Day 7: August 24, 2001
John's Wedding Day Recap

Okay, so here I am before my computer, fueled by the prospect of a blank page, a lot of potential, and the passion of having just watched our wedding video last night. Michelle says some of you wanted my side of the wedding event. I am up for it, so here goes.

Michelle's mom showed up for just enough to prove that she was there. My own mother didn't even come. My brother was his typical joyless personality. One of our guests came to me regarding him. She said, "John, I have known you for what? Like fifteen years? In all that time I think I have spoken to your brother maybe once. Well, I just had a conversation with him, and I gotta say, he's a real ***hole!"

But enough. None of this was really unexpected. I have told people that Murphy, who created his own set of laws that govern most of life as we know it, is a small imp, and he rides my shoulder as I go through life, laughing his little imp head off. I expect it, and I am rarely disappointed.

Michelle covered each day in detail. I won't do that. She has less free time than I do, but I have less of the will to go over the whole event. She is a better person than I in this, and I hope you will all forgive. Should I tell you everything that went wrong? Or should I pretty it up to make it better than it was? I'll just tell it like I remember. The night before we had gone to Pleasure Island. It was the only time I would have with some of my oldest friends, and I had wanted to show them, if nothing else, the Adventurer's Club. We made the busses, and I had said my good byes to Michelle until the following morning. My buddy Mike and I went back to our room at the All Star Music and had gone to bed. I had a paper and pen with me. On the way back to the room I had turned to him and said, "Mike, I need your help. You know me, and that I have a habit of leaving things until the last minute, right?" He nodded. "I need you to help me write my vows." So, I am sure some of you are reeling from the horror of this. How could I not have my vows done on the night before the wedding!? Damn you, John, you monster! Well, you are right. I have no defense. Michelle and I were to work them out together at some spare moment while we were down here. You have read her recaps, and know that we hadn't had a spare moment. She had looked at me earlier on this day and she had said, "I guess we are both on our own for tomorrow." Well, that scared me. So Mike and I worked out what I had in mind for a bit. I was satisfied that they had come together, and went to sleep.

Mike is a big man. He doesn't so much snore as grind. I knew this going in, and wasn't too shocked when he beat me to sleep, and then began his own brand of music. He had told me that if he began, just to yell and tell him to roll over. Every fifteen minutes or so, I did just that, and four o'clock in the morning came like a mercy killing, way too early.

The alarm must have gone off. I must have heard it, and woken up. Mike had done the same. I heard a succession of sharp crashes in the darkness, and then something shattered with a snap, and the alarm clock shut up its noise. Mike rose and went into the bathroom, turning on the light as he went. He had blown the back of the clock off of the table.

I called Michelle at the Animal Kingdom Lodge and said good morning. We were both pretty bleary. Then I got up. Mike went back to bed. Now, I tell you the truth. I was fine. I had had a few drinks last night, but had started early, and had not gotten drunk. My best man had tried, but in vain. I didn't want to be sick. I was not hung over. I was tired, and I was in for a big day. I was feeling fine as I showered, and was actually filled with excitement at what the day was to bring. I brushed my teeth, and I shaved, Michelle's favorite part. I pulled the tux out of its big plastic bag, and I put the pants on.

Someone had sneaked up on me from behind. They jammed one of those cranks into my back, down near my gut, the kind you see on the back of wind up toys. The impact was so sudden I didn't feel it. What I suddenly felt was the crank being turned, and my insides binding with it. It was sudden, like being hit with a bat. I clutched at my stomach and headed for the porcelain savior. I hovered there for a time, shamefully, waiting to be sick. Did I get ill? Well, lets say I had to brush my teeth for a second time. The thoughts that went through my mind were not pretty. I saw myself at the front of the pavilion, Michelle in her white dress. I was sweating and reeling. What happened next varied by the instant. I got ill, or I passed out, or just was so out of it I forgot my vows.

