This weekend I attended the least conventional and most touching wedding I've ever witnessed. By lack of convention, I don't mean it was wacky -- instead I mean that Ashlee and David embraced the elements of a traditional ceremony that meant something to them, and blew the rest away like chaff. The whole day was so them. Ashlee walked down the "aisle" (a beautiful grassy lawn, with colorful paper flowers and japanese lanterns hung everywhere) and as everyone started snapping pictures, she turned and took a few photos of the guests, then a "smoosh" photo of herself with Davy. Classic Ashlee (I've known her so briefly, but I'm so crazy about her). But the best part of the ceremony had to be the reading. It was taken from a 1965 children's book, and I can't imagine anything more perfect. One by one, the bridesmaids and groomsmen (and there were a lot of them!) took turns reading.



I Like You by Sandol Stoddard Warburg

I like you and I know why.
I like you because you are a good person to like.
I like you because when I tell you something special, you know it's special
And you remember it a long, long time.
You say, Remember when you told me something special
And both of us remember

When I think something is important
you think it's important too
We have good ideas

When I say something funny, you laugh
I think I'm funny and you think I'm funny too
Hah-hah!

I like you because you know where I'm ticklish
And you don't tickle me there except just a little tiny bit sometimes
But if you do, then I know where to tickle you too

You know how to be silly
That's why I like you
Boy are you ever silly
I never met anybody sillier than me till I met you
I like you because you know when it's time to stop being silly
Maybe day after tomorrow
Maybe never
Too late, it's a quarter past silly

Sometimes we don't say a word
We snurkle under fences
We spy secret places

If I am a goofus on the roofus hollering my head off
You are one too
If I pretend I am drowning, you pretend you are saving me
If I am getting ready to pop a paper bag,
then you are getting ready to jump
HOORAY

That's because you really like me
You really like me, don't you
And I really like you back
And you like me back and I like you back
And that's the way we keep on going every day

If you go away, then I go away too
or if I stay home, you send me a postcard
You don't just say Well see you around sometime, bye
I like you a lot because of that
If I go away, I send you a postcard too

And I like you because if we go away together
And if we are in Grand Central Station
And if I get lost
Then you are the one that is yelling for me

And I like you because when I am feeling sad
You don't always cheer me up right away
Sometimes it is better to be sad
You can't stand the others being so googly and gaggly every single minute
You want to think about things
It takes time

I like you because if I am mad at you
Then you are mad at me too
It's awful when the other person isn't
They are so nice and hoo-hoo you could just about punch them in the nose

I like you because if I think I am going to throw up
then you are really sorry
You don't just pretend you are busy looking at the birdies and all that
You say, maybe it was something you ate
You say, the same thing happened to me one time
And the same thing did

If you find two four-leaf clovers, you give me one
If I find four, I give you two
If we only find three, we keep on looking
Sometimes we have good luck, and sometimes we don't

If I break my arm, and if you break your arm too
Then it's fun to have a broken arm
I tell you about mine, you tell me about yours
We are both sorry
We write our names and draw pictures
We show everybody and they wish they had a broken arm too

I like you because I don't know why but
Everything that happens is nicer with you
I can't remember when I didn't like you
It must have been lonesome then

I like you because because because
I forget why I like you but I do
So many reasons
On the 4th of July I like you because it's the 4th of July
On the fifth of July, I like you too

If you and I had some drums and some horns and some horses
If we had some hats and some flags and some fire engines
We could be a HOLIDAY
We could be a CELEBRATION
We could be a WHOLE PARADE
See what I mean?

Even if it was the 999th of July
Even if it was August
Even if it was way down at the bottom of November
Even if it was no place particular in January
I would go on choosing you
And you would go on choosing me
Over and over again
That's how it would happen every time

I don't know why
I guess I don't know why I really like you
Why do I like you
I guess I just like you
I guess I just like you because I like you.


And as wonderful as it is to read it (and I think it's one of the most wonderful things I've ever read), it's 10 times better to hear it read aloud. Especially by people who are bursting with love for the people they're reading it about, because they know that it is true. They were animated and funny, and I laughed out loud several times, even while I was trying (very unsuccessfully) not to cry. My favorite part is "I would go on choosing you and you would go on choosing me over and over again." Because really, isn't that what marriage is supposed to be about?

Ashlee and David's vows were followed by MANY toasts to the couple that lasted til after dark, and we were surrounded by fireflies. I swear that one of them hovered less than two inches in front of my face and blinked once at me before flying away. How cool is that?

The wedding and reception was followed by an after-party at Doublewide, where there was karaoke (Me crooning onstage? no, thank you. Me singing to Journey and Neil Diamond and the B-52s at the top of my lungs from the audience? Yes, please.) and a surprisingly fun rap/hip-hop duo and the honor of celebrating a very fun couple.


And there are photos here!