by the Night Writer
We didn’t have room or budget for all of our blogging friends and readers to attend the Mall Diva’s wedding in person this weekend, but since Ben and Faith met as a result of blogging we knew we had to do something to reach out to what the Mall Diva calls “our peeps” in the ‘sphere near and far.
Therefore I’m pleased to announce that our friend, the inestimable Mr. Dilettante (or “Mr. D” for short) has agreed to live-blog the event here at The Night Writer blog for anyone who wants to check in on the proceedings electronically. The wedding and reception are taking place in our front yard this Saturday afternoon beginning at 4:30. Mr. D will set up shop around mid-afternoon to bring you behind-the-scenes commentary and on-the-spot reporting as the ceremony and reception unfold (though you may have to excuse him while he cuts a rug or two himself).
So how, exactly, did we end up with a wedding to marry a future Lutheran pastor into a family of wild-eyed Evangelicals…while having the whole thing live-blogged by a devout Catholic apologist?
Can you say God has a sense of humor?
The whole story has played out here in bits and pieces over the last three and a half years, but the short version is that I met fellow blogger Ben back in the summer of 2005 at one of the trivia nights at Keegan’s Pub that are so popular with the Twin City blogging community. Young Ben was a shaggy-haired, underemployed carpenter with too much education but we hit it off and teamed up that first night to win first prize. I thought he seemed like a nice guy, perhaps a bit un-focused, but not necessarily someone to whom I’d say, “You know, I’ve got this daughter…”
He didn’t meet the Diva for the first time until that December when he came to my church for a service ordaining my wife (The Reverend Mother), followed by a graduation ceremony in honor of the Diva’s home school and beauty school graduations. He may have thought he heard angels singing when he first laid eyes on her, but it was really just the Diva practicing with the church band. He may have even thought he was seeing a Vision when he looked upon her, which was immediately replaced with a vision of doom when she hopped off the stage to give me a hug. (Some of his thoughts were recorded on his own blog at the time). It’s been a long, strange trip since that long-ago, strange beginning (you can get a lot more details here) but it is coming to a beautiful and welcome arrival in a very few days. If you’re not among those with us in person feel free to drop in here on Saturday afternoon. You won’t get any cake, but you also don’t need to bring a gift!
Update:
Also be sure to check out the photos and the account of Ben’s Bachelor Party, put on by his best man, “KingDavid” from The Far Wright.
And it seems like only yesterday that a young Mall Diva was admonishing a couple on the verge of their own nuptials that “YOU AREN’T SUPPOSED TO BE HAPPY ON YOUR WEDDING DAY ! ! !”
I’ve waited for this weekend for almost 16 years. You know what they say, “Paybacks are a….uh…um…plate of lutefisk” (Minnysooootan translation loosely applied).
At this moment, we’re only about 416 Freebirds away from the ceremony. That of course is using the American Standard Freebird, which is about 15 minutes based on the live in Atlanta version found on their best hits CD. Ben likes to use the metric Freebird, which is based on studio recording, which I guess is about 10 minutes; in which case would be about 624 freebirds.
From one of your comments then, I suppose the first dance is going to be a Grateful Dead tune.
Is that an African Freebird or a European Freebird?
We will no haz Freebird.
Does that mean we’re gonna have to pay for our dinner?
Can I just tell you how thrilled I am that ya’ll are blogging this??
Thanks for the kind words, NW — it’s an honor to have the chance to chronicle this event. And I am especially pleased that there is zero chance that this wedding will be a Polka Mass.
HB: “And this bird you’ll never cha-aay-aay-ay-ange! AWWK! SQUAWK! ACK!” Dig in, everybody! (you might want to bring a sammich or two just in case).
Oh, and I don’t think there’s any Confederate Railroad on the play-list, either.
The playlist isn’t set in stone yet, so there’s still “hope” for lots of classics. Maybe we should set up a list for songs that shouldn’t be played at the wedding? Or a list for ‘bride and groom departing for honeymoon’ songs?
What, are you trying to over-ride my recommendation of K.C. &the Sunshine Band’s “Get Down Tonight” as you make a break for the limo?
Absolutely not! Tis a mere hypothetical, just a hint of wonderment at the possibilities, the slenderest soupcon of delightful pondering at what the possibilities might have been had not the FOB’s dictatorial predilections valued suggestions carried the day. 😉
i cant believe the father of the bride can offer that KC suggestion without at least a slight tear in his eye.
cant wait to get there and party, free bird no free bird.
Hey, once they’re legal – rock on! (And the tears affect my aim, anyway).
Ben: “classics” could mean a lot of different things depending on who you ask. I’m not sure my consideration of what would be a classic song is the same as Tiger Lilly’s. Although we probably would agree on “Everybody was kung-fu fighting”