I was there for a little while, my mind watching the clock and knowing I didn't have a great deal of time. My tension didn't get any better, but I had to get moving. As I said, I again brushed my teeth, and then I got into the rest of the tuxedo. I gathered my stuff and headed out the door. Mike was asleep and sawing away. That I know, he hadn't been witness to my traitorous nerves.

The walk through the All Star was almost depressing. I know it sounds weird, on the day of my wedding, but its true. I wanted Michelle to be there. It was unsettling, being in Disney and not being with her. I am hoping it never happens again. I know its sappy, but get over it. This is about my wedding day, after all, and more sap is on its way. So I came to the main building where I was supposed to meet with the photographer at five in the morning. The air-conditioning was set to arctic, and my tummy revolted. I recovered, though, and bore it. I have to report, sadly, that I was extremely miserable at that point.

I got the looks and smiles from the staff on duty at that godforsaken hour. Yes, I told them, I am going to a wedding. Mine, I clarified when they asked. Their smiles made me smile, and that was a needed thing at that time.

As an aside, when I came into the building they were just finishing up some construction work. A bit of that Disney magic revealed, as it were. They were almost done. I didn't know what they had done, but when I sat on the huge couch in the middle of the room I was told with some small fan faire that I was the first person ever to have done so. They had just installed the thing.

Well again, you have read the recaps Michelle sent out. You know that I sat there in the lobby for over an hour, waiting for an appointment that I was scheduled for an hour later than I had thought. I made a couple of calls to Michelle, setting her mind to worry, because we all know she needed that. I went outside for a few minutes hoping that would undo the nausea that the air conditioning was feeding. No luck, the temperature change made it worse, not better. So I went inside and waited.

Mike, the photographer, came a short time before six in the morning. We threw my stuff into his van and were off. Here is a character reference for you. Mike is a saint, or at the very least had passed for one that morning. He saw my discomfort and tried his best to deal. Twice I mentioned that I may need him to pull over, and twice he said he was ready. False alarms both times, by the way. We made a brief stop at his headquarters. He needed to get some tool or other. I asked if I could use his bathroom to change. There had been a problem with the tuxedo pants, and I had had a new pair delivered to the All Stars. They had been there waiting for me that morning, but I didn't want to change then. I hadn't wanted to move. When we got to Mike's office I slipped into the bathroom to change. I must have taken some time, as he came in to make sure all was well. When I came out, he smiled and told me, "Well you aren't pale, so I guess it's not too bad." My stomach told me different. The pain had still not lessened. I was still wound tighter than a drum.

We went to meet Michelle. At this point, let me do some calculations for you. The room had been ACed, the walk had been warm. The lobby had AC. I stepped out into heat and then back. The van was ACced, though I had to cross through heat to get to it. Then back into heat and then AC in the Disney Photography Headquarters. Back into heat and into the van, and then off to see Michelle. Heat again, and into the Animal Kingdom Lodge with its... yes! AC. Guess how my stomach was doing by now.

So I was told to come inside. I did. I saw Mike first, and then Michelle's mom (brief surprise that she was on time, even though I knew she had spent the night with Michelle). Mike waved to his right, my left, and I turned and saw my bride.

This is where I disappoint you all. This is where I disappoint myself. Here is supposed to be the declaration of how never have I seen such a thing of beauty in all my life, of how the sky opened and dawn came early that day, a single beam of light streaming down and lighting up the inside of the Lodge where my vision stood, demurely staring back at me, hoping she looked as good as she felt embarrassed and on display.

I can't say such a thing. It's not because saying it would be wrong, or that it would lack in meaning. I just feel that anything I say would not do justice to my feelings, and that any attempt to do those feelings justice would just be seen as the fancied poetry of a man on the morning of his wedding.

