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Mrs. Caramel, Los Angeles Age and Occupation: 24, Art Gallery/Museums Fiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Engineer Engagement Date: January 8, 2007 Wedding Date: October 6, 2007 Venue: a beautiful church and hotel reception About Me: I love dancing, singing, eating out, eating in, surfing on the net, and brainstorming fantastic ideas. I also love cats, coffee, and know every quote written on Sex & the City. I'm known to laugh really loud and have really crazy hand gestures while I talk. My fiance writes songs and I take pictures. What else? We're just a crazy young couple in love, trying to make a fabulous wedding!
About Mrs. Caramel

Here Comes the Bride

February 26th, 2009 @ 2:14 pm by Mrs. Caramel

m185311

I think this story should be funny by now, but I still can’t seem to shrug off this one very important, crucial part of our wedding…

The one moment of the wedding day that I was most nervous about was walking down the aisle. Don’t trip, don’t walk too fast, don’t take your eyes off the groom, and most importantly—try not to ugly-cry. And I remember it all too clearly. I took my dad’s arm and waited in front of the doors. It was the moment when the doors opened and everyone started to rise… and then… someone started clapping. LOUDLY.

And it wasn’t a light, celebratory clapping; it was the big, jock-like, goofball clapping. I don’t know if I have super great peripheral vision or not, but I was completely aware of how it started and how it ended. I saw from the corner of my eye that the guy next to him yanked his arm to make him stop. Then the guy finally figured out that he was the only one clapping and made a big “OOPS, MY BAD” shrug. But from that moment, my mental status was not to trip or cry, it was fighting the thoughts of turning to him and saying, “WHAT THE *@^# IS WRONG WITH YOU?”

(In this picture, my mind is thinking, “WHO was clapping?!”)

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To this day, I’m not sure who that person was but I know he was probably a friend of the groom. But I will always remember that moment. Who even thinks about CLAPPING while the bride is walking down the aisle?!? As if we don’t see weddings on TV all the time and notice that people are supposed to be in a hushed silence when the bride walks down the aisle.

I did forget all about the clapping right after the ceremony. You could definitely see the look of relief on my face when it was over. After the ceremony, all there was to do was eat and party!! And then came the honeymoon! Woot!

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One thing I do advise for those who are still preparing for their wedding day and what I tell my brides-to-be all the time is to not verbalize what is going wrong throughout the day. Saying it out loud makes it more real, and as for myself, once I start verbally saying something is wrong, I start to feel terrible about it. I knew all sorts of things were going wrong, but I could have just smiled and pressed on. There is nothing you can do about things going wrong, and saying it out loud makes others aware of it, and so on. I never told anyone about The Clapper until maybe a few months after the wedding, when I started to remember all the details!

Plus, once you’re done with your wedding day, you can come back on Weddingbee and tell us all about it!

Also, if you didn’t know, a good piece of advice is that you are NOT supposed to clap until AFTER the ceremony is over. It would be much appreciated for the bride, as this is the moment she’s dreamt about ever since she was little. Thanks! (Seriously, in case you didn’t know!)

Anyone else have any “wrong” moments you’d like to share about your wedding day?

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41 Responses to “Here Comes the Bride”

1.
Guest Icon
Guest
sally

Well, I just went to a wedding where no one stood up when the bride walked down the aisle. I felt pretty bad for her. It was not in a church, rather on the beach but there was a minister and someone should have done something, I thought. Oh well, at the end of the day it is just one of those things. I love how you are like “def a friend of the groom.” lol

 
2.
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Guest
Maggie

I’ve already let my dad know that should I trip, fall or notice anything else ridiculous happening (like clapping) on my walk down the aisle, he should fully expect me to yell “do over!” and run back to the church doors : )

 
3.
AmyM83
Member
AmyM83 (message)  246 posts, Helper bee

hi-larious! I know it must have felt awful, but can you laugh about it now?

 
4.
Bee Icon
Bee
Miss Bruschetta (message)  5,553 posts, Bee Keeper

Oh my gosh! What a Candid Camera worthy moment!

