We’re celebrating 20 years married today! What better way that to remember what all went wrong on our wedding day? Ha ha. They say something goes wrong at every wedding…
My wedding day began like most any bride’s. I was excited and nervous and worried and happy. I arrived at the church early so that I would have plenty of time to get ready. I noticed that people were looking at me strangely. They would raise their eye brows and walk the other direction when they saw me coming. “What is the matter?” I finally grabbed some one and asked. “Uh, there is a little problem with the air conditioner. But don’t worry, we’re working on it.” We had borrowed a church in Edinburg, Texas, where my parents lived. It was July 26, 1997, and the weather was characteristically hot, over 100 degrees. Having been raised in South Texas, I never gave the heat or humidity much thought. It was no big deal. You just go from one air conditioner to the next. No problem. But we had a big problem! And Jason’s family, who were from Nebraska, were not as used to hot weather as we were.
As I was getting ready, the church was getting hotter and hotter. I began curling my hair in tight little ringlets, and before I finished the second side, the curl on the first side was almost completely out. I literally curled my whole head of hair three times. In the end I just had to give up and go on with wavy hair. It was the worst possible time for a bad hair day! A couple of times someone would check in with me saying, “We’re doing what we can. Don’t worry.”
They finally got the air back on just a few minutes before time to start, but with the auditorium already full of people it didn’t do much good. I remember standing in the back of the church with my Dad. Well, at least I didn’t have to wear a suit coat! “Coke! Does any one have a Coke?” The image is frozen in my mind of someone holding up the veil so that I could drink my Coke. I couldn’t leave that part out!
I have to stop here. The pianist. Words fail me. She came highly recommended. She said she could play anything in any key with or without music and had played for ten weddings that summer. We hired her. We actually gave her money. The moment arrived when it was obviously my turn to walk down the aisle, but whatever she was playing, it only vaguely resembled The Wedding March. Later a friend asked, “Oh, was that the wedding march? I had heard that some Christians marched in to a hymn, so I thought it was just one I didn’t know.”
My father gave me away, and as we were standing at the front of the church, someone had pity and placed a fan aimed at us. Well, it was a vacillating fan, so my veil was in complete flight. This way. Then that way. Then this way. It felt as if the whole audience was swaying from one side to the next in unison with my veil.
Thankfully, for my sister and brother-in-law’s vocals we had sound tracks. But I had asked my brother, who has a great voice to sing a bilingual version of, “My Tribute” since many members of my parents’ church spoke only Spanish. The “pianist” started it way too low so my poor brother was practically growling when he started the “How can I say thanks…”
So we were pronounced man and wife. After all the many pictures and poses we proceeded to the small reception. One of my favorite memories is after I had thrown the bouquet, Jason discreetly took the garter. And then in one quick motion, he turned around and threw it over his shoulder bride’s bouquet style. It was just so unexpected. I laughed and laughed about that.
Later on that night, (now don’t get nervous here) after we had fallen asleep, I woke up with his hand on my belly. “Oh that’s so sweet.” I smiled to myself. I reached down happily to hold his hand. Jason sat straight up in bed and screamed at the top of his lungs, “Arghhhhhh, Arghhhhhh!” for several seconds. “It’s me. I’m your wife, I’m your wife.” He lay back down. Whew. Thinking that he was awake and all was well now I once again reached down and grabbed his hand. “Arghhhhh, Arghhhhh!” he screamed. And thus began our married life…
Married life has been an adventure and things have rarely gone according to MY plan. Just like the wedding day there has been lots of love, shockers, screams, and laughter. So thankful for the laughter!
What went wrong at your wedding?
Follow this link to continue reading about our honeymoon. 🙂
At our wedding, the vicar forgot one of the hymns, and my garter fell off as we were having our photos taken, but I think you have outdone me.
Ah, you keep us royally entertained – thanks. And I’ve got a few friends that the bed incident has happened to. One just prays that one has a non-violent spouse!
That’s a sweet story, Esther. Sounds like it was a very memorable day for you both. 🙂
The whole screaming thing is hilarious! So glad you were able to get past all that! lol
That’s too bad about the music. You should have hired me! 🙂 I got married outside in July and it was very hot, and that was in Nebraska. Couldn’t imagine being in TX without air. Glad everything worked out. Sounds like a great day!
Words fail me. I’m just speechless with laughter reading your engagement and wedding posts!!
Jewel, That’s too funny!
Robin, Happy to keep ya’ll humored!
