing his mom after she put on his boutineer.  Which ended up breaking in front of the church, quickly replaced by an orange rose. 

The video perfectly timed dad entering the room, us walking down the aisle, the vows exchanged, and us newlyweds walking towards the waterfront on our beautiful, perfect day.

It had the towel waving (which, was featured this week on this website), the bouquet toss to the cousin who happened to get engaged weeks later, the four special and unique toasts, and a decent amount of polka dancing.

We laughed when T struck the perfect, passionate pose on the dance floor. 

We cried when our voices so slightly cracked during those holy vows. 

There was everyone from our wedding in the video, laughing, crying, and dancing.  Enjoying the love in the room and the energy from that night. 



Our viewing party lasted longer than I anticipated.  We watched part of the ceremony and most of the raw footage.  I forgot how much this day meant to others and how so many wanted to recapture the spirit that evening. 


It was another reminder how blessed we are in this little life of ours. 


(I wish I could post the video the internet.  I'm sure I'll figure it out someday.  In the meantime, if you want to see it for yourself, let me know and I'll make it happen.)




Sometimes I'm hesitant to keep the wedding going.  Its months behind us and I worry that people will get tired of it.  But, then I think, why not continue to celebrate this life that we have and what we are doing with it?  We are not in our wedding attire, but we should still be as happy as we were that day, especially with the people who are around us now.


So, horrah for wedding videos.  And wedding video viewing parties.