This Wedding Happiness

This Saturday, the bf and I were at another wedding. It's been a slow summer for me. This was only the third wedding I've been to since June. I did attend a gorgeous wedding in February for my friends Sonia and Luc, but since wedding season really began it's been a slow year for me. In 2008 I went to nine weddings, including one in Colorado Springs, and developed a Saturday routine for getting up and getting to the salon for 9 in the morning, grabbing a latte and muffin, going to the ceremony, coming home to change and then hitting the reception that evening. Honestly, I've loved every wedding I've ever been to. Yes, they can get expensive, but at the heart of why people throw these huge parties is love and happiness, family and fun. Some of my favourite things. If more people would incorporate their dogs in to their nuptials, I'd be thrilled!

Saturday evening Ryan and I (in matching colours incidentally - and totally accidentally) grabbed a cab to the Delta Chelsea for my cousin Nancy's wedding to the sweetest Brit I've ever met, Henry. Living abroad, this wedding has been planned in the handful of visits Nancy has made back from the U.A.E since getting engaged last summer. In her speech, Nancy thanked her mom for going to all the wedding related appointments on her behalf. During the speeches, I sobbed. My eyes were actually puffy when I woke up Sunday morning. Speeches are another thing I simply adore about weddings. Even if I'm not very close to the couple or the person giving the speech, I still manage to find something to bawl over. The rest of our table Saturday night laughed as my cousin Laura and I cried throughout dinner. It was comical really, but honestly the speeches were fab.

Where does my wedding happiness come from? All the details and the atmosphere. I love the invitations. I love knowing that the bride has painfully laboured over every detail to see her dreams come true. I adore being a part of that special day, even if only from the back of the reception hall. I have fun dancing and gazing at the newlyweds as they look in to each other's eyes. Saturday night, I was happy when my cousin danced with my uncle to Stevie Wonder's "Isn't she lovely?" because that's the same song I want to dance with my dad to when I get hitched. I was beyond happy to have Ryan there with me and to introduce him to all my relatives...and there are many. I love that I wore these killer lace stilettos I bought in December and was able to dance all night in them without any pain. I was overjoyed for Nancy as she thanked everyone and was formally welcomed in to her new family. I was delighted when Henry mentioned starting a family together with his new bride. I was overwhelmed at the emotions I felt seeing my Aunt Margaret dressed so beautifully. I was ecstatic to see all my cousins and their kids and to know that families will always grow as mine certainly is. I'm blessed to have made my six month old second-cousin giggle and smile and I held him and kissed his chubby hands. Most of all, I'm so happy that Nancy's big day was flawless and beautiful, just like she is.