Wedding Bliss

The Wedding Ceremony Uniting

Elena Barker

and

Jeff Mosier

Saturday, July 26, 2014

I perused the program for Elena's wedding, smiling to myself, and trying not to tear up prematurely.  We were all in the back of church in the choir room.  It was 10 minutes until the start time, and we were all making finishing touches on make-up and bobby-pinning any loose tendrils of hair that had come unruly.  Elena looked stunning in her strapless fishtail gown.  She was radiant, and literally appeared as if she was glowing.  The photographer was taking pictures of her from behind, looking out of a ceiling to floor stained glass window.  It was serene and calming. 

The wedding planner knocked on the door and let herself in right after, announcing that it was time to get lined up at the doors of the sanctuary before walking in for the processional.  All of the guys were already lined up by Jeff up front, so we were walking down individually.

The ceremony was beautiful, and the pastor injected humor at all of the appropriate times.  I took a moment, while the pastor was speaking, to sneak a glance out to the guests.  I saw a lot of our mutual friends from growing up, but also from college.  I also saw extended family of Elena's that I had met before.  But there were also a lot of people that I had never met:  Jeff's family, friend's of his from before college, and colleague's of all of their parents'.  My gaze rested on my family.  I saw my mom and dad, and sitting next to them were Tom and Mary.  I had to suppress an eye roll seeing that he brought her along.  Since the dinner at my parents' house, we hadn't seen Miriam, and Tom had avoided all of my phone calls to him.  I glanced to the other side of my parents and saw Ben and Gloria (Zach's parents).  Elena had told me she was extending an invitation to their family.  We had all grown up together, so it only made sense.  I didn't see Zach.  I assumed that he probably didn't come home for the summer from Arizona.  The few times I had gone to my parents' house, I hadn't seen any sign of him or his car.

I refocused on the ceremony.  There were laughs, there were tears.  We- myself and the other bridesmaids- all had Kleenex wrapped around the stem of our bouquets, so we could wipe away the tears.  They came in quite useful.

After the ceremony, we filed out with joy and entered the limo that took us to take pictures while the guests arrived to the site of the reception.  I was looking forward to the celebration that was about to occur.  Dancing, drinking, and bliss.

It was a dinner that was served, and the options had originally been salmon, chicken, or filet.  I honestly hadn't paid close attention to the first two, since I'm a steak and potatoes girl.  As soon as my eyes flickered over the word "filet" on the invitation, I had stopped reading.  That was all I needed.

Dinner was delicious.  Unfortunately, I didn't eat all of it, because the dress was already perfectly fitted, and tight (and had corset-like boning in it), so it didn't leave me with much breathing room, let alone bloating.  Plus due to the open bar, I knew the night was going to be long and thanks to an open bar, wanted to save plenty of room for alcohol. 

After the first dance ("When I Fall in Love" by Nat King Cole; perfect and timeless for their classy and formal, black-tie wedding), Sarah found me and grabbed my hand, dragging me to the dance floor, after making a pit stop by the head table to kick off our shoes.  After Love Shack, Dancing Queen, and Hey Ya!, Sarah and I needed refills.  We went to the bar and asked for vodka and coke for me, and red wine for Sarah.  While waiting, a male approached the bar.  He was handsomely dressed in a classic tuxedo complete with a bow tie.  I not-so-subtly looked him up and down from his perfectly styled blonde hair down to his (what appeared to be) Calvin Klein patent dress shoes.  I smiled in appreciation and turned fully to face him.  I felt Sarah nudge me in the back and whisper in my ear, a little too loudly, "Don't forget our deal!"

I gave a slight shrug and waited for mystery man to get closer.  I figured, no harm in flirting.  If anything, I might snag myself someone to slow dance with.  He placed his forearms on the bar, and made eye contact with the bartender.  He let the bartender know he wanted a gin and tonic.  I quickly glanced at his all-important left hand ring finger, and saw it empty.  I took him in for a moment longer, realizing how good looking he really was.  Then I felt like a creeper, and turned back to face the bar again.  "Why haven't you said anything?" Sarah asked.

I looked at her and quietly responded, "I don't know what to say!  I don't even know how to flirt anymore!"

She rolled her eyes at me and slurred, "Aleah, you are the queen of being unknowingly flirtatious.  Just open your mouth.  I'm sure the words will just naturally flow."

