A Prince, a Princess, and an Uncooperative Ring Bearer

I should have known when we first met with the wedding director and she remarked "I don't normally recommend any member of the wedding party being under the age of four."  However, as I basked in my wedding-planning-bliss, I let this little comment go right over my head.  Fast forward several weeks later, I am in the bridal suite of the beautiful Victorian bed-and breakfast.  I had agonized for days, weeks, about the weather.  Was mother nature going to cooperate with me and let me play my fairy tale wedding out in the beautiful blooming garden right at dusk like I had painstakingly planned for so many months?  Well, it appeared mother nature was bestowing her blessings on me.  The weather could not have been more perfect.  The winds were calm, the sun was shining, and the humdidity was low (that in itself is something to be thankful for in Atlanta in the springtime LOL).  For weeks I had researched the flowers I had in mind of carrying down the aisle.  My beautiful bouquets of red roses and orange lilies were in perfect order, freshly out of the the florist's refrigerator, and awaited me downstairs.  I had awakened many nights gripped with the fear that the caterer would let me down - would there be enough food?  Would it be fit to eat?  I could smell the wonderful aroma of the food creeping up the stairs, and I could tell by the continuous stream of workers carrying in tray after tray that it was, indeed, going to be a plentiful and delicious feast.  6:45 p.m. Fifteen minutes to go.  My girlfriend clipped in and adjusted my veil atop the hairstyle that I had worried so frantically "just wasn't going to look right."  It had turned out beautifully, thanks to the hour the stylist spent combing, teasing, pinning, and spraying.  All of a sudden, my father opens the door to see if I am ready.  The tuxedo my fiance had so diligently selected for the men to wear?  What had gone so terribly wrong?  From underneath the crisp black jacket peeked a brightly colored (i.e tacky) Hawaiian shirt.  He was also decked out in a tophat and carrying a cane.  "Dad," I shrieked.  "What, you don't like it?" he replied.  A split second before I burst into tears,he said "I'm just kidding - laugha little!"  OMG - Is he crazy?  As if I weren't nervous enough, he has to choose this moment to be a practical joker?  Somebody pass me the valium and champagne!!!  I gathered myself together and headed down the stairs, my dad laughing behind me.  

 Fast forward ten minutes.  I stood at the outer edge of the gardens, 120 guests patiently seated before me.  The wedding music starts to play.  My little two year old cousin is decked out in his adorable little beige Eton suit, ring pillow in hand.  All of a sudden, his lip puckers, he lets out a scream, and sits down on the ground.  Uh oh - his mind is definitely made up, and there is no changing it.  He is NOT going down that aisle.  The guests are turning around to see what all of the fuss is.  My aunt scoops him up and scurries away with him to the adjoining parking lot behind the gardens.  However, that is not QUITE far enough away.  As I walk down the aisle, I see my "prince" awaiting me and the little smirk on his face with that look seeming to say to me " I knew something was gonna happen."  We said our vows, lit our candles, exchanged our rings, and he kissed the bride, all with the music of little Alex, the uncooperative ring bearer screaming and crying in the background.

The first marriage lesson I learned?  Life is what happens while you are busy making plans LOL LOL