Weddingbee Blog

I was up early Sunday to go to the Flower Mart and I tried to write this recap pre-coffee. No bueno.

Amazingly, just a few sips down, and at my favorite DTLA coffee shop too (where dog love and amazing walks of shame abound), I finally felt ready to share our fantastic readings. Amazing what coffee and a little *silent* people mocking can do to jump start the imagination.

Let’s get back to it, shall we?

Stephanie introduced each reader/reading and then they stood up and read from their spot in the circle. Now we were surrounded by love, joy, laughter, and words, delicious words. Told you. Big nerds.

Carla (my high school friend, LA roomie, and wedding day hairstylist extraordinaire) stood up and read I Like You, by Sandol Stoddard Warburg. All four minutes of it! Total rock star.

Here are a few of my favorite parts:

I like you because,
When I tell you something special,
You know it’s special,
And you remember it
A long, long time.

You say,
Remember when you told me
Something special?

And both of us remember.

When I think something is important,
You think it’s important too.

We have good ideas.

When I say something funny,
You laugh.
I think I’m funny and
You think I’m funny too…

And I like you because
When I am feeling sad,
You don’t always cheer me up right away.
Sometimes it is better to be sad.
You can’t stand the others being so googly and gaggly every single minute.
You want to think about things.
It takes time.

I like you because if I am mad at you,
Then you are mad at me too.
It’s awful when the other person isn’t.
They are so nice and hoo-hoo and you could just about punch them in the nose…

and my most favorite part:

I would go on choosing you,
And you would go on choosing me,
Over and over again.

Because that’s what this marriage business is really about right? Choosing your partner in a million little ways (and a few big ones) day after day.

Next up, Sujey, W Stripes’ friend from her brief stint in SF (where I lived at the same time! where we could have met!) read love is a place, by e.e. cummings

love is a place
& through this place of
love move
(with brightness of peace)
all places

yes is a world
& in this world of
yes live
(skillfully curled)
all worlds

Life (and married life at that) is a whole lot nicer if yes is your go to response as often as possible.

Then my super-fantastic friend Nona (also my fellow Monday night bonne vivante and amazing pre-wedding esthetician) read one of my most favorite pieces of literature ever: an excerpt from Still Life with Woodpecker, by Tom Robbins.

Love is the ultimate outlaw. It just won’t adhere to any rules. The most any of us can do is to sign on as its accomplice. Instead of vowing to honor and obey, maybe we should swear to aid and abet. That would mean that security is out of the question. The words “make” and “stay” become inappropriate. My love for you has no strings attached. I love you for free.

See? Sigh. Just perfect for us.

Nerd alert: During one of our readings I noticed a far-away guest (Janell? Cindy? Not sure) and waved. Ha!

And finally (I can’t decide it if felt like forever or like a tiny blip in time) it was time for Shabrena to read And now you’re mine (Love Sonnet LXXXI), by Pablo Neruda:

Now you are mine. Rest with your dream inside my dream.
Love, pain, and work, must sleep now.
Night revolves on invisible wheels
and joined to me you are pure as sleeping amber.

No one else will sleep with my dream, love.
You will go; we will go joined by the waters of time.
No other one will travel the shadows with me,
only you, ever green, ever sun, ever moon.

Already your hands have opened their delicate fists
and let fall, without direction, their gentle signs,
your eyes enclosing themselves like two grey wings,
while I follow the waters you bring that take me onwards:
night, Earth, winds weave their fate, and already
not only am I not without you, I alone am your dream.

Four readings in, with flags at the ready, our guests eagerly (in my mind anyhow) anticipated the BIG STUFF. You know—vows, kisses, broom jumping, that sort of thing. You too?

Then stick around (or come back) because the BIG STUFF is next!

Anyone else go a little crazy (we like crazy!) with the readings?

Catch up on all the little stuff here:

• Love & Stripes: Nice to See You (Again)
• Love & Stripes: The Days Before
• Love & Stripes: The Day Before
• Love & Stripes: Getting Pretty
• Love & Stripes: Getting Crafty
• Love & Stripes: Our Smug Mugs
• Love & Stripes: Bridal Details+
• Love & Stripes: Team Awesome
• Love & Stripes: Mass Transit & A Prayer
• Love & Stripes: Laughter

*All photos by the amazing Kirsten Ellis