I giggled, realizing just how tipsy we both were after hearing her speak.  We had drank several drinks already by this time.  Her mini pep-talk (plus the alcohol that was slowly working its magic) gave me a new found courage.  Before I could make my move, the bartender came over with the three glasses, setting them in front of their proper owners.  I grabbed my drink and turned to say something just as mystery man was reaching past me to put a dollar in the tip container.  Our arms collided, sending my drink cascading down his tux, and the glass dropping to the floor and shattering.  I cringed, and looked up guiltily at the man, through my eyelashes.

Quickly I jumped to action, gushing apologies and grabbing cocktail napkins off the bar counter to dab at the wetness on his tux.  A few of the workers came over and started cleaning up the spilled fluid and broken glass on the floor.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so so sorry.  I'm so clumsy.  Me and this alcohol, I should really be more aware of my surroundings and what I'm doing," I stumbled over my words, feeling sorry and embarrassed. 

I looked at him and he was smiling down at me.  He took a handful of napkins off the counter, too, and said, "It's okay.  It is completely my fault.  I should've been more patient and waited for you and your friend to leave so I didn't have to reach behind you.  Let's go over here," he said motioning behind him, "so we can get out of the way so they can get all the glass."

"I may need to wait a minute," I told him, lifting up the bottom of the dress to reveal that I was barefoot.  "I don't want to get glass in my foot.  That'd really put a damper on my dance-offs!" He chuckled.

"Let me help you out."  He set his drink on the bar and took a step over to me, swiftly picked me up in a cradle hold, and walked me a few yards away where we were sure it was clear of glass and set me down.

"My knight in shining armor," I sang, while clasping my hands in front of me and batting my eyelashes.

His smile disappeared, and he bowed his head seriously.  "At your service, my lady.  And what may I fetch you from the watering hole, now that thy drink hath disappeared?"  He looked back up at me, his eyes twinkling.

"Vodka and coke, please, sir."

He strode back up to the bar, and I watched him closely.  He made me smile.  I liked that.

He returned with his drink and my new one.  I set it on the table that was close by and picked up more napkins and started wiping at the jacket.  Not that I could see any liquid, since his tux was black, but I was still hoping to soak up any liquid.  And maybe to be close to him.  "You don't need to do that," he quickly said.

"I feel so bad.  At least can I help with your dry cleaning fee?"

"Oh it's a rental.  Don't worry about it."

"Well, is there anything I can do to make it up to you?  Buy you another drink?"  Hug?  Massage?  Or take you away to a private island and let you have your way with me?

"If anything, I should be making it up to you!  I was the one who slammed my arm into yours."

I stepped up my boldness then.  "How about a dance?  I mean... unless you have a girlfriend or anything," I quickly retracted.  Awkward, Aleah.

He grinned at me, "No."

I raised an eyebrow at him, and he quickly realized what he said.  "I meant, no girlfriend.  And yes, I guess a dance will make us even."

The rest of the night flew by, between dancing, drinking and checking out the mystery man.  I did learn that he is 23, a tax accountant, and Jeff's cousin.  Why Elena never told me that Jeff was related to a greek god, I didn't know.  Apparently, he also loves dancing, though.  So one dance turned into two, which turned into six. 

Sarah and I had come together.  And when there were minimal people left, and we had sent Jeff and Elena off to enjoy their wedding night, Sarah informed me she was ready to leave.  We were both quite intoxicated, and decided to cab it back our apartment.  She called while I told my dancing partner we were taking off.  Drunk me threw my body at him, wrapping my arms around his neck.  I whisper shouted in his ear that we were leaving, but that I'd had a blast with him, and he was a sexy dancer.  And yes, I said sexy.  Too drunk to care, but not drunk enough to forget.

He didn't say anything, and I started walking away, but felt him grab my arm lightly.  I turned to face him and he stuck out his hand, grinning cheesily at me.  I reached out and shook it, and he said, "By the way, I'm Chase."

"Aleah."

He pulled me in for another hug and I felt like I was going to melt in the strength of his arms. We then went our separate ways.

As I was shutting the cab door, and sleepily resting my head against the back of my seat, I realized that we didn't exchange numbers.  I sighed, disappointed.