Michelle looked good. Damn good! Her dress was beautiful, all lacey and looking the part of a fantasy fairy tale princess, her hair done up in one of those ways that defies gravity, all curls and little white flowers and such. She was made up to look beautiful, a somewhat alien beauty, as Michelle is an earthy kind of girl, and never wears makeup if given the choice. She looked like she should have been wearing those gloves that stretch up past the elbows, though she was not. She wore a tiara, a sparkly little crown that really finished the ensemble, and held an awesome bouquet of pale colored roses. I will try. I saw her and fell I in love again, not so much for the dress and the get up, than that this was our day, and was the first time I saw her on this day. I felt a weight leave my shoulders in that she was here, and that this was happening. I felt good to have her wanting to be mine, as I was wanting to be hers. There was a certain amount of fear that something would happen to take it away, this perfection. I didn't deserve her, and I still don't. My fear was lessened with her here before me. I felt jealous that Mike and her mom, and all the staff of the lodge were sharing this with me, but not so much in that none of them saw her like this. I know Michelle, and in the moment I saw her I knew her in a different way. It was overwhelming. I know that when I hugged her, it was out of gratitude as much as it was of passion and love. The pictures, by the way, don't do this justice at all. Nor do words, spoken or said. I'll stop now. I told you the sap would come.

There was a short sort of mental fog after that. We drove into the Magic Kingdom through a back way. The alien feel to the morning really came home at that point, driving up Main Street with no one about. We climbed out, and the pictures began. My smile has still not recovered. Some of the nicest pictures are damn uncomfortable.

Lean back. Put you left hand on your pocket, John. Just a little. You aren't searching for spare change. Lean in and give her a kiss. Hold that. Okay, one more.

It's very hard to smile for so long when all you want to do is find a comfortable corner and throw up. In other words, sadly, my nerves were still on overdrive, and I still wanted to be ill. I did the best I could, though Michelle says I looked really like I wanted to be held. I did, but horizontally, under a warm blanket, sleeping maybe.

The pictures ended. I can't much go into how the experience was. They were pictures, and though they came out grand, it was just a picture shoot. The fun part was climbing on the back stairs of the castle, and watching Michelle try to get on one of the horses on the carousel with that dress and its train. It was a good time, a great time. And then it was over. A van drove up. We climbed in, and I was brought to the Grande Floridian to wait for the next battery of pictures.

My "boys" met me at the Floridian shortly after I got there. I had to wait only about a half an hour. I went into the little store there and bought a couple packs of Rolaids and started to pop them like candy. They did nothing, but it made me feel better to do something to relive the tension. When I came out, the guys were there. I tell you, my dad is a carpenter. My friend Chuck is a full time father. Michelle's brother is, I am being unfair here, a sort of punk kid. To come around the corner and watch them for a few moments before I went over and said hi was just a lot of fun. A smile, the first since seeing Michelle, fought its way over my discomfort. They were all cleaned up and in tuxedoes, like myself. When we got to Disney almost a week ago, the feeling of getting married, actually getting married, was an alien one. It wasn't really real to me. If you don't know what I mean, you will when your turn comes around. The first time we had all met for dinner, and most of our guests were there, I was filled with a proud rush when it struck home that these people were here for us. I got a similar feeling being able to watch these guys. While not usually the crassest of people (except for my brother, mind you), they are not socially among the upper crust. But they looked it today. There's something about a tuxedo that makes a person stand up straighter, that makes them walk with a swagger, and just look like the world revolves around them. When I saw them, I realized two things. Today, the world revolved around them. And they, in turn, revolved around me. Yes, yes, I know that, in turn, I revolved around Michelle, but this one moment I allowed to be mine, and I ate it up.

Shortly after they arrived, Patrick and Randy, video and photography, arrived as well. We all took a quick walk to get some food before the pictures began, giving the two time to set up. I bought orange juice and toast, white, with no condiments for flavor. I was hoping to stop my tummy. I downed the OJ, and couldn't even think of eating the toast. I was that bad.

