Dear Radio Dodo Listener,
Here is a fine version of a fine song: your song of the day! I love this song's stately procession. A woman sang it at our wedding. A thing happened, though, at the wedding, where another paid musician suggested that I ought to also have Forever Young, because this fellow had had it at his wedding. I said okay, because I didn't want to fight with talented musicians who knew better than me; but, yes, I regret that I didn't say no to it. It's a tiny thing, of course, like every transgression (and every grain of sand). Forever Young is fine, it is fine, really. But it isn't half the song that Every Grain of Sand is: Forever Young is a wish song, Every Grain of Sand is a statement song, a proclamation. Our wedding was not a wish, our wedding was a proclamation. If I had it to do again, well, there'd be some changes made.
1. It will be our guest list. Not anyone's mother's guest list. No one 'should' be on the list- the list will contain the names of people we want to celebrate with, people we want to witness the pronouncement of our vows.
2. Our wedding will be in the publicly owned Estrella Adobe, because a smaller venue is no problem (see item 1).
3. Not only am I making the cake, I am going to make the food, too. Because items 1 and 2. I do not want to share the fun of throwing this big party. We will not have dinner, or lunch, or gawdhelpus brunch; we will have things you pick up and eat. Petits fours, tiny sandwiches, itty-bitty crackers with cheese, jam, and a celery slice on them, olives, nuts, that kind of precious, exquisite thing: amouse-bouche. We will have champagne.
4. No stupid registry. In fact, no gifts. Because when you are 55 and looking at your overcrowded kitchen and your underfunded savings account, you are going to choose to sell all that silver on eBay.
5. No suggestions. Have your own damn wedding if you want to have certain songs sung, or certain foods served, or a professional florist. I loved doing the flowers myself- it was a pleasure to spend all that time amongst the flowers.
That should cover it. If you know anyone gettin' hitched, give them this list, or the gist of it (which is Do it Your Own Damned Way)- they'll thank you for it!