Nancy, Memorable…uh huh! 🙂
Heather, I don’t know that we have. Ha!
Beth, I totally should have! You were what? In the eighth grade? How much would you have charged me? 🙂
Carly, I always appreciate your feedback!
Oh my, Texas and no air conditioning does not sound like fun! You poor thing! I love reading your posts Esther!
Oh my gosh those are all great, Esther, but the best is Jason waking up screaming. that made me laugh out LOUD!
What a crazy day for you…lots of fun stories to tell now though!
On our honeymoon, I was the one that woke my husband up. Sitting straight up in bed, I said, “The people are coming! We have to leave now!” I guess I was dreaming that the cottage we had rented was occupied by someone else. Poor man, he had no idea what to do with me. :{ After 16 yrs. he has gotten used to me talking in my sleep!
so funny 🙂 I love the fan vs the veil!!
we got married outside in June in western NY. It snowed (SNOWED) the weekend before our wedding. It rained (downpoured, really) for 5 hours before our wedding. The venue was not big enough for us to have the entire wedding inside – so we had it outside. I’ll stop there 🙂
great post!
Fun recap! We got married in ’96, just 11 months before you. Kudos to long running marriages of those who married young 😉
Esther, I really enjoyed reading the story of your wedding bloopers. I’m glad to know that my wedding was not the only one that didn’t go according to script!!! 🙂
Danna, thank you!
Mari, So happy to make you laugh!
Lisa, That’s funny! My husband said that just the other morning I asked him, “Are all the children alive?” No more scary movies! 🙂
Aurie, Can not imagine snow in June–crazy!
varunner7, Thanks! It’s been forever hasn’t it? 🙂
Melanie, Thank you! Nope I think very few actually ever do. We are in good company!
I remember that Ester!!! it was hot!! i just mentioned it to mom and now we’re reminiscing =D
Hey! My anniversary is July 26th as well!
Gotta say the thing that got me was the sleeping at night hollerin’….way tooo funny. I am surprised that no one in the party didn’t pass out! My cousin did at our wedding after my pep talk to the groomsmen about locking your knees before the ceremony. Anyway, thanks for sharing that.
LOL!!! What the heck was your husband screaming about? I remember getting married in Texas in July with no air conditioning either. I had a Victorian wedding dress on, and I was very, very hot. I almost fainted! (The dress was tight, too, like a corset.) Wow, your posts just trigger so many memories. Except for the screaming, that is…
I am convinced that it’s just not a wedding without some bloopers! Very funny…it’s good that you can laugh about it now!
I got married in July in Phoenix, but fortunately the a/c was working.
Visiting from Amanda’s.
Ah music at weddings, mine was never to be forgotten! We hired the church organist figuring she knew all the ‘right’ music…WRONG! My family was rolling in the aisles as she repeatedly played the theme to Gone with the Wind! Not exactly a wedding song! LOL! Obviously her favorite NOT mine. All I wanted was the wedding march, she had to go and improvise!!!! Funny now, not so funny then. My family still teases me about it. Now they think it’s even funnier since I write wedding blogs!
I loved this post! So many young brides get this “perfect vision” of what a wedding day should be and have the biggest let down if anything goes wrong. I love that you rolled with the punches! Speaking of punches, my mother-in-law said that my father-in-law punched her on their wedding night b/c of the same thing you experienced! He had completely forgotten (in his sleep) who he was with and freaked out when she tried to touch his shoulder!! Thanks so much for joining my Weekend Bloggy Reading party. 🙂
I loved this post! So many young brides get this “perfect vision” of what a wedding day should be and have the biggest let down if anything goes wrong. I love that you rolled with the punches! Speaking of punches, my mother-in-law said that my father-in-law punched her on their wedding night b/c of the same thing you experienced! He had completely forgotten (in his sleep) who he was with and freaked out when she tried to touch his shoulder!! 🙂 Thanks so much for joining my Weekend Bloggy Reading party.
Oh my word! Haha! That screaming thing… definitely a night to remember. Your stories always make me grin! Wish I could meet your sweet family someday!
THIS is too funny!! Glad you guys are in the happily ever after! One of my friends forgot to have her license signed by the Pastor! They had the wedding, but the following morning the Pastor re-did the ceremony in his kitchen with his family in pajamas as witnesses!!