 
5.
LzzNYC
Member
LzzNYC (message)  877 posts, Busy bee

HAHAHAH omg I’m so so so sorry - but I laughed out LOUD! the clapping is hilarious - I would have glared at the person and there so would be a picture of me.. hahaha

well.. all in all - YOU ARE ABS BEAUTIFUL! :-)

 
6.
MightySapphire
Hostess
MightySapphire (message)  2,608 posts, Sugar bee

I don’t know why but this post made me laugh SO HARD! I think I can picture you shooting daggars even though you only saw with peripheral vision LOL. And he had to feel like SUCH an idiot! This is one of those stories you’ll laugh about…eventually…but for now…make a voodoo doll or something!

 
7.
Guest Icon
Guest
markyK

I think weddings can be confusing for guests. With so much “personalization” going on, it can sometimes be hard to know what you’re “supposed” to do, wear, etc. I’ve been to a wedding where we were instructed NOT to stand because the bride wanted to see her groom. At the end of the day, these things are minor and maybe I’m in the minority but there are worse things someone can do than clap (like walk ahead of me or give me bunny ears!). At least, they thought I looked good enough to deserve a clap is what I would say! LOL

 
8.
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Guest
jess

seriously…bridezilla…

give the poor guy a break…he didn’t know

 
9.
Miss Pinot Grigio
Member
Miss Pinot Grigio (message)  735 posts, Busy bee

Kudos to you for keeping such a straight “happy face” during your entrance!! I definitely would’ve found it hard to resist staring down that particular individual…

**think happy thoughts!**

 
10.
Bee Icon
Bee
Miss Cloud (message)  587 posts, Busy bee

I went to a wedding once where the flower girl only made it half way down the isle then turned and ran. And at another wedding a little girl in the audience was allowed to hang out of the pews by her parents, to the point she was laying in the way of the bride when she was coming down the isle. the bride and her father had to stop! She laughed it off, but I would have been furious!

 
11.
Lillindy
Hostess
Lillindy (message)  4,255 posts, Honey bee

I don’t want to sound insensitive, but do you have it on video where you can hear the sound in the background? It would seriously probably be one of those videos you can turn into Funniest Home Videos or something like that. Stuff like that isn’t too funny on the big day, but in hindsight is pretty funny. Maybe that poor goofball hasn’t been to many weddings, but hopefully he learned after yours!

 
12.
pandamonium
Member
pandamonium (message)  14 posts, Newbee

I just got married on Valentine’s day and the church service was beautiful and memorable for so many reasons. I went overboard on the flowers (or rather, just seriously over budget) and it was like a beautiful & fantastic outdoor garden wedding… inside of my otherwise bare church!

During the wedding mass, the priest asked that we all bow our heads in silence to reflect and after a few moments, someone on the groom’s side let out the HUGEST BURP!! Not just a little *burp*, but the type of burp that comes from the pit of your intestines and all the way out!! It echoed all throughout the church! I wish I had as much self control as you, but my jaw dropped and I nearly got whip lash from turning around so fast! I couldn’t believe it!

So yeah, it was memorable for lots of reasons. LOL!

 
13.
Member Icon
Member
BexSH (message)  80 posts, Worker bee

Thanks for sharing, this made me giggle. And your advice is great. It’s true, once I start verbalizing what I’m upset over, I talk myself into being more upset about it.

 
14.
grumpybear722
Member
grumpybear722 (message)  541 posts, Busy bee

Great advice!
I’m not married yet but I’m afraid that I’ll trip or make the ugly cry face!
Haha Maggie - I would love to see a bride pull the “DO OVER” card! I bet everyone would get a good chuckle! :D

 
15.
tea
Member
tea (message)  2,616 posts, Sugar bee

i just envision the epic slow clap at the end of all those sports movies. hopefully you’ll be able to laugh about it soon, i know i had a good chuckle while reading it. thanks very much for sharing! i don’t think i’d have very good control over my facial expressions. i never realize i’m making a face until some one starts cracking up. i’m pretty sure there would have been a picture of a “WTF?!” look.

