The Poetry, Essays and Personal Journals of Larry L. Dill
A Beautiful Girl Damn Good at Life
photo by carl masage
on June 19th, 2010 and is accessible through a YouTube link below. The sound quality is poor and so I am providing a transcription of the ceremony here. If you read the transcription first you will find it easier to enjoy the 8 minute video. The addition of headphones or external speakers is also helpful.
It was a typical sunny Texas June ‘teenth. Speedboats roared by in the lake below and the buzzing of millions of cicadas filled the air. To the music of Nina Simone I walked my barefooted daughter, Jessica, out of the Blue Boy Inn and down through the assembled family and friends to meet her groom, Geoff Nunez, and his brother Cory who was to marry them. The two brothers were both barefooted as well. As I handed Jessica’s hand to Geoff, he took me in his arms in a full bodied embrace. Jessica then embraced me and gave me a big kiss. I turned then and sat down beside Jessica’s mother, Elaine Dill who had just finished sewing Jessica‘s dress a few minutes earlier.
Cory’s ceremony was, as you will see below, part standup comedy, part poetry slam, but mostly a rich spiritual meditation on the art of loving and the meaning of marriage. It was short at the request of the bride and groom. But it was very, very sweet.
Cory: If anybody doesn’t know this, Geoff and I were once roommates. And as dangerous and destructive as that sounds, it was then I truly, and miraculously uninjured, got to know what an incredibly talented and honorable man that Geoff is. And in this time between making bonfires out of patio furniture (laughter) and the two of us growing younger together (laughter) --and by that I mean more mature-- (still more laughter) Geoff fell in love. For a week he came home from work dazed and rambling about vegetables and the most beautiful girl he’d ever seen. A few days later Geoff brought Jessica into the bar I was working and introduced us. By this time I had such high expectations for her that there was no way that she could possibly stand up to them. And then, for the first time in my life, until Jessica introduced me to Melanie, I was wrong. (roaring laughter)
Immediately upon meeting Jessica, she made fun of my uniform, (laughter) complimented my haircut, and told me she had the perfect girl for me. If I remember correctly it was love at first sight for me. She was gorgeous, so obviously crazy about Geoff and, most importantly, funny. So through the last two years I have come to know what a thoughtful, selfless and wonderfully talented person Jessica is. Not just to say that she is an excellent chef. But in my professional opinion she is just damn good at life! (cheers and applause)
So to the both of you who cannot breathe without each other I am so proud to call you family. (music playing in a passing boat)
Geoff: I like that! (laughter)
Cory: After Geoff proposed to Jessica on the site of Rabbit Rock (North Carolina), they wanted to get hitched right away…but couldn’t imagine not having their friends and family present. So now that everyone has traveled here from far and wide we can bear witness to and celebrate the entry into the lifelong relationship of husband and wife for these two people who are already one in spirit. Geoff and Jessica, you are now taking into your care the keeping and the happiness of the person that you love most. May I have the rings please.
Geoff: (feigning anxiety )No! We have to talk. (laughter)
(The rings are brought forward by Geoff and Cory’s younger brother and sister, Chase and Leslie)
Cory: Geoff, place the ring on Jessica’s finger.
Today I will marry my best friend.
Geoff: Today I will marry my best friend.
(loud speedboat almost drowning out Geoff’s words)
C: The one I will live with, dream with and love.
G: The one I will live with, dream with and love.
C: I promise to honor,
G: I promise to honor,
C: Encourage,
G: Encourage,
C: And support you through our walk together.
G: And support you through our walk through life.
C: I promise to stand by you and uplift you.
G: I promise to stand by you and uplift you.
C: So that through our union we can accomplish more than we could alone.
G: So that through our union we can accomplish more than we could alone.
C: I promise to strengthen and inspire you,
G: I promise to strengthen and inspire you,
C: to laugh with you,
G: to laugh with you,
C: and to comfort you in times of sorrow and struggle.
G: and to comfort you in times of sorrow and struggle.
C: I promise to be true to you,
G: I promise to be true to you,
C: to cherish you,
G: to cherish you,
C: and share my thoughts, hopes and dreams with you.
G: and share my thoughts, hopes and dreams with you.
C: I look forward to spending the rest of my life with you,
G: I look forward to spending the rest of my life with you,
C: My best friend,
G: My best friend,
C: My family.
G: My family.
C: I will love forever.
G: I will love forever….Can I kiss her yet? (laughter)
C: That comes later.
G: OK.
Cory: Jessica, will you place the ring on Geoff’s finger and repeat after me. (Jessica struggles with the ring)
Geoff: Git it on there. (laughter)
Cory: Today I will marry my best friend.
Jessica: Today I will marry my best friend.
C: The one I will live with, dream with and love.
J: The one I will live with, dream with and love. (Jessica’s voice cracking, holding back tears and laughing)
Geoff: Don’t cry. (laughter)
Cory: I promise to honor,
Jessica: I promise to honor,
C: Encourage,
J: Encourage,
C: and support you through our walk together.
J: and support you through our walk together. ( Jessica’s voice still cracking, crying and laughing at the same time. Geoff gently wiping the tears from her cheek with his handkerchief)
C: I promise to stand by you and uplift you.
J: I promise to stand by you and uplift you. (Geoff now wiping his own brow with the same handkerchief in the Texas heat wearing a handsomely tailored dark suit he is unaccustomed to, audience laughing)
Cory: So that through our union we can accomplish more than we could alone.
Jessica: So that through our union we can accomplish more than we could alone. (Geoff now wiping Cory’s brow with the same handkerchief ( more laughter)
Cory: I promise to strengthen and inspire you.
Jessica: I promise to strengthen and inspire you.
C: and to comfort you in times of sorrow and struggle.
J: and to comfort you in times of sorrow and struggle.
C: I promise to be true to you,
J: I promise to be true to you,
C: to cherish you,
J: to cherish you,
C: to share my thoughts, hopes and dreams with you.
J: to share my thoughts, hopes and dreams with you.
C: I look forward to spending the rest of my life with you.
J: I look forward to spending the rest of my life with you. (Jessica’s voice still cracking)
C: My best friend,
J: My best friend,
C: My family,
J: My family,
C: I will love forever.
J: I will love forever.
(loud rock anthem suddenly playing from a boat out on the lake as if on cue. Corey, Geoff and Jessica looking out on the lake in amazement, then Geoff looking at the audience with WTF expression. Roaring laughter from the audience)
Jessica: It’s perfect!
Geoff: (looking over at Cory) Serious time!
Cory: Geoff, do you take Jessica to be your wife?
Geoff: Hell yeah I do!
Cory: Jessica do you take Geoff to be your husband?
Jessica: Hell yeah I do! (laughter)
Cory: By the powers vested in me by the anyfoolcanbeordained.com I pronounce you man and wife.
(cheers, applause and laughter, as Geoff sweeps Jessica off her feet up into his arms for a long kiss and embrace)
Cory: (arms thrown out wide up to the sky) I give to you Geoff and Jessica Nunez. (More cheers and applause)
View Deborah Gaddy's Flip video of the Wedding on YouTube
View Carl Masage's photos here
View Sharee Nunez's photos here
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larrydill@newhopejournal.com
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copyright 2009,2010 by Larry L. Dill