Saturday, October 16th, 2010 –
I woke up early around 6:30am – early in that I had only gone to bed about three and a half hours earlier. Despite this I was wide awake, beaming at the thought that today was our wedding day. I got up and grabbed coffee from the main desk in Silvanus. A couple others were already up including my cousin Kara and Rose. We boys needed to be gone and to the lodge around 830am to help set up at Copake.
We made sure that all the boys were up by about 8:20ish at the latest. My brothers Jonn and Harry were there, as was my cousin Andrew who made the trip from Tennessee. Jonathan and Steve, my two other groomsmen were there, as was Ryan who offered to help. We got to the lodge and quickly set up the rest of the equipment for the sound system. My mom and others (Scott, Rose, Jane) were arriving around 9:00 or 9:30, so we wanted to get what we could done before hand. The sound system was great! Afterwards we helped carry out tables that were not needed for the reception. We had decided that 10:30 was our cut off time after which we needed to go back to Silvanus to get changed into tuxes.
Copake got two new event coordinators seemingly overnight, and we couldn’t find Mary McGuire, our original coordinator anywhere! These two ladies seemed to basically run the show and they told me that the guys had to be at Copake no later than 12:00. We did not want to miss any deadlines, so we left my mom et. al to continue working setting things up.
As we headed back to Silvanus to get into tuxes, the weather still seemed a bit ominous. It had rained most of the night, and while not raining particularly hard, it was still cloudy and blustery. Temperature at Copake was only projected to be 53 degrees today with the weather clearing up in the afternoon. As I drove the RAV4 back to Hillsdale, I realized that I was not all that nervous – yet. I think that since we had basically been go go go since the start of yesterday it hadn’t really had a chance to sink in yet. Even now, after the ceremony, Emm and I are still flabbergasted that we are actually Mr. & Mrs. Griffin now!
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The time had finally arrived for TUXES! We got back to Silvanus at 11:00 after following the GARMIN GPS and taking a really long back way. I was actually getting a bit frazzled thinking about the time crunch and getting all 7 guys in tuxes in time and back to Silvanus. But we made it. We all split up into different rooms and started showering/shaving and getting ready. I chose to go to Room #5 and got ready with my youngest brother Harry and my dad. As I was getting ready Jonn came in to say he was on the phone with Ellen, his girlfriend from Norway! I talked to her and she wished us good luck. So nice to hear from her. I wish she could have made it!
We were all dressed and after some goodbyes and updates on where the girls were (They had gone to get their hair done early in the morning and would be arriving to Copake after us.) Jonn, Harry, Steve, Jonathan, Ryan, and I all headed off to the ceremony. My dad and Joe also had tuxes but they’d be coming a bit later. My mom had stayed to finish last minute preparations and still had not got back to her room to change.
The drive over to Copake Country Club was surprisingly quiet. Jonathan told me how he was really happy for me and glad to be a part of today. I told him thanks and that maybe the nerves were finally hitting me a bit. I think though that knowing since I met Emmy that I wanted to marry her one day, having the two year engagement, and just feeling that this was the right choice made it that much easier. I was never really nervous to the point of nausea and actually I think I get more nervous going to the dentist or doctor’s then on my wedding day!
The Ceremony
As promised we got to the country club exactly at 12:00. I thought that we were supposed to go to the clubhouse and then coordinate from there. We were told the groomsmen would be ferrying up guests the .3-.4 miles from the clubhouse to the 7th green via golf karts. However, when we pulled in, they told us to keep driving to the second entrance. I assumed they were having us park down below or something, but instead they were having us drive right up to the green! Turns out we were not alone. I think because of the blustery cold wind and rain that they wanted us up there as easily as possible. So we pulled up with everyone else. The coordinators were nowhere to be found, but we climbed out and waited near the tent. One of the ladies soon showed up and told us we were supposed to be down below, because at the very least the groomsmen were supposed to drive their respective bridesmaid up to the green. I stood by myself for a while, greeting all of our friends and relatives as they arrived – a kind of receiving line, only before the actual ceremony.
I was there before the musicians and even Rev. Dana. It was pretty cold, but I was just excited to see everyone that I don’t normally see. In all we had somewhere around 100 guests, significantly more than our original 70, but still the perfect amount. As I stood there, I remarked at how important it is to celebrate with the ones you love and the ones that love you.
Guests filtered in. The tent we rented was a nice addition, but was getting blown around by the wind, despite its dozen or so wooden support beams. I continued to stand outside, and workers from the country club ferried up blankets to distribute to our guests.
Reverend Dana got there and promptly took a blanket herself. I was fortunate to be wearing pants and about four shirts/coats with my tuxedo. Dana said that we would should try to keep it “short and sweet”. Much like the rehearsal, she said in the essence of time and for the benefit of all those present, we should err on the side of caution and brevity. She had two pages of readings she was planning on doing but if okay with us then she would like to cut that out and keep it short. I said that that would be a really great idea.
