Bring On The Tears

So of course, what is a wedding without a fair amount of crying? As emotional a person as I am, those salty water demons didn't make too many appearances during the wedding. But when other people decide it's time to get sappy: waterworks.

Top 5 Emotional Moments of the Wedding

(in chronological order)

1. Seeing Christopher for the first time.

Unlike most modern weddings, ours followed a different Mass form and procession in which C did not wait for me by the altar, but we processed next to each other after the altar servers, wedding party and celebrant. This format meant that there was no "big reveal," but we met in the narthex of the church. When I saw him, the fact that we were marrying became much more real. I was very happy to finally see him dressed up and I could see we both were taking in the sight of each other. This moment of all moments on the list was one more of excitement than of sentiment.

2. The vows.

In a Nuptial Mass, the actual wedding part (consent, vows and rings) comes after the homily and before the Liturgy of the Eucharist. When we joined right hands and recited the vows, I felt myself choking up hearing C make his promises. I choked up more so when it was my turn and needed to collect myself for a moment. That will be amusing to watch back on the video.

3. The recession.

The consent, vows and rings end fairly anti-climactically, since there is no first kiss as seen at most weddings. With no obvious moment, it's hard to get to the point of thinking "woah, we're married!" I did finally feel this, though, after our recessional. We walked out to O God Beyond All Praising (one of my most favorite hymns) and once the lyrics were over and we were back in the narthex, C just looked at me and I burst I to tears. "I'm just really happy right now," I explained, crying like some silly thing.

4. Sibling love.

After copious amounts of tears and thank youa when we received our guests post-recession, I gathered with my bridesmaids for group photos. As we assembled, my sister kindly informed me that C went up to her at the end and said, "I've always wanted a sister and now I have one." "Oh myyy goooosh," I wailed and burst into tears again. The next day after my family left, my sister texted C and said, "I'm really happy to have you as my brother. :)" Those two are going to ruin me.

5. The speech.

As I understood it, speeches were not something that we were planning to do. Leave it to C to find more ways to surprise me. Near the end of our reception, he invited my step-father to speak to the group, something I am sure the latter was about 3% comfortable with. It is hard not to get emotional when he does, though, and he entrusted me to C's care with all sincerity, which meant much more than he likely knows. C then gave his speech, thanking everyone in turn and finally thanking me at the end. "As some of you may know, Haley and I met at college where I was her TA--" (insert scandalous oooo's here) "--but she has been the one teaching me ever since." I suppose if ever there is a time it is acceptable to cry so much in public, it is at one's own wedding. Additionally, if ever there is a time it is acceptable and encouraged to kiss in public, it is at one's own wedding, which I did in thanks for such a lovely speech, at which point everyone burst into applause.

I usually am such an emotional person that I have been trying to rein tears in as of late (sensitive St Thérèse-living girl through and through). However, a wedding seems like a pretty good excuse to feel everything as it happens and just enjoy it. I am sure, therefore, that more emotional moments are ahead. I'll have to invest in some tissues.