Meet Katie.
Actually, let’s start again…
Meet Katie. Our friendship began in the summer of 1995 at a math convention at the Sugarloaf Ski Resort in Maine. One of the nights, they held an outdoor dance. Her boyfriend was being a jerk, and we ended up dancing with each other. When school started again, we had AP Biology together. She walked in and didn’t recognize anybody and sat with me. Mr. Elegante had to separate us pretty much immediately. We’re both hopeless romantics. We spent hours talking on the phone. I talked about who I liked, she talked about who she liked, and we both endlessly discussed and debated the nature of love. Are you finished throwing up? Good, let’s continue. We’re not very good at keeping in touch. We manage to catch each other on the phone every two to three months. When we do, though, we end up talking forever. What’s remarkable about our friendship is that we just pick right back up where we left off: no awkward reestablishment required.
The first time I met Billy was on one of our beach trips. I was so struck by how he exuded calm that I termed him “human prozac”. Billy is the first one of Katie’s boyfriends that I liked for her, and I like him a lot. I was thrilled to hear about their engagement. The celebration was perfect. It was a love letter to Alabama. After the ceremony, we played in the grass. The friends spelled out “Katie and Billy White”. You can see Katie running towards us in the first one when she realized what was going on:
We had a delicious Alabama barbecue for dinner, but my favorite part was dessert. The centerpiece of each table was a pile of tasty homemade sweet things, and each table had a different one on it. A menu of all the desserts told you which table to go to to find them. People were stopping by all through dinner to visit and grab the key lime cookies from our table. Click through to see the menu at full size:
And of course, their first dance was to “Stars Fell On Alabama”. As for the ceremony, writing it proved to be more challenging than Christian and Stephanie’s. That time, it was very clear to me from the beginning what I was going to write. This time, I ended up scrapping a few drafts before I was satisfied. Leading up to the wedding day, I was a little worried about how it would be received. After hanging out with everybody the night before, though, any anxiety I had disappeared. It was a hit. I had like eight older ladies kiss me afterwards. Hot. I’ll spare you the photographs from my notebook this time around. After seeing my scrawl from the last one, my friend told me I had “serial killer handwriting”, so I’m transcribing it here. I’ve preserved my notes and the line breaks which I had in my notebook. Congratulations, Katie and Billy! I am so incredibly happy for you two.
Good Afternoon! On behalf of Billy, Katie, and their family, I’d like to welcome all of you here today. And what a beautiful day it is! When I stepped off the plane on Thursday, it was ninety degrees and humid. I thought two things: First, I’m home. Second, this is going to be an Alabama Wedding. But then I woke up this morning, stepped out the door, and found a cold front had come in and bought with it a perfect spring day. And we’re at Burritt Museum on Monte Sano. Those of us that grew up in Huntsville all have fond memories of this place. Today, we’re going to make a few more: games on the lawn, a barbecue, a sunset over the city, and a night of music and dancing under the stars. But first things first… (Ask Billy if he’s ready. Ask Katie if she’s ready) ** If at any point you need a moment, just look at me. I’ll know ** Dearly Beloved, we are gathered here today to celebrate the wedding of Billy White and Katie Davis. In the years they have been together, the love between them has grown stronger, and now, they have decided to live their lives together as husband and wife. Who gives this woman to be wedded to this man? (Dad says they do. Maybe he sits down? Need to clarify) Let’s talk about love. Specifically, let’s talk about the pursuit of love. We often hear about finding true love, as if it’s this singular thing waiting for us somewhere out there. I don’t know if that’s true for Billy and Katie, after all, they were always there. Their journey was not about finding this singular love, but rather, discovering the kind of love that has now inspired them to commit to each other for the rest of their lives. This kind of love, Billy and Katie’s love, is what I’d like to talk about. We often hear that love is a fire, burning bright and hot. Well, Billy and Katie discovered a love that smolders like coals, providing a long-lasting gentle warmth that will not flame out. We often hear that love is exciting and unpredictable, but Billy and Katie discovered a love that is calm and serene, while still retaining its wonder. And we often hear that love requires closeness, but Billy and Katie discovered a love that spanned the hundred and eighty-eight miles between them with ease, although, I’m pretty certain they are excited about not having to make that drive again. And some of the qualities that define their love have carried over into their wedding: it’s playful, it’s lighthearted, and it’s laid back. As far as wedding celebrations go, this is going to be one of the more fun ones. (To Billy and Katie) But we mustn’t allow that to diminish the gravity of the vows you are about to take. You are committing to each other for the rest of your lives. There will be good times and there will be hard times, so remember this moment. Remember the love you feel for each other. Remember the joy with which you are beginning your life together. And remember that you will never be alone. Friends, in addition to Billy and Katie’s commitment to each other, I ask that we make a commitment: A commitment to their happiness. We will always be there for you. So without further ado… (Get Katie’s ring for Billy) Billy, please repeat after me. I, Billy White, take you, Katie Davis, to be my wife. To have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, from this day forward, until death do us part. With this ring I thee wed, and pledge to you my life now and forever. (Get Billy’s ring for Katie) I, Katie Davis, take you, Billy White, to be my husband. To have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, from this day forward, until death do us part. With this ring I thee wed, and pledge to you my life now and forever. By the power vested in me by the state of Alabama, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride. (They make out) Friends, family, and loved ones, I present to you our newlyweds, Mr. and Mrs. White.