My parents arrived about five minutes before the start of the ceremony. They came and stood next to me at the front of the tent, and my mom helped fix my boutonniere, made with a peacock feather and some bright green berries (Emmy made it!). Right about 1:00 I could see the parade of golf karts coming down from the clubhouse. Jonny & Missy, Harry & Kara, Steve & Lindsay, and Jonathan & Liana. I was still anxiously looking for Emmy, and somehow she made an appearance once the golf karts had been parked. She lined up behind the groomsmen and bridesmaids, and though I couldn’t see much, from what I could see, she was breathtakingly beautiful – as she always is - ; her dress was an ivory with a bunch of sequency pearl colored additions going down the front and side. She had a small train on the dress and it was just amazing. Her hair was gorgeous and I think it was here that I started to get a little nervous.
As the bridesmaids came down and lined up and the groomsmen it was here that I ignored everyone in front of me and just tried to lock eyes with Emmy. She was being escorted down the aisle by both Mary Rose and Joe. The flower girls, Jane and Annika had already made quite the appearance. Annika was taking one petal at a time and throwing it, while Jane did not want to throw her petals on the ground. Turns out Jane caught on and proceeded to throw petals all throughout the ceremony as evidenced in the photos with a skewed proportion of petals on her side of the aisle.
Reverend Dana has been my favorite minister since I can remember. She is a short lady, not more than five feet tall, and she has an excellent singing voice and a gift for orating, as any minister should. I believe above all, it is her ability to make the most of any situation, and improvise when need be that allows her to be such a personable figure. She made several jokes about the weather, and did make mention how it would be a memorable ceremony. I kind of chuckled because just like times past, it had to be raining or snowing when I was at Copake.
Emmy and I stood at the front. She tried to hold my hand, but I was afraid that holding hands would actually block the view of Dana from the crowd as she is so petite. I was also a bit nervous, though I kept my calm and collectedness.
We wrote our own vows several days before the wedding, with editing and input from Kara, Emmy’s sisters, and our sister in law Rose. I have been carrying mine in my wallet since the ceremony and I like looking at it at least once a day. My vows are:
“Emma, today I take you as my wife. I love your quirky sense of humor and since I have always been attracted to people who are smarter than me, I know we will be perfect together. No matter what life may bring, I promise to be open with you and to encourage you. I promise to stand…or run…or bike by your side through good times and through bad times, to give my best to you, and to grow with you. I will treasure you and care for your completely and will love you always.”
When it came time for the rings, Jonn had been holding them and produced them on a little pillow my mom had made. He remarked how he didn’t know how to get them off the pillow though! We figured it out and he untied them. Dana blessed the rings and then it was my turn to put Emmy’s on. But when I tried, I couldn’t get it over her second knuckle. I tried for a good 10-15 seconds, was sure I had turned a bright, bright red, and Dana noticed my falter and said, “You can just hold her hand if you can’t get the ring on”. I finally squeezed it over her knuckle though and gave a sigh of relief. Everyone clapped. Haha! Emm got my ring on without trouble, after which we held hands while Dana remarked and blessed our marriage. All I could think of was WHEN DO I GET TO KISS HER?! After what seemed like an eternity, we finally were given permission to kiss. I leaned in and never felt more at peace, more at home, or more loved than in that single moment. In a few seconds I could feel all of our love over the years, all of the joys and celebrations wash over me. I truly felt on top of the world as if nothing could bring me down. We walked down the aisle and shared a moment outside the tent. Before we knew it there were a few snapshots and everyone made a hasty exit to their cars to drive back down to the country club to get out of the cold. Su drove us down in the SUV, and we picked up my dad, who was walking down the side of the road about halfway to the clubhouse. He hopped into the car with us and that made me really happy. My parents are among my greatest supporters, and I would do anything for them.
Photos
Kate Drew Miller was there since about 11:00. She was with the girls, snapping photos as they were getting dressed and ready to go. After the ceremony we only had an hour for photographs, but Emm and I both knew that any time with Kate Drew Miller is bound to be a fun and memorable time. Right after we got down to the clubhouse, Lindsay presented me with a Copake Wedding Dash running bib she had custom made for me with the number “101610” on it. Though it doesn’t sound like much, I have kept every bib number from every race that I have run that gave them out. This will be one of my most cherished bibs of all time. Emmy pinned it on my back for me and we headed out to take photos.
The majority of our photos were taken down by the lake. There was a lifeguard station, rock walls, a couple huge rope swings, and just a lot of nice options for pictures. I normally do not like photos, but I couldn’t stop smiling! The high I felt from putting that ring on my finger was greater than any running high I have ever had.
The ladies from Copake were not to be ignored. The dark haired woman kept telling us to go, go, go. Time was of the essence and it was of greatest importance to “keep on schedule”! I found it a bit rude, but I just went with the flow. The important thing was spending time with the ones I love.