This isn’t my wedding, but a worthy story anyway. I asked my mom why she looked unhappy in all her wedding pictures and got this huge tirade. My mother was 19 when she married my dad, and though they’d been living together for almost a year, my dad’s mom refused to let them spend the night together before the wedding (the whole 24 hours thing). Well my mom stayed with her mother, who had no car, and there was a mix up on who was supposed to get her, and nobody showed. She did the sensible thing and called a cab, but there was a blizzard the night before, and over 2 feet of fresh snow on the ground.
Two hours after the wedding was supposed to start, my mom finally got to the chapel. After all this, she walks in, already upset, and slips in a puddle, landing right on her backside. The reason she was so upset in all her pictures? She spent the entire wedding thinking to herself that she was marrying into the most stubborn family there was, and what was she thinking? And they’ve been married 34 years now.
I literally dragged my husband out of bed on our first night together. I was mumbling about a huge bug that was going to attack us. It got really complicated when I killed the fan pointed to his side of his bed. Then he stepped on the dog…
First nights can be so fun :p
LOL! After we were first married, Keith woke up in the middle of the night and got nervous because he was feeling around for me and couldn’t find me. But that was because he was laying on top of me! I’m 5’4″ and 120lbs and he’s 6’4″ and 275lbs. Needless to say, I’m happy he didn’t suffocate me. And the two shall become one… Too funny.
Too funny. I was just married for the second time this past Memorial Day weekend, 5/29/11. Some funny incidents:
As we were being married one little girl said loudly, “I want chicken.” Everyone cracked up. We have no idea why she said it. The minister made a joke.
Our wedding night we stayed at a local hotel. Early the next morning, the fire alarm went off. Yes, there was a real fire. We had to run out as we were. It was raining pretty hard so we ran to our car, but we couldn’t leave the parking lot. The fire trucks blocked us and others in, as they parked right behind us. So we had to sit and wait.
ok. now i have to share a few 🙂 my hubby forgot his name “I Jeffrey Eric”….. huge pause as the priest keeps repeating his last name finally he goes um oh yeah and says it. my dad was so worried about stepping on my train that he forgot to kiss me when he gave me away. i cried through thw whole ceremony and all i had was a lace (something old) hanky and the priest finally pulled his hanky out of his pocket to give it to me to wipe my eyes. and we were so happy to be done with the ceremony we forgot to kiss and bolted down the aisle and out the church doors where we kissed in private. it was the best day ever!!
Oh, I can not imagine getting married in that heat with no A/C at first! So sorry the pianist was so awful! Wow. You know, come to think of it, I don’t think I ever listened to ours before the wedding – guess we lucked out!
The power went out at my sister inlaw’s wedding. So they lit candles. Started the service again then in the middle of the quiet ceremony (dead silence save the pastor)someone farted really loud. Which is bad enough but then the bride couldn’t stop giggling about it through the rest of the ceremony. LOL
Nothing really funny happened at mine except two embarrassing things one at the rehearsal dinner…. my two brothers showed up late obviously drinking. Which I guess isn’t the worst except my husband’s family is Mennonite. It was exactly kind of funny how different our families are like in a movie LOL Then the wedding day I told our friends only save a few seats for my side of the family (at our church the bride and her family sit through the service on one side, groom and his family other side till the vows where the bride and groom stand up front). Well our friends saved rows and rows on my side which remained empty the whole service. Then to compound it they seated my family on my husband’s side and then you guessed my two brothers showed up late hung over ,were too embarrassed to walk to the front and sit with me. Thankfully I had the people in my wedding party and then some friends scooted to the front realizing what happened but most of those seats were empty. LOL
This is so hilarious, Esther!😂
At our wedding it wasn’t so exciting as yours😉, but one thing sticks out. When the groom and I lit the unity candle, then he used his fingers to put out both of the two candles beside it.🥴 He has since done that numerous times throughout life, and is now famous for for that in my family.🙄
Well . . . our wedding was perfect. I showed up, she appeared in the doorway up in the balcony (something she’d wanted to do for years), came down the stairs, we said “I do,” kissed, walked out, had some cake and punch, greeted bunches of people and went to our hotel. It was what happened at the hotel that you should hear about. You see, I was a newsman and I knew most of the local State Police, Deputy Sheriffs and quite a few city police. They’d threatened to pick us up after our wedding and put us in the County Jail.
Are you with me so far? Well, we’re in our wedding bed, in a motel, and we think we hear someone putting a key into our door. GASP . . . we laid there, in our wedding bed outfits, listening . . . listening . . . finally I got up and tip toed over to the door, peeked out the window by the door and see someone going into the room next door. PHEW.