Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Father of the Groom

It is an exciting time in the life of the family when a child gets married. He will always be a child to me even though he will be 23 in a couple of weeks and start his second year of law school soon after that. He/We have been blessed with a bride that has been part of our family for many years. They started dating in junior high. The wedding planning has been mostly done by the bride and her family but as the father of the groom I have had a little to do.
Planning the rehearsal dinner is the responsibility of the groom’s family and we take it seriously to put on a good show, especially for out of town guest. So what can we do to give them a little taste of Kansas City? Why provide Smoke House Barbecue and Boulevard beer. Two of our local favorites. Although we live a little ways away we will host the gala at Heritage Hall just off the square in the big small town of Liberty, Missouri. There might just be a little surprise entertainment if it all works out the right way.

His mom has been busy as well, buying etched glassware with their names and the date to memorialize the day, A take home item for each guest. She continues to buy gift after gift to help pave the way to a new household. She hired the limo service that will take them from the church. She has met with the bride’s mother to plan other things as well. It all seems very complicated. The wedding party is large and there will be more than 300 guests from all over the country.
I am just a dad; we are not built to pick out decorations and plates and organize food and make sure everyone is dressed the right way. I have even struggled with the idea of renting a tux to match the rest of the group when I have one hanging in the closet at home. I have argued with my son over little things like the invitation list, leaving out several relatives that I would like to have come. But it's not about me, there is a budget, although I am not sure anyone has really stuck to it. With each new idea brings a new bill and a new responsibility for someone to check off their list.

The new and soon to be in-laws are good people and we enjoy their company and there is a lot to be said for that. It makes it easier when decisions have been difficult. Budgets have been managed and responsibility has been divided among us. The bride has taken the lead to keep everyone in line. I think the groom is probably the most difficult of all. He has been very spoiled by parents that love him and have paved the way for his success. He does things in his own time and his own way but they will get done as long as he sees value in doing it.
The wedding is in 10 short days, the rehearsal the night before. Many things need to fall in place still and I think they will. We will have a son returning from Chicago, another from Florida. We will all be together for the first time this summer. It will be a grand and memorable time.

The future for our kids seems very bright indeed for the time that we live in. They will live in Lincoln, Nebraska for the time being as he finishes law school at Husker U. She has a good job there and their home is set up and waiting for them to return from the honeymoon somewhere in the far reaches of the land called Mexico.
I am a simple man, with simple needs; one of those is for my children to be happy. So I wish them all the happiness in the world and God's speed through an incredible life together. I take on one more title in the many that I have had in this lifetime: The Father of the Groom.

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