Kate had us do a few group shots, family shots, and then we got to have a bit of fun. We had a couple jumping shots and running ones. I can’t wait to see how all of the photographs come out! I heard it might take about a month, but I am hopeful that it doesn’t take that long.
The Reception
We were lucky to have Lindsay’s roommate Jenne Robertson as our announcer for the evening. Of equal if not greater importance was also Jonny’s agreeing to do the DJ services for the night free of charge. We would have been lost and without music were it not for his expertise. We made our way in couple by couple. Missy walked in with both of my brothers. Then they announced us as Mr. & Mrs. Bennjamin Griffin! Aagh! We walked in while everyone clapped, and made our way to the dance floor for our first dance.
This would be where I got nervous. We were dancing to Kina Grannis’s acoustic version of “Stars Falling Down” (available on Youtube). Learning how to dance had been on my list and Emmy’s but with work schedules and wedding fiascos we had not had any time to practice the dance! I have never danced in my life and actually my first dance ever was with Emmy last year at Erin’s wedding. My goals were 1. To survive the dance, 2. To concentrate on Emmy, and 3. To not step on her dress! I think I accomplished two of the three.
My parents and many others said they thought our dance was sweet. I got lost in it because I just looked into Emmy’s eyes and lost track of everyone else around me. After our dance we went back to the head table in the first room and had a snack and got settled.
Dinner came quickly and it was yummy buffet style. Grilled asparagus and vegetables, mixed salad greens, oven roasted chicken breast, and garlic mashed potatoes. Everyone seemed to be having a great time, and it was nice to sit down and enjoy company. After dinner we started making our rounds checking in with tables and saying hi and thanking everyone for coming. There was a bit of dancing and then they announced it was time for the tossing of certain items.
Garter & Flowers, and Cake, oh my!
I had the pleasure of going first with the tossing of said items. Everyone told me to go for it, and boy did I. Once “The Boys are Back in Town” by Springsteen came on, I got down on all fours and went for it with my teeth! Was able to remove it completely with my teeth only and was going to fling it but couldn’t because of the elastic. So I balled it up and through it over my shoulder. My youngest brother Harry caught it!
Next was Emmy’s bouquet toss. She through it and what do you know, my sister Su caught it. Talk about family representing. When people asked about their intentions and how generally garter/bouquet catchers are the next to get married I made a joke about how that would totally fit with Galway weddings!
We went inside and did more rounds and just had a great time for more than an hour. Music was playing, people were dancing, and then before we knew it it was time for cake. Another thing we had meant to practice but did not have a chance to. I think we did fine though. Emm led the way.
After cutting the cake I tried to tease Emmy a bit with it and I think karma came to make me aware that nice guys finish first, because sure enough about half my piece of cake either fell down Emm’s front of her dress or on the floor. Oops! She got me back though, smearing a bit on my nose.
Missy, our maid of honor, had made the cake for us and it was a delicious golden yellow cake with raspberry jam swirls in it and vanilla frosting. It was absolutely amazing! We asked her if she could make us a cake like this every year!
All good nights have to come to an end, eventually…
As the night wore on, we got our dance on a bit, highlighted by Jenne Rob and Jon Stanley having a dance off to MJ’s “Thriller”. Hilarious! The fire was going outside and we were able to make some s’mores. I looked up on the hill and saw that the tent had fallen down about an hour after the ceremony! Good thing we had the ceremony at 12 and not 1! Sure enough though, the sun came out, the winds died down, and it turned into a glorious evening. Before we knew it we were being asked to move into the far room as they set up for dinner service and then being asked to leave. Always a bittersweet moment when a celebration has to end. Many of our relatives had already left, but some friends and family were choosing to stay at the Silvanus Lodge for the night, as we had rented out the whole place anyways. Emm and I went back to the lodge to change out of our stuff and then we got a ride to where we were staying for the night, The Inn at Green River. Deborah was not there, but it was unlocked so we let ourselves in and up to our rooms. It is a nice place, but again bed and breakfasts are not my thing!
We were finally able to sleep in until about 8:00am on Sunday, and then went to breakfast at Misty Moonlight Diner back in Pittsfield with Emma’s family, Kara, and Missy. Missy and Kara signed our marriage license, which we had realized early in the morning that Dana had not asked to sign. Just one minor glitch! No worries. We mailed it to her and she is signing it and delivering it to Nassau where we got it from. The lady that wrote our license, Rita Labrum, is the same woman that issued my mom and dad their marriage license certificate back in 1984! Kind of cool!
Sunday afternoon, after packing a bit more, we headed out to East Stroudsburg, PA for our honeymoon! We were driving our new 2005 RAV 4 which had been inspected and passed on Friday, we were going for a week away from work, and most importantly we were going together as husband & wife. ( I still don’t know if it has sunken in with both of us! ) | 
