April 14, 2007 - Dan and Kelley got hitched at Roaring Camp in Felton, CA. Yes, that's the place with the trains that take you for rides into the forest - an unusual location, but a fun wedding. Here's a link to their wedding blog (not sure how long they'll keep it up): http://kedcwedding.blogspot.com/. It rained most of the day which meant that instead of having the ceremony in the forest as planned, they actually had it on the train that stopped on a bridge over the San Lorenzo River - pretty cool. Being the Wedding Officiant (I got deputized for the day so I could legally perform the ceremony), I was in the center of the action and can say a good time was had by all. However, since this certainly wasn't a "traditional" wedding, nobody toasted Dan & Kelley at the reception. So, I'll take this opportunity to write what I would have said.
I love my brother
I don’t say that because I’m particularly emotional or sentimental. I say that because the things I’m about to tell you might be considered embarrassing or disparaging, but I feel if I preface it with something nice, maybe you’ll realize it’s all in good fun. Let’s have some fun…
Elementary school in the early 1980’s – most kids packed their belongings in a Trapper Keeper or a backpack and went about the school day. Dan wasn’t like most kids as he decided to pack his belongings in a hard, rectangular, black briefcase that our dad gave to him after buying a new one. Dan really must have taken some heat from the other kids walking around the playground with a briefcase, but he stuck with it and didn’t mind being…unique. That was really my first memory of my brother marching to the beat of his own drummer, but it ended up being a pattern that continues to this day.
Whether it be collecting everything related to Bon Jovi or following them around the country while they’re on tour 20 years past their prime, declaring that all his favorite sports teams are from Colorado where we’ve never lived and he’s only visited a couple of times on vacation, brushing inhibition aside to put on a full air guitar show in his living room complete with a fog machine and light bar – yes he owns a fog machine. These are just a few examples of his unique personality shining through against all sense of normalcy, conformity or regard for the pressure to fit in with the outside world.
That brings us to today. A day that Dan and Kelley planned together. Their wedding day complete with a train ride out to the middle of a redwood forest, the reception in a barn located next to a snack shack, where guest were encouraged to wear denim and comfortable shoes as the bride and groom were going to wear jeans and hockey jerseys, the DJ was an iPod and the food was burgers and hot dogs – not your typical wedding. Let me re-iterate – Dan and Kelley planned this together. So, while some might call my brother crazy, wacky, screwy, loony, goofy, kooky or just a big nut bar, I think he finally found his perfect match. And, of course, I mean that in the nicest way.
Here’s to a long, happy and unorthodox life together.
1 comment:
Thanks for the great "speech." You should have just grabbed the mic and read it since you obviously put some time into it. But, thanks nonetheless.
It was truly a very special day that I will remember forever. Everything worked out great and having your own brother perform the ceremony was just the icing on the cake (or cupcake, as the case may be).
Thanks for all your time and hard work to make our day special. I simply can't put into words what a cool brother you really are.
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