When the door opened, I swear my heart stopped. I wanted to run down the path and take her in my arms but a gentle hand on my sleeve stopped me so I managed to wait. As she came up the path, I tried to drink in every detail- from the candles to the rose petals, the flower behind her ear, the creamy satin clinging to her curves. I had tried to create the perfect romantic setting, but none of it is really registering in my brain. All I keep thinking is: if this is a dream, I don't ever want to wake up.
Finally, she arrives and takes my hands. I lean down and give her a long kiss.
"Hey now..." the justice of the peace gently rebukes me "don't get too far ahead of me." But he's smiling.
I grin back, unrepentant. The music is fading and he's starting the ceremony. When Ken asked me what kind of ceremony we wanted, at first I'd said Jewish. It came out automatically. Then I said- wait, no, protestant. And then I'd looked helplessly at him. He'd suggested a simple ceremony with a justice of the peace, using our own vows so that we can make the promises that are imporant to us. He reminded me that if we wanted to have some sort of elaborate religous ceremony we could always have one in the future. Donna loved the idea of our own vows and said we could talk about a religious ceremony someother time if I wanted to but she didn't need one.
"Josh and Donna- you have chosen this time and place to declare your love for each other and to officially join your lives together . . . although from what I understand that process began about ten years ago." We smile and nod.
"Actually, this is the part where you say 'I do.'"
"Donna, do you take Josh to be your lawfully wedded husband?"
"I do" my radiant bride repeats.
"Josh, do you take Donna to be your lawfully wedded wife?"
Absolutely! "I do."
The justice of the peace continues- "Having heard your intention to be married. I now ask you to declare your marriage vows to each other."
I'm up first. I take a deep breath and look into Donna's eyes. I feel light-headed. Like, really. Shoot. What was I going to say? I close my eyes a second and count to three. She whispers "Josh. I love you. Just tell me how you feel."
I open my eyes and grin.
"Donnatella- the day I met you my world instantly changed for the better. It's not what you do for me... it's what you do to me. You help me see the world in a different way. You soften my rough edges. I've always wanted to conquer the world and make it a better place. But you give me a reason to do it... and you come along side me and help make it happen. You are a better person than I am and I promise to spend the rest of my life trying to being the man you deserve."
She beams at me. Earlier when I was trying to come up with vows, I'll admit, I sort of thought that the the goal was to make her cry. The problem was I couldn't figure out anything to say that I didn't make me bawl too. I'm glad I forgot all of the mushy stuff I was trying to come up with and just spoke from my heart. Donna knows that I'm intense and she gives as good as she gets.