I've been wanting to comment on the wedding, but I haven't had time. Still don't, as I'm trying to get a little bit ahead on the strips before we have to leave for Mexico on Friday. But I don't want to go that long without posting something, so I'll paste an e-mail I sent to a couple folks who asked me how the wedding went. Like the wedding, it's short and to the point:
Laura was stunning. I first saw her in her dress as she walked down the aisle with her mother. I'd never seen her that happy before. She was glowing.
About 300 people showed up.
It was an unconventional wedding. The ceremony was very short and to the point. My brother and her sister placed a ceremonial lasso around us (a Roman Catholic tradition). The minister spoke a bit about marriage, and about the history of wedding rings while we put ours on each other. We said our vows, including some funny "P.S" ones, and we signed the decorative marriage certificate I designed. Then, at the end, we jumped over a ceremonial broom. That's a custom which originated in Western Africa and was brought here by slaves.
Laura's folklorico group performed for us. I'll never forget that. I love those guys. Then a small stage was set up, and Laura performed the cajon, which had been her father's favorite dance. When she finished, I stood up and helped her off the stage, then we began our first dance. The first dance was a danzón. I'd been nervous about that part since dancing isn't my thing. We only rehearsed 5 times (with Norberto Martinez, a superb dancer/choreographer friend of ours), but on the day of the wedding, somehow it all went perfectly. Everyone was right - when the lights dimmed and we started to dance, everyone else disappeared and all I saw was Laura. People were impressed - a lot of them have been asking for videos of the dance. Some assumed I was a professional dancer, so I guess I didn't do too badly.
It was the best night of our lives.
My grandmother was going to sing the song "Always" to us at our wedding, but she passed away in February. So my Mom sang it to us for her. There wasn't a dry eye in the place. Matt also gave a toast, which was more of a roast.
For a brief honeymoon, we spent a few days at Disney's Grand Californian hotel. Then we spent a couple days with people in Laura's family who had contributed to the wedding. I didn't know most of them, but it's customary to do that.
At the guest sign-in table, there was a huge mounted photo of her father, Laura, her mom and me, taken at Laura's graduation back in 2000. It felt like he was there the whole night, and that he made sure it all went perfectly. He was even there on the honeymoon, we thought, because at Disneyland, we kept getting the shortest lines and the best seats on the rides. Everything was going our way, as if someone was looking out for us.
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A preliminary sketch from an upcoming Sunday strip (assuming it gets approved). This is Susan Garcia, one of the main characters. Rumor has it her looks and some of her personality traits are inspired by my wife (man, I have to get used to saying that - I've been calling her my "girlfriend" for 6 years!), Laura Bustamante. I have no idea how I got this lucky.
