The Wedding at the Big House on the Hill

Rebecca and Bert's weddinging was held at ‘The House on The Hill’ just outside Austin. The house itself, a lodge with a big old porch that looked out into the valley below. There are guest houses, a swimming pool and a dance floor with a slanted roof. We arrive to see tables laid out on a gentle slope: leading to a jagged limestone waterfall where the ceremony is to take place. There is time for me to meet some of the family and friends before we take our seats, ready for the bride and groom to come out. Its about 6:30pm, weddings in Texas often take place later in the day to avoid the heat.

The pale yellow sun could only peek through the trees that surround us, it stayed in the sky long enough for their vows to be made then falls away behind the hills. The trees themselves are covered in lights and lanterns, with candles laid where the bride thinks best. The breeze plays in the branches overhead and although it is so quiet, it feels like there is something wild here.

The married couple run up the slope and the bridesmaids and best men compete in the traditional ‘who can do the silliest dance up the aisle’ dance. We eat our meal and listen to their friends tell stories of how they met and wishing them well. The lanterns above the dance floor are curious iron stars and planets, you could loose yourself for a moment just looking at them. In the music that follows, while we sit, I hear Snow Patrols’ ‘Chocolate’. It reminds me of driving round visiting people and I think of home for the first time this week.

After the bride and groom’s first dance everyone wants to get on the floor and even the young-uns are getting involved in a strange and sexy, booty grindy kind of Line dancing. A couple of girls try to teach me, but the Englishman shames his country big time. I give up pretty quickly trying to learn the steps, conscious that I look as clumsy and dangerous as Arnold Schwazenegger trying to stop a 20 dollar note blow away. (and Yes I just Googled the spelling of that man's name). Lucky for me any attention I may have had is quickly diverted to the groom. Bert has grabbed a microphone and is rapping to ‘Ice Ice Baby’ reliving the glory day of a 5th Grade Talent competition I am reliably informed. 

We go inside for the traditional cutting of the cake and I am pleased to see that there are two. One is a geometrically warped, two tiered work of art. The other an equally ‘art like’ Oil Rig with chocolate oil. As the perfect guest I feel obliged to eat both as surely doing this will afford the happy couple more luck for the future! The groom is no where to be seen, so Rebecca decides to do a little dance and looking so lovely in her dress it is enough to keep her ravenous cake-thirsty guests at bay. When they come together to cut the wedding cake I am surprised how silent the room is, nowadays everyone can take pictures of these special occasions on their mobile phones. 

I am made to feel so welcome by family and especially the young guys and girls. I’m guessing it’s not just that I’m the ‘stranger in town’ but my accent which is a novelty. There’s a group of about 12 of us who stay up late drinking and joking around, We enjoy talking about travelling and culture and the exchanging of new Cool words and Bad Swears. I make some great new pals, I do a lot of shots but I don’t do a Keg stand. I’m happy guzzling a few beers but not with a couple of guys holding me upside down – no way! The bridesmaids go get changed into their jim-jams and their husbands go to pass out somewhere in the dark. There’s a few of us that stay up till morning, I maybe grab a half hour snooze on the porch, listening to the birds and the water feature.... and the gurgling of the swimming pool filter as it chews up the candles that were lovingly laid there the night before. 

Rebecca and Bert wanted a very simple but very special ceremony. They wanted everyone to party and have a good time. I’m on my way home feeling jaded – imagine if I had met a funny girl and when everyone had gone to sleep or were playing Beer Ping Pong, we snuck off to chat. With the dance floor to ourselves she could have tried to teach me the two-step and I would have shown her some Swing moves. Kissing someone special and opening my eyes to discover the sun had come up. If that was real, it would have been a good memory to take home with me.