Here Comes the Bride.

Only kidding.
  
I was a bridesmaid in the wedding of a friend on Thursday. My friend Lily and I took the train down to Baton Rouge on Monday. Tuesday there was the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner, Wednesday, the Bachelorette Party, Thursday, The Wedding, and we took the train home Friday afternoon. (Is there such a thing as "train lag"? ) I slept for eleven hours between Friday night and Saturday afternoon when My Mr.Cham charmingly whispered in my ear "It's Saturday. Aren't we having French Toast?" And yes, we had French Toast, made with Texas Toast, for a late lunch.

I asked what he had eaten for breakfast while I was away. He went to the coffee shop. That man! I think it is high time that I taught him to cook.

When I received the invitation to the bridal shower (which I was unable to attend due to a prior commitment) there was a personal note enclosed asking if I would be one of the bridesmaids (her sister was her Matron of Honour). The bride and I grew up together and we have stayed in touch, even though I am rarely in Louisiana, so I was touched to be included. Unfortunately, the wedding date conflicted with one of My Mr.Cham's social obligations but we discussed it at length and since he is not a especially fond of weddings and did not know the bride or groom, and the party he was invited to was not of as great importance as a wedding (my opinion) and my presence was not mandatory (he said, doing a perfect imitation of my infamous pout), we agreed that I would attend the wedding without him (as long as I took my traveling companion and watchdog, Lily ) and he would attend his party......alone. (Again the pout.)

I thought for a moment and then suggested that he also take a friend (he does not need a watchdog. Although, it never fails to surprise me how bold and brazen women have become! Especially, the already engaged and married ones!) He said he knew someone who might like to go. (Only one? I think there must be a sign up sheet somewhere!)

So that settled that. On Tuesday morning after a teary parting at the train station, Lily and I were on our way to Baton Rouge. All of the bride's attendants were staying at her parent's home, but since I was not traveling alone, Lily and I checked into a lovely  Bed and Breakfast nearby and a car retrieved us for the planned activities. That evening the ladies had a bachelorette party and the gentlemen had their own festivities. Ours was a Broadway Karaoke Party (the bride is a musical theater graduate as are several of the other bridesmaids. Now, like most of us I am a bathtub singer and I sing in the kitchen when I am cooking, but as My Mr.Cham has mentioned, I have no artistic inclinations so after watching impromptu performances from the scores of The Phantom of the Opera, The Little Mermaid, Oklahoma, Dreamgirls, The Color Purple and Funny Girl, Beauty and the Beast. and Frozen.........it was my turn.

I offered to make the brownie sundaes instead.

I pleaded a sore throat, I said it was past my bedtime, I had to call My Mr.Cham to say goodnight......That did not work. Three of them literally picked me up off of the sofa and set me on the "stage", handed me the microphone and waited. I could have tried to run, but I am not athletic. So I picked the least painful song that I hoped I could get through without too much trouble. (Luckily, some of the ladies (myself, Lily, and the flower girls excepted) were a but tipsy from the punch. Only a bit though, because we had a nice Chinese dinner earlier in the evening - I had nothing to do with the catering, thank goodness- and it was delicious. My Mr. Cham would have loved it. I hoped he was eating well in my absence.) I received much the same enthusiastic applause as everyone else and returned to my place on the sofa with a sigh of relief. And then they started up again. Knowing they would not get to me for a while (there were eleven bridesmaids, the Matron of Honour and two flower girls ahead of me) I sneaked downstairs to telephone Mr.Cham and say goodnight. He sounded lonely. I knew how he felt. I told him we were having a Broadway Karaoke Party. 

Mr.Cham: What did you sing?
Me: Oh, something from Little Shop of Horrors.
Mr.Cham: Which song?  
Me: I'm a Mean Green Mother From Outer Space.
Mr.Cham: YOU DID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Me: (laughing) No. Something Wonderful from The King and I.
Mr.Cham: You never sing for me. (Big sigh)
Me: Yes, I do. All the time. But only when you are not around.
Mr.Cham : Oh.
(That made me feel guilty.)
Me: How was your party?
Mr.Cham: Alright. The music was good but loud. You wouldn't have liked it. 
Me: True. Did you have a nice dinner?
Mr.Cham: Hot dogs, pretzels and ice cream sundaes.
Me: I thought it was a Gala?
Mr.Cham: So did I, but that was the theme.
Me: How odd.
Mr.Cham: Oh, there was a lot of caviar.
Me: I would rather have cake.
Mr.Cham: There was birthday cake too.
Me: Well, that was nice.
Mr.Cham: I miss you, Baby.
Me: I miss you too, Honey. I will be on the first train on Friday.
Mr.Cham: You better be.