 
16.
AlmostMrsG
Member
AlmostMrsG (message)  168 posts, Blushing bee

Oh, the dreaded Slow Clap.

 
17.
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Guest
JDoe

@jess: So I wasn’t the only one that thought this was a bit bridezilla! What guy you know spends his days watching weddings on TV?! And “hushed silence” get over yourself. Guy didn’t know case closed. Not that big of a deal!

 
18.
Swoonie
Member
Swoonie (message)  99 posts, Worker bee

When I walked down the aisle everyone started clapping!! It started with a few and everyone just got in on it. Found out later that this happens at almost all Korean weddings! DH and I were totally shocked!

 
19.
Guest Icon
Guest
BK&CK

@jess: “this is the moment she’s dreamt about ever since she was little.” Put yourself in her shoes.

 
20.
Mrs. Penguin
Bee
Mrs. Penguin (message)  2,148 posts, Buzzing bee

I think brides invest so much emotional energy into their weddings that it is understandable to be annoyed by someone taking it too lightly, like with the slow clap. While sure, he might not have known, it seems that it was sort of deliberate, as if you REALLY didn’t know that you werent supposed to clap, you would have caught on ONE SECOND after you realized you were the only one clapping. It seems like it was slightly deliberate and intended to be a joke, which is kind of a bummer for Mrs. Caramel, I think.

She’s not saying it ruined her LIFE, she’s just saying it’s something that stands out in her mind about her walk down the aisle, and how it bugged her, and teaches us a lesson in the end to NOT sweat the small stuff on the day of or you’ll end up dwelling on the “what went wrong” forever!

Great post, Mrs. C!

 
21.
Guest Icon
Guest
pnk

Hi Miss Caramel,
That’s hilarious, when you look back on it, isn’t it? hahha..
Just curious, what brand & style is your wedding shoes? They’re absolutely gorgeous!

 
22.
rasgoola
Member
rasgoola (message)  150 posts, Blushing bee

Well said Pengy!!

 
23.
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Guest
JDoe

!@Mrs. Penguin: Or perhaps he was Korean and that’s what they do at weddings per Swoonie’s comment.

 
24.
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Member
preppydoc (message)  42 posts, Newbee

i would have never guessed that you were thinking not so nice thoughts, but i know that i would have glared and probably ruined my own ceremony…

 
25.
Guest Icon
Guest
BaghdadBride

what a great post. It’s just so honest.
I had a friend who was getting married and in the middle of her vows a cell phone went off. That’s bad of course, but what was worse was the song….Fat Bottom Girls echoed through the church. I often think that from this point on whenever she thinks of her vows she will inevitably have to think of Fat Bottom Girls

 
26.
Ms. Sapphire
Member
Ms. Sapphire (message)  231 posts, Helper bee

How awful that the person started clapping the moment the doors opened. That’s such a special moment! Hopefully it was done out of a complete lack of awareness and not on purpose. I went to a wedding last week and as the bride was walking down the aisle, 2 women behind me were commenting quite loudly at how ugly and dark the church was. Some people just don’t get it!

 
27.
saranic0le
Member
saranic0le (message)  11 posts, Newbee

I would have been furious. After putting 10 months of work into this day, it would be a big bummer for someone to come along and do that! I don’t think I have to worry about that, however. The majority of attendees are already married…so they should know what to do and not to do. I’m more concerned about walking down an aisle that is on a wooden deck. I believe I shall be wearing flats!

 
28.
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Guest
sally

FAT BOTTOM GIRLS!!!! lol that has to be the best/worst. OMG i would die. too funny.

 
29.
Bee Icon
Bee
Miss Quiche (message)  2,175 posts, Buzzing bee

:) You made me giggle!

 
30.
Mrs. Penguin
Bee
Mrs. Penguin (message)  2,148 posts, Buzzing bee

@JDoe: Totally! I had no idea! I think I was writing my response at the same time she commented. That’s interesting!

 
31.
angelastheboss
Member
angelastheboss (message)  290 posts, Helper bee

Wait, how do you not know who that person was? This was your wedding, right? “Friend of the groom”?

