Happily Ever After : 1333 Miles Ahead*

I’d like to tell you about my Saturday. It was perhaps, one of the most soul filling, life affirming days I’ve had in awhile.

But you need some back story first.

Once upon a time, a handful of years ago, a tall red headed comic walked into the salon I was working at and was randomly given to me as a client. I’ve written of Spencer before, he’s one of my favorite humans. He’s a comic, among other things, and introduced me to this lovely group of local comics who performed regularly in the OKC Metro.

Well, as you know very well, I’m a damned good fan. When I’m supporting, I am ALL IN. So I became a regular at these events, and eventually got to know the group, and became friends with them.

One of those new friends was named Seth.

Seth is all things we girls look for and want.

He’s smart. He’s good to look at. He’s funny as hell, and his funny is dry and sneaky, and also smart. He can talk Buffy episodes as easily as he can talk politics. He wrote a coloring book about his colon. He is good and kind, and no one’s pushover despite the fact that he eats fake cheese. He’s the first Vegan I ever met.

In his life, he was looking for love…not in the country song kind of way, or even the Buckwheat Wookin Pa Nub kind of way…yet he was looking.

Who he found (or who found him) was a Jersey girl named Abby,  who had been working for Teach For America, who had lived and worked in big cities on the other side of the map, who is all things bright and beautiful, and as sweet as she is salty. The perfect combination of Martha Stewart and Sara Silverman, in that she’ll bake you a fabulous cupcake while zinging you with a wit that is just as sharp as her beau’s.  She had decided to cast her net wide, to forgo the “practical” location boundaries and just see what she could see.

She saw Seth.

Seth saw Abby.

Providence smiled upon them, opened up job opportunities for Seth, and cleared the path for this couple to be.

Abby and I became friends over the interwebs before we ever met face to face. She reached out to me during a time when I was just failing–flailing in messy emotion. She saw a kindred spirit and we immediately clicked. I finally met her when I went to NYC to surprise Kizz for her 40th birthday. I’d seen Seth that previous holiday season, when he and his brother came to my house for a Friend-Mas Festival. We cooked up the idea that night. “You should come to NYC for the party. I’m telling some jokes.” –“I TOTALY SHOULD”

It was as if we’d known each other forever. As the three of us walked along the snow covered sidewalks after the party, chatting it up, sentences overlapping each other like a perfect layered desert, I knew two things.

1) This couple was an example of what a couple should be. Nothing is easy or perfect or fun all the time. But these two people have the skills, and the desire and the absolute admiration for each other that it takes to navigate all the funk.

2) I had met a forever friend. A soul-sister.

————————————————————————————————–

That was three years ago.

We’ve had face time since then. We’ve celebrated holidays, weddings of our friends, events and engagement photo sessions. My trips there, celebrating my 40th.

Saturday we gathered to celebrate their wedding.

The day began with my searching all over the 10th floor for the Rock Star Suite. Hauling my supplies, wondering around with just the nervous voices in my head for company…our sweet bride was a little “lexic” when giving me the room number. Girl must have had something else on her mind! I did find it, we hugged, we had a mimosa, then I began banging hair. The suite soon filled up with voice after voice wishing her well.

“How are you feeling?”

“Can I get you something to eat?”

“Can I get you something to drink?”

“How are you feeling?”

She was surrounded by love.

And hairspray.

What more could a bride want?

Five hours later, many heads of hair had been banged, a few tears had been shed, fabulous presents had been unwrapped and promptly left in the suite (I’m an idiot. Who leaves behind the entire series of Friday Night Lights as well as the first season of Parenthood??? An idiot. That’s who.) Laughter was ringing out, mixing with oooh’s and aaah’s of admiration once the bride was assembled.

She was stunning.

The epitome of grace, of style, of sexy va va voom.

I took just three pictures all day, and was so completely present and involved with the festivities that I didn’t even think about it the rest of the day.

————————————————————————————————-

The ceremony was beautiful. I met the girls in their “holding room” which was hotter than ass. Seriously. That was a facility fail. No one puts women and brides in a hot room after they’ve been outside in 90 degree heat taking photos. Lord. Last minute pinning, spraying, juzzgghhhing and I was off to find my place in the audience among my friends.

Tears. I cried more than five tears. The reading of Piglet and Pooh broke me. When one of the ministers asked for a quiet moment to meditate on the couple at the front, I had to bite my lip in order to not make noise.

I felt such happiness for them. It was such an honor to be asked to be a part of this day, to be a witness to this love, and this life. I could cry again. Lord.

The party that happened afterwards was perhaps one of the best things I’ve ever been to. And I see a wedding every single weekend. Surrounded by Dan and Derek and Spencer and Carri and Anthony and Jenelle…we danced and laughed and soaked up all the love.

It took place at the Oklahoma History Center.  The view was spectacular as the sun was setting, the Capitol in the background. Lovely. The catering was by Cheever’s. Delicious. The wine and special homemade brew were flowing, as well as a delightful gin cocktail that had cucumbers and something else in it. I need to know what that was. Slurp. We danced and sang karaoke and were given the gift of life in a box of flip flops to wear the rest of the night. Go. Pick your size. Take off your Kate Middleton shoes and be free. The 7 or more cakes were cut, devoured and just when the sugar high was ending, the Big Truck Taco truck pulled up outside with ice cold Pop’s pop and fed us again.

There was also a wall full of wedding photos and the wedding date. From 1970 to 2012, friends, family all showcased in their love and wedded bliss. There was a message from Seth and Abby posted in the middle. Commentary on their beliefs for their marriage, their belief in marriage equality, and just a lovely way to show their heart’s passion.

The evening ended at the hotel bar, where we took the bartenders by surprise. A lot of laughing. A lot of toasting. Oh, and Alice Cooper was checking in. Yes. That Alice Cooper. Seth got a photo and a handshake I believe.

I hugged and kissed the bride and groom, and checked out about 1:00 a.m. The rest of the bridal party was walking down the street to another hotel. Squeezing one more hour out of the party. As I watched them, my brain wanting to join, my body screaming for Spanx relief, I saw Seth and Abby holding hands, leading the charge.

As they walked away, the lights of downtown glowing around them, I knew I had been a part of something special, and  I knew that I’d follow them anywhere because if anyone could lead us to Happily Ever After…

It’s Seth and Abby.

 

*1333 is the mileage from OKC to NYC.