The Wedding

It's been a busy couple days here at the Swagman house. (I know if you've been reading this blog, it looks all I've been doing is reading books, but actually those book reviews are all from the previous week and I just never got around to posting them till now.)

My brother and his wife just got married in our front yard Saturday afternoon. Sadly at the moment I have no pictures or video handy to go with this blog posting, but plenty of both were taken at the event and hopefully some of it will make its way into blogland at some point.

Because my brother, his wife, and my niece have all been living together and under common law marriage for the past two years, the actual wedding itself was anti-climatic in a way. At least it certainly didn't change anything. But it was nice to have the whole family together. (As I mentioned before, this is the first time all the Swagman kids have been together since 2004.)

The wedding took place at our house on a shoestring budget. My sister Jess was made the official wedding organizer (she writes a bit on her blog here about that). So most of the stressing out about the wedding was done by her, the bride, and my mom. The men of the family basically just did what we were told to.

There was a bachelor party on Friday night (actually it was a Bachelor party that wasn't really a bachelor party. It just ended up being everyone taking the bride and groom out). Because my dad had taken us out to dinner the same night, the bachelor party didn't start until 11, and I was just wiped out because of JET lag, so I gave my apologies and didn't go. I got the usual guilt trips and ragging, but I was just completely exhausted.
The day of the wedding, I was given the job of video taping (possibly because of all the great videos I've made in the past). In the morning I annoyed everyone by asking for interviews and taping the pre-wedding set up. During the wedding ceremony there was no tripod (or that is we decided at the last minute it was too short) so I got a bit of a sore arm and tried to keep a steady hand as much as possible. For the reception in the back yard I handed the camera off to other people (I figured it was good to get in a different perspective, and I had already harassed everyone I knew with the camera).

I was also asked by my sister-in-law to give a toast, and tried to think of a few appropriate words, although I really wasn't sure what I was supposed to say. (I have been to amazingly few weddings in my life, partly because I've been in Japan while all my friends have been getting married. Until Saturday I had only been to 3 Weddings:

1) My Aunt and Uncle (way back when I was still in elementary school)
2) Paul and Kellie
3) Bosch and Margaret
(Plus one wedding in Japan, although that doesn't count because that's a whole different set of traditions and etiquette).

Anyway, I said a few words, got a few laughs, and gave what I hoped was a half way decent toast.

Best wishes Kyle, Amy and Haven. My the rest of your married life be as wonderful as that toast I made you!

Link of the Day
Youtube video Generation ChickenHawk (Via thismodernworld). A few cheap shots in here, but on the whole good satire.