The pictures began in black and white even as we walked back to the lobby and that famous and much pictured staircase. For a while they went on and on. I know you all love them, but I have to add my two cents worth. Patrick and Randy are amazing. They are like a team, they have worked together so often, and they put you at ease with no problems. They are professional, invisible or all present as the situation requires. Randy buzzes around and commands the floor, setting people up like mannequins, while Patrick catches all the action between the shots, sort of an anchor off to the side. You get the feeling from these two that they would be great just to have as friends. Patrick, after all was said and done, called Michelle and I "good people". I like the term, and I would like to return the sentiment. They are just good people, and I enjoyed having them around. Pictures were taken on the way back from getting snacks, at the grand stair, and out on the beach. While we were ushered to the beach, the ladies were sneaked into the resort, and we found the shelter of AC barred to us. It was a dirty trick, us in our dark gray tuxedoes. So we walked across the way to the Wedding Pavilion.

I realized after I crossed the bridge that I would not cross it again as a single man. The thought was not one that increased my upset nerves. One pack of Rolaids was gone, and the hour, as it were, was drawing close. People started showing up, in groups or two at a time. I am not sure I was supposed to, but I mingled with them until I was forced into seclusion by Disney's Secret Service, the Fairy Tale Wedding Staff.

Here is a word about the Staff of Disney's Fairy Tale Weddings. I only met two of them, though I know there were more. Carol was the one in charge. She was a quick paced person full of energy and with a pleasant yet firm take charge attitude. I needed that on this day. Her assistant was Candice. Candice was not so rushed or seemingly in control as Carol, but she made people feel incredibly comfortable. I can't count the times she told me to, "relax. Everything's going fine." They were an amazing team, what with their little headsets and all. They really were a well oiled machine, and this day would not have gone as well without them. I probably won't say much more about them, but that, in my opinion, is a compliment. They were both out of sight and in total control at all times. Nothing escaped them, and as a result, everything went as smooth as silk. So, there I was sitting in confinement in the small (and growing smaller by the minute) room set aside for me. All of my party was there with me. Time passed at half, sometimes at quarter speed. I would look at the time every ten minutes to see that only seconds had gone by. I ate half of my second pack of Rolaids, and generally fretted to the amusement of the others. Every few minutes someone would tell me the time, and eventually I couldn't take it any more. I told them, "each time one of you looks at your watch the tension in my stomach doubles. It's killing me." Naturally, every single one of the jerks pulled up their sleeves. "Fifteen minutes, John!" I groaned and returned to my own very public misery.

About two years later, I heard music piped in over the speakers, and knew that our friend AJ was singing. I am not going to go over each song as it was sung or played. Check Michelle's recap if you want all that. I am also not going to go over the highlights of the ceremony. To do that I would have to tell you the whole thing, and that would not be as cool written as it was in person. When all was said and done our guests told us this was the best ceremony they had ever seen. I can say with absolute certainty that I felt the same. Perhaps however, I was a bit biased. Perhaps. Michelle's mom went in and lit the unity candle then, came out. I didn't see that part until the video, as I was still under house arrest. I went in next, followed by my party. I felt a lot of things as I went up that aisle. First and foremost I felt that if I got sick now, I would be done for the rest of my life, which, was the second thing, would be mercifully brief. The third thing I felt was the certainty that I was going to lose it now. There was more. I hid it all quite poorly behind a goofy grin and a struggle to look forward and not wave to all our friends as I went by them. Once I got to the front of the pavilion I got to stand forever. A long list of songs were played, each one with the accompaniment of one of Michelle's party. There was a drawn out, almost painful silence, and my best man whispered, "here she comes." The door opened.

It was my niece. She was our flower girl. She was ten years old when she started her walk up that isle. She was out of high school by the time she got to the end. Well, that's what it felt like. See, I did indeed help Michelle somewhat in ordering the events of the ceremony, but rational thought was somewhere outside the pavilion. I have a poor memory normally. In this situation, I couldn't remember what was coming next.

Tori reached our end of the aisle and took her place. There silence. Then the bongs came. One bong, pause. Two bongs. Three. Then the music, I thought. Four. Has anyone every heard of the Chiming of the Hour? "They're really dragging this out, aren't they?" my best man whispered. I nodded.

