Between Chris and Corri’s wedding on Thursday and their reception on Saturday, I worked a full day, went to a Twins game with the bride and groom’s family and friends, and ran twenty miles with my girlfriends. That’s enough to make anyone dog-tired, but I was caught up in the positive buzz of the wedding, and the reception turned out to be equally fun.
The reception was held at a farm operated by the regional park district. There was a big red barn for the food and dancing, and all sorts of space for kids to play and explore. Josh’s whole family had been invited, and we took his 3-year old nephew, Aidan, to visit the barnyard animals. You just don’t see many chickens at weddings these days. The chicken dance, maybe.
The Picnic League crew had a special gift made for Chris and Corri: t-shirts for the whole group that said “Minnesota Picnic League.” Josh had drawn some rowdy looking ants to serve as mascots of sorts. Have I mentioned that he’s a really good artist? We all put on our shirts and posed for a group photo outside the barn.
Chris and Corri had asked Keith and Karen, who had been in the St. Olaf choir back in their college days, to sing at the reception. They did an amazing rendition of Ben Folds’ “The Luckiest,” and the opening lines in particular resonated with me: “I don’t get many things right the first time / In fact, I am told that a lot / Now I know all the wrong turns, the stumbles and falls / Brought me here.” As I sat in a cheer-filled barn with my new love and his wonderful friends and family, I thought, “Yes.”
What the bride and groom had not requested was a second song performed by the rest of us. We took our places on the stage as Karen played the opening notes on the keyboard, and the wedding guests—and the bride and groom, to be sure—held their breath as they waited to see what in God’s name we were about to do. When Keith busted out with the first solo, it all became clear. We sang “When I’m With You,” by Sheriff, at the top of our lungs. Yes. Yes, we did, and my rather soft-spoken boyfriend even took the lead on the second verse. On the refrain, we really rocked it out: “BABY, oh I get chills when I’m with you / Baby, my world stands still when I’m with you / When I’m with you.”
And you know what? It didn’t matter that we couldn’t sing for shit. It was heart-felt and bold, and Chris and Corri beamed. It takes a unique group of friends to serenade the bride and groom with the sweet sounds of an ’80s monster ballad, and I was proud to be one of them. I no longer felt the self-consciousness I’d experienced with Josh’s friends that winter. Yes, I felt like I belonged, and I had an ant t-shirt to prove it.
*****
How About You?
What’s your favorite monster ballad, or ’80s song in general? Or love song, for that matter?
Oh, Wow! That was supposed to be my wedding song way back in the day, but we didn’t have a working cassette player (only a cd player), so it was a Chicago song instead. Any 80′s monster ballad is great. There is just something so great about rockers with long hair and tight pants singing a love song.
Chicago is classic as well!
Sounds like a great week!
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journey’s faithfully, peter gabriel’s in your eyes and u2′s with or without you.
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Okay, I really wasn’t into 80s music so I can’t name any tunes even though I now recognize some of them. But when hubby and I shop at Byerly’s and Lund’s, we find ourselves singing along to all the 50s music (strategically aimed at our demographic, I’m sure). So right now I have “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feeling” wailing in my head…not great for a wedding, but lovely for selecting produce and baked goods.
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We love you, Emma. <3
I finally made the blog! (Okay, my pic…)
Into the great wide open,
under the sky so blue,
A rebel without a clue…