'Lana & Mark: Finding Freedom in Unexpected Places'

I'm getting married, then I'm going on a honeymoon with my wife. It's going to be great. Everything is perfect.

I'm so happy.

As I look up at the beautifully decorated arch, I can't help but smile like an idiot.

I know it's irrational, but somewhere in the back of my mind, I feel bad for the people who aren't getting married today because they're missing out on this moment.

This moment is perfect.

I've been waiting for this day since before I was born, and I never thought it would come. Now that it has, it seems just as magical as I imagined it would be.

I hear soft music playing in the background, and look over to see my father holding my mother by the hand as he promises to love her for all eternity. They're still wearing their wedding outfits from 40 years ago, and it makes me smile to know that they're still as in love with each other now as they were when they first met.

After they say "I do", the music picks up a bit and my father turns to face me. He smiles and holds his arms out wide, gesturing for me to join him on the dancefloor. My mom has already gone over to talk to a few old friends of hers while I stand stiffly beside her dad, trying not to look like a deer caught in headlights. As soon as she sees what's happening though, she runs over and takes my hands in hers, pulling me towards her dad. We all laugh as we try not to step on each other's toes while we sway back and forth in time with the music. It feels good to be here with them; I've wanted this for so long that it feels surreal that it's actually happening now.

It's only been about an hour since lunch began, but already everyone is starting to get tired from standing around all day watching me talk with old friends and family members and pose for pictures with people from work who showed up today just to wish me well. When lunch ends, most of them leave so that we can start setting up for dinner - apparently there are quite a few things that need to be set up inside before everyone starts showing up after work tonight. But no one seems too bothered by how long everything is taking; a lot of people are just standing outside chatting amongst themselves or sitting down on one of the benches nearby while they wait for us to finish setting up inside.

Everyone seems really happy today - maybe even more than usual - which makes me wonder if something happened that I wasn't made aware of before all of this started yesterday afternoon when I found out what day today was supposed to be. Part of me wishes that I knew what all of them were smiling about though - if only so that I could smile too instead of looking like some sort of gloomy jerk who doesn't know why everyone else is smiling right now! Then again...probably being able to smile without being told what was going on was part of why they decided not tell me in the first place...