Love and Marriage

Disclaimer: I mean no offense with this post, should it find its way to those who might consider themselves a target. This is simply a collection of observations and thoughts.

I learned something today: music I would consider appropriate "wedding dance music" isn't the same as . . . well, it would seem anybody else my age. After the proper first dance, father/daughter, and mother/son dance, my first choice of song was "The Best Things Happen While You're Dancing." Quite appropriate, I thought. However, NOBODY else in the room thought so. Instead, most of the night was spent watching people slightly younger than me skip through songs. On a sound system. At a wedding reception. Weird, right? I don't think there's anything particularly wrong with that, but it seems more like the atmosphere at a dorm-room dance party than a formal, filet mignon-catered wedding reception.

I think that thought segues nicely into the meat of this discussion - my view of marriage and weddings. I can't follow any logical path from "madly in love and willing and excited to spend the rest of our lives together" to "standing in uncomfortable clothing in front of a ton of people we may or may not actually know repeating words that may or may not have particular meaning based on religion and world view followed by a short party that costs around $50,000." I just can't make any connections there.

I think a wedding should be a celebration of love and life. Christian, Jewish, Islamic, Taoist, Buddhist, it doesn't matter. The one higher power that everybody can feel daily is Love. Logically, I want my wedding to be a party. All day.

It will start around noon and take place in a large grassy area with a pool. Or two. There will be live music and hors d'oeuvres. Stupid, hilarious party games will take place. When everybody starts to get tired, we'll break for dinner. This will change, of course, but at this moment, I want YATS! to do the catering. After dinner, a clear plexiglass covering will be put on the pool and the pool will be filled with floating candles and flowers. A dedication ceremony will take place on top of the pool. I'm thinking we exchange something that we've created for each other, and then say our own vows. I'm not really sure how it legally has to work, but I would like the least amount of interaction from some third party. And preferably not a religious official. After our dedication, the party will continue late into the night.

Celebration. Not somber. 

I know there will be proponents who will say, "Well what about what SHE wants?"

Honestly, the female friends I have talked to about this - and by association, the kind of people I attract, am attracted to, and like well enough to keep company, and therefore most likely to be involved with romantically - think it's an interesting, fun, unique, awesome idea.

Thoughts? Observations? Concerns? Rants?  Please, share. I know I have.