Wedding Day Judo
It’s not every wedding where I have to sit on the floor of a black SUV, surrounded by groomsmen because we have to get to the ceremony venue NOW. Not everyday a 96-year-old grandma dances, non-stop, for five songs straight. It’s also not every wedding where one of the groomsmen asks, “Hey before you leave, can you just slam me with one of those cool judo throws?”
It seriously crossed my mind to do it, “Does my liability insurance cover something like this?”
I quickly put it out of my mind because a few, very poignant what if’s ran through my mind. One of those was what if Helen, of Helen John Photography, who hired me as her second shooter saw the throw? If was going to do it, it was going to be a good one. I had like 3 or 4 techniques in mind based upon his size and how tired I might be by the end of the evening.
A Quick Beer
Back to Eric and Elizabeth, the whole reason for this post. Their day started at the luxurious Washington Hilton and I was covering the groomsmen getting ready. These guys were really chill and we had a lot of time on our hands. With this revelation, he asked if I minded if they got dressed and headed down the street to a bar for quick beer before the ceremony. I said that I would follow, but we cannot be late to the ceremony. Six guys worked at getting dressed quickly for that last beer before Eric vowed himself to Elizabeth who was somewhere else at the hotel.
The beers were had, but we had cut it a little too close. There was no time to head back to the hotel for the limo, but Eric — cool as a cucumber — said, “I’ve redirected the driver here, but when he arrives we have to go.” The driver arrived and the precise plan hit a snag, the SUV only held seven. I was eight. In a true testament to male efficiency with little regard to safety recommendations of the Department of Transportation, I was sitting on a small pillow on the floor. It’s a wedding and things just gotta get done.
An Intimate Posh Wedding
With BBQ, waffles, and delicious coffee. Eric and Elizabeth had an intimate, posh-casual ceremony and reception for their wedding at Josephine Butler Parks Center adjacent to Meridian Hill Park in D.C. The evening was filled lots of dancing, especially by the grandmother, and capped with an accordion serenade and sparkler send-off. I managed to say farewell to the bridal party and slip into the night before I was asked for that judo throw.