 
32.
frenchbulldog
Bee
frenchbulldog (message)  6,063 posts, Bee Keeper

No worst moments yet, but it is nice to be reminded that they probably will happen and just to roll with it and not let it ruin your day :) Thanks Mrs Carmel!

 
33.
Mrs. Caramel
Bee
Mrs. Caramel (message)  141 posts, Blushing bee

Thanks guys for laughing with me! I think the thought of you guys laughing made me laugh too!
(Oh and you could DEFINITELY hear the clapping in our wedding video! But it almost sounds like a popping noise because of the echo.)

Mr. Caramel and I think it was his friend, because I didn’t recognize him with my brilliant peripheral vision =) He was actually the closest one to the aisle, so it was weird that he was like 3 feet from me!!

 
34.
Guest Icon
Guest
jdubya

@Swoonie: o man, when i showed up at the top of the staircase at my wedding, all of the koreans/chinese folks started clapping and it was awful loud. They clapped the entire time I made my way down the aisle and that was like 4 minutes long! No one, including me, could hear any of the processional music. must be a cultural thing. oh well!

 
35.
Bee Icon
Bee
Miss Piglet (message)  629 posts, Busy bee

Great advice, Mrs C! I think it’s a great point to not verbalize your disappointment on the things that aren’t going exactly as planned. you rolled with the punches, and looked absolutely stunning while doing so. you guys are too cute!

 
36.
mrspaetz
Member
mrspaetz (message)  1,707 posts, Bumble bee

totally a cultural thing. in many asian weddings the crowd tends to cheer the bride as she comes down the aisle.

i don’t think The Clapper was deliberately trying to be rude, probably just didn’t realize his sillyness :P

 
37.
Bee Icon
Bee
Miss Latte (message)  646 posts, Busy bee

Good for you for keeping your composure, Mrs C. I would’ve deliberately turned my head and given him the stink eye. I’m going to take your advice and try not to verbalize the “wrong” things I see…but we’ll see if that actually happens. ;)

 
38.
Mrs. Caramel
Bee
Mrs. Caramel (message)  141 posts, Blushing bee

@pnk: My shoes were some random no-name brand I bought at a no-name store in Los Angeles, but they’re a knock off of the SATC shoes that Carrie loses! They’re not branded but I love them anyways! :)

@mrspaetz: Wow, I had no idea it was a cultural thing! That’s good to know that since I had never seen that before! Maybe because I don’t really consider myself integrated with my Asian heritage, but I definitely don’t blame him– just unfortunate that I lost my concentration during a vital time during the wedding!

@jdubya: I can imagine what you described and that’s so interesting! At least with EVERYONE clapping maybe it seemed a bit more normal? But like you said — oh well!

 
39.
Guest Icon
Guest
Lindsay

hahaha i can only imagine if somebody belched in the ceremony. … i just laughed thinking about it but i might be mortified if it actually happens!

 
40.
Member Icon
Member
peonypink (message)  44 posts, Newbee

great post mrs. c! you were a great sport about the clapper! I totally agree with you that verbalizing the cons definitely makes them worse! luckily the rest of your guests were more dialed in and didn’t join in on the clapping!

 
41.
Miss Grizzly Bear
Member
Miss Grizzly Bear (message)  42 posts, Newbee

Well if it makes you feel any better, my first reaction was thinking how absolutely stunning the church you were married in is!!!

 


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Mrs. Caramel
Mrs. Caramel Mrs. Caramel, Los Angeles Age and Occupation: 24, Art Gallery/Museums Fiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Engineer Engagement Date: January 8, 2007 Wedding Date: October 6, 2007 Venue: a beautiful church and hotel reception About Me: I love dancing, singing, eating out, eating in, surfing on the net, and brainstorming fantastic ideas. I also love cats, coffee, and know every quote written on Sex & the City. I'm known to laugh really loud and have really crazy hand gestures while I talk. My fiance writes songs and I take pictures. What else? We're just a crazy young couple in love, trying to make a fabulous wedding!
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