From: tlode@nyx.cs.du.edu (trygve lode)
Subject: Re: Am I banished?
Organization: Nyx, Public Access Unix @ U. of Denver Math/CS dept.
Distribution: na
Date: Sat, 12 Dec 92 22:16:23 GMT

In article <101664@netnews.upenn.edu> crawford@ben.dev.upenn.edu (Lauren L. Crawford) writes:
>In article <1992Dec10.195742.3919@mnemosyne.cs.du.edu> tlode@nyx.cs.du.edu (trygve lode) writes:
>
>>My own "specialty" is renaissance-style weddings--I think they're at
>>least as memorable and romantic, allow more room for creativity, and the
>>costumes are much cheaper and more likely to be worn again.  Having a
>>wedding outdoors or (if it's small) in your house is another good way to
>>cut costs.  (One couple who choose to have it at their house took the
>>money they otherwise would have spent on flowers and the like and put in
>>some landscaping improvements instead.)  Anyway, you might want to look
>>into ways you can be a little more creative--and a lot less expensive.
>
>All those wonderfully creative alternatives involve the one thing I don't
>want -- WORK.  I want to throw some money at someone, tell them what I
>want, and forget about it.  Hard to do with not much cash, but as I say, I
>think I've finally managed it.  One can hope, anyway.

Here's hoping.  You know, maybe the reason weddings are so complicated and
hard on the nerves is to make sure the couple in question really, really
wants to get married. 

>>Trygve   (Who has done conventional weddings, renaissance weddings,
>>          outdoor weddings, weddings on horseback, and even one surprise
>>          wedding, which is kinda like a surprise birthday party--there's
>>          a cake and presents, only the results are generally longer-
>>          lasting.)
>
>The surprise wedding sounds very intriguing.  What did they do, invite all
>their family and friends to a party and then spring on them the fact that
>they're married?  Or did the friends and family get tired of waiting for
>this couple to tie the knot, so they threw a surprise party for the couple
>that just _happened_ to include a minister/justice of the peace?

It was closer to the latter--basically, the two of them had been living
together for years and both of them wanted to get married, but somehow
neither of them could quite manage to ask the other.  (I'm still working
on my book "Help for the Romantically Impaired" for couples just like
this one.)  Anyway, they went out for brunch one day and, while they were
gone, their family and friends decorated the house and got everything 
ready so when the couple came home, they opened the door to see presents,
a huge cake, balloons and flowers, and a bridal arch.  Believe it or not,
this provided a sufficient impetus for the groom to propose on the spot
and then I came out (in a floor-length chainmail robe with angel sleeves)
and did the ceremony.

I certainly had my doubts about it, but, incredibly enough, this was the
one ceremony I've done where not a single thing went wrong.  It was 
amazing.

Trygve   (Well, nothing went wrong until afterwards, when the groom and
          the photographer had a disagreement resulting in the photographer
          refusing to develop any of the film used at the wedding.)