Twelve steady bongs later, and the music changed. It was the one concession I would not make. My bride would walk up the aisle to the Bridal March. Here comes the bride and all that. The doors swung open, and here she came. This is the moment I have dreamed about for so many years. She beamed a goofy smile at me from across the room, even though without her glasses I knew she was only smiling toward a blur she could make out in the distance. Her mom and dad gave her away, and I got to take over. I walked down and we walked up together to stand before Reverend Day. He said what he called some "happy words", and we turned and took each other's hands. That moment was the most electrical moment of the day for me. See, when we had been together earlier to do the In the Park Photos, we were going to part ways. As I said then, there was a certain amount of fear that something would happen to take this perfection away. Now it was different. My partner in all things was here again, and this was another bridge. We would not leave each other's company without first being made husband and wife. I say this occurred, and it is no lie.

The ball of gnawing stress that was in me very suddenly, of a moment, was gone.

It was just like that. Until she came and we took hands, I was ready to either pass out or be ill. Rolaids, plain toast or the comfort of friends could do nothing to relieve that stress. But when she came to me then, and our hands touched, in that instant the knot was gone.

There were two side effects I should mention. First, I was suddenly, ferociously hungry. Second, all that stress needed somewhere to go, now that it was gone from me. It traveled up from my stomach, down my arms, through my hands, and right into my bride to be. She thought, when she felt how badly my hands were shaking, "if he is stressed, then I should be stressed." And then she was. Except I was no more.

We said our vows to one another. I didn't forget a word. She started to cry during hers, and Reverend Day saved her with his "happy words". It was heartfelt, and I have never meant anything as much as those words in my life. I could quote them now. I actually carry them around in my wallet, on the same paper I wrote them on the night before the wedding. We did our rose presentation, first to each other, and then to our parents, and if we one rose short, that was okay. We pulled through. We lit the unity candle. We exchanged the rings. I have the order wrong, but that's okay. We came out the other side. We left the room, and we crossed the bridge, as husband and wife.

Kissing the bride was amazing. My innocent young love was hungry that day as well, it seemed, and when I thought we were done, she had news for me. Watch the tape, I chuckled at one point when she didn't let go. But I sure didn't fight her.

We were announced husband and wife! Standing applause by our friends and family, and we left the building.

We stepped into the Bride's vestibule, and had a few minutes alone. I asked Michelle if they had anything in there to eat. No luck. I was suddenly bursting with energy. Then Carol was back and leading us outside, where our mass of guests and family were waiting. I felt like a peacock with Michelle on my arm, more proud than I have ever been. Doves were released. They beat on my head and shoulders. In the pictures I am laughing like an idiot. It was great. Our guests were armed with rose pedals and bubbles, and we came out covered in both. My niece made a beautiful shot down the front of Michelle's dress. I found pedals in some pretty ingenious places later on.

We climbed into our limousine and we were off. Well, sort of. We drove in a big sweeping circle, and then went back for more pictures. We have a great bunch of them with all of our guests in a mob at the end of the pavilion. One of those is going into a frame with the 2001 Disney slogan, "This is the Start of Something Big".

The guests went on to the reception, and more pictures were taken of just the wedding party. Finally they cleared out and it was just Michelle and I and Randy. More pictures. "Just one more! Good."

We went on to the reception. We got a fun picture on video in front of some construction machinery. Both Michelle and I in wedding attire wearing hard hats. And Michelle's hair wasn't even messed up. Damn, Patrick is good. I met the DJ for the first time ever. I don't know why I never thought of him before. I was relatively familiar with Patrick, Randy, Carol and Candice by that point. I believe his name was Jon.