Back upstairs, they took a break from singing and came downstairs for the sundaes.

When we were finished,Lily and I said our goodnights and returned to the B&B.
The others may not have needed their beauty sleep, but we did.

There was tea at the house before we were to have our hair, makeup and nails done for the wedding.
(In my defense, I was not told about this beforehand) and arrived already made up, coiffed and manicured by Lily.

For the early evening wedding we were all wearing long white dresses and each bridesmaid, the flower girl and Matron of Honour were given a different colored satin sash to match the flowers in their respective flower garlands. Mine was a deep salmon pink. Lily thought I should wear my hair down. It was twenty degrees hotter in Louisiana than it had been in New York and I thought I should wear it up. Besides, the back detail of the the dress would not be covered by hair, if I did) We compromised. I asked one of the photographers to take a picture of me from the back (per My Mrs. Cham's instructions) so that I could post it here.

When I texted him the photo, he shouted into the phone "YOU CUT YOUR HAIR! ARE YOU INSANE?"
I suggested that he calm down and look at the top of my head where he could see it had been rolled and then twisted into a bun. The hair hanging down that was curled was the bottom half of my hair. I had to prove this to him when I returned home. He has since recovered.

The wedding was lovely (the best part- my Mother was out of town and sent a gift and her regrets)
and the new Mr. and Mrs. X are now honeymooning in Paris.

Yesterday morning, Lily and I were homeward bound on the train and when we arrived, my sad-eyed puppy dog was there waiting with the first roses of the year from our garden. At home, I presented my human beloved with  the peace offerings I had brought for him. Not only two generous pieces of the vanilla, raspberry jam and buttercream wedding cake (why is there always so much leftover cake at weddings?)

but a piece of the Groom's Hummingbird Cake as well. He was placated and happy to have me home again.       

 Mr Cham: (between bites of cake) So, how was the wedding?
Me: It was nice.
Mr.Cham: Was there a band?
Me: Yes.
Mr.Cham: Did you dance?
Me: No.
Mr.Cham: Why not?
Me: Because I am taken.
Mr.Cham: That's my girl.  Did you get any ideas?
Me: About what?
Mr,Cham: About our future wedding.
Me: Yes. I do not want one.
Mr.Cham: You met someone, didn't you?
Me:  No! But I do not want a wedding. Would you mind, when the time comes, if we simply elope?

He finished his cake and drank the rest of his coffee. Then he got up from the table and put his dishes in the sink.

Mr.Cham: Do you mean that? You really want to elope?
Me: I never say anything I do not mean.
He smiled softly and nodded.
Mr. Cham: Ok. How about next weekend?
Me:  No.  In the Spring.
Mr.Cham: It is Spring.
Me: 2019.
Mr.Cham: You don't mind waiting?
Me: For you? I have waited all my life for you.
He rewarded me with a very sweet cake kiss.
Mr.Cham: That's my girl.
Me:Where are you going?
Mr.Cham: Upstairs. To draw your bath for you.
Me: Thank you,Honey. Would you care to join me?
(That little boy smile. A man who still blushes is adorable. And rare.)
Mr. Cham: I would. Rose petals or lavender?
Me: You choose.

He smiled and picked up half of the roses from the table and sauntered out of the kitchen.

 Weddings. They should not be about the gown or the flowers or the venue or what band you hire or how many bridesmaids you have. It is about you and the man that you marry, the man that you hope to spend the rest of your life with. My Nanny, Miss Belle told me that a long time ago. She also told me to find myself a kind and thoughtful man. That nothing else really mattered, I was very young then and I did not know how far in the future it would be before I found that man. But I did, and you know what? Miss Belle was so right.

                                                                                                             Tess🌷