We were introduced again as husband and wife to everyone in the reception, and I was able to dance for the first time with my wife. I always laughed when I watched the videos of newly wed couples, where they are chatting it up during their first dance, talking away. I always felt that I would be so enraptured by the moment that I would be helpless to anything but just be there. I danced with Michelle, and it was so. Of course, I watched the video last night, and there we were, chatting excitedly away. Ah well. My best man's toast was terrific. He mentioned a few things, but the one that really hit home was this. I can't quote it, but I will give you the idea. "John and I go way back. And anyone who knows John will tell you that he has always wanted to catch a glimpse, to be a part of something magical. Well, I am here to tell you that I am sure he sees now that he is part of something magic." He raised his glass then and toasted us. The meal was wonderful, and did great at filling the cavernous hole that was my stomach. For the first time that day, I felt comfortable. I couldn't get enough to eat, and so it was a good thing that Michelle was right beside me. She eats like a bird, allowing me to pick up the leftovers. The slipper desert was awesome, though I am not a fan of mousse. (It's a texture thing.) The faces of our guests when they brought out the slippers were so much fun to watch. It was fun to see how many of them licked the plates clean. Of course, the DJ made it so that I was obligated to do so myself, but I bore it like a man!

Sadly, I didn't have any of our wedding cake but the small bit Michelle put into my mouth. That was really good, but was a tease, if you see what I mean.

Disney had offered us some outrageous price for a fog machine. We turned them down. For what they were asking you could have bought ten such machines, and we were only looking at it for an hour or so. They suggested a bubble-making machine. Five hundred dollars was less than the seven hundred plus for the fog, right? Um, no. But thanks. Michelle had thought to place bubble-stuff on all the guest tables. During what was I think our second dance our guests surrounded us and brought out the stuff, and soon it was raining bubbles all around us. My favorite picture came out of this scene, and some great footage on the video. I was laughing like a fool for some of it, and kissing Michelle's forehead for the rest. (Her forehead, by the way, is very kiss-able.)

We kissed to love songs. That didn't go as well as planned. Though our friends were very vocal and have some great voices among them, only two stood up and sang. Sad, but we made those two kisses count. We were tame with the cake. We were booed. Sad, but tough. I was threatened with some very unpleasant things if I got anything on her dress or in her hair. What could I do?

My niece caught the flowers. A friend of Michelle's family caught the garter. Two of the guys nearly died in the dive for that thing. I can say with great fondness that I am quite glad I will never have to deal with that tradition again. We danced with the winners instead of having the guy put the garter on the girl. It would have been kind of unsettling to watch anyhow, as my niece was ten years old. Shiver!

We had Mushu show up. He's never gone to an event before, we were told. It was great. Earlier in the week we had gone on one of those Disney Adventures in the Magic Kingdom, and met Peter Pan. We think now that the same cast member was playing Mushu, just by the way that he moved. We could be wrong. It's a long shot, but still, it might have been. He danced with a number of our guests, and we shared a private joke with him and a few of our friends. That little dragon can shake some serious tail.

Two of our guests were going to leave at that point, but we forebade them. They raised an eyebrow as if to say what could top this, and I smiled. The girl, Mish, asked me, "What, are Mickey and Minnie coming as well?" I just smiled again. No lie. That's how it played out. Mickey and Minnie came. That damn mouse is always hitting on Michelle. If not him, then Chip and Dale. What's up with that? We got some dances with them, and some of our friends became like little children, which was awesome to watch. No one tried to leave early after that.

And yes, as you have read in Michelle's recap, my favorite was Pluto. Michelle surprised me with the Dog. He had a bone, and we played tag. The mice even got into the show. Minnie hid the bone. Mickey and Pluto were hamming it up as dog and master. It was a great show, and a better time. I was so happy to see everyone getting into it. I thought people would have fun, but I didn't think they would get this into it.

I kept telling Michelle over and over how much of a miracle she pulled off. And I wasn't the only one. I was sort of riding a high at that point, and felt quite drunk. Since I had only had the first glass of champagne, I knew it was just the day. Have you ever been so happy you cried? I was tired and laughing and excited and so madly in love. I will never be able to top this day, and I challenge Michelle to try.

My brother, who had this very trip proven how caustic he can be, came to me and told me how much of a great time he was having. "I am going to go back and tell all the aunts how wrong they were," he said. Of course, before this I hadn't known that the aunts had had any problem with a Disney wedding. Hmmm. Ah well.

When the reception was over we spent some time going over the logistics with Patrick and Carol and Jon. Then we were driven to the Wilderness Lodge for some more pictures. By the time we were done it was time for us to get to Epcot for our Illuminations show. We got a private ride by boat from the Lodge to the Contemporary, then rode the monorail to the Magic Kingdom. We took a bus from there to the Beach and Yacht Club. Then we walked to Epcot. I loved the looks we were getting. Few people think of Disney as a wedding spot, even though they all seem to have heard of the Wedding Pavilion. Michelle was gorgeous. As the day was passing more of that look of bride was leaving her and more of her was coming out. She was getting the more natural look that I have come to love in her. Some of her hair was now down, having fallen out of the style she had so carefully had put together. I had worn the makeup from the tip of her nose and her forehead with my kisses. It was so great to be so into each other, and to have so many people so into us. You only get this day once people (if you do it right), so take advantage of it!

We made it to the back entrance of Epcot, where some of our guests were waiting. Some were late, and we waited a time for them. (We were amazed when Michelle's mother was not on time!) Finally we got to the area cordoned off for us. We had had a cake made for us, resembling a giant book. The frosting was all tootsie roll. Our guests were all in awe, and again, I know I am supposed to say that, being the groom and all, but it is the truth. They were amazed at all the sights we were continually hitting them with. I was no less in awe.

Randy set up his camera, and the show began. Minor flaw here. I thought we had seen this show once before, and so I was intent less on it than the pictures. Michelle told me a bit too late that Disney had changed this part of their program. Oops. I guess we'll have to go back. The parts of the show that we did see were amazing, and what we have seen now in the pictures are likewise. I know that our guests were stunned and in awe again. Just at the end, Michelle's mom and sisters arrived.

With the show's end, our day was just about done. I was certainly ready for bed, and I know that Michelle was as well. By that I mean sleep, by the way. Michelle's father's friend drove us back to the Wilderness Lodge. My new father in law's friend, I remind myself.

Upstairs, I was faced with a challenge on multiple fronts. First, the dress. I attacked that with a gusto. The second challenge was the hair. Michelle could have fallen out the window. If she had landed on her head, she'd have been fine. The amount of metal in there to hold her hair in place was unbelievable. There must have been at least sixty pins. Now here is the last challenge. I have heard it said by many that many couples are too tired by the time the wedding day is done to engage in that long anticipated final act. Well, I tell you this, I was not to be turned away. Tonight was my night to be king! I had suffered long that morning, with nausea, then with hunger. I had braved a dove attack and the infernally hot sun. I had fought a dog for a bone, and a mouse that had tried to woo my wife. I had even encountered a dragon and had lived to tell the tale. I had fought my way past dress and hair pin armor. I was exhausted, but I was prepared, and driven to the task!

Well, you get the idea. The rest of the story is mine to savor or to cover up, depending on the outcome. Live it out yourselves and see how you do. So there you go. THE day, OUR day, in not so much of a nutshell. There are is note to be added. In the planning, there were some times when Michelle and I did not see eye to eye. There were some times when I wasn't sure it was the way to go, that it was too expensive, or out of our reach. Likewise, I know Michelle felt the same way. We pushed through, slogged through some of the rougher times. If I had to do it over again, I would consider myself lucky. I have never been to an event as fantastic or as magical as our wedding.

Disney is expensive. You could have a wedding with more people back home for the same amount of money, and that is not counting travel expenses. But you will never match the experience that we had. As I started to say, if I had to do it over, I would, gratefully. Maybe it is that Michelle can do wonders. At this point I don't question that. She is amazing, and I am the luckiest man alive for being with her. But more over, though there is no denying that Disney is expensive, you get every ounce of experience that you pay for.

I would do it again, and then again, and then again, for as many times as Michelle would do it with me. It was the time of a lifetime, and no closing words will ever do it justice.

--John

NEXT: Cinderella's Royal Table, Epcot, Dinner at Alfredo's, Cirque du Soleil

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