The groom was nervous.

There’s no other way to put it. We’d pushed him right up to his breaking point. He was about to snap.

It was about 7 p.m. Friday, the night before the wedding. We’d all shared a meal and perhaps, collectively, had a tad too much to drink and the rehearsal was spinning dangerously out of control. The bridesmaids and the groomsmen seemed confused about where they were supposed to land after their long flight up the aisle. The flower girl was hesitant. The assorted assembled parents looked vaguely concerned. This was not going the way any of them had anticipated. We were close to a full meltdown.

I, an occasional wedding minister and veteran of many similar wacky rehearsals, was not worried at all. These things have a way of working themselves out at just the right time. The rehearsal is to get all the crazy out. Everyone settles down for the ceremony. That’s just how it goes.

And they did. And everyone stood in the right place. And the father of the bride elicited a cheer when he had to search for his glasses to give his reading. The flower girl waved a magic wand.

People will remember that the vows seemed to go on forever, though the ceremony was fairly short. I did that on purpose. Everything else goes so fast, it’s easy to forget that moment at the altar, when the bride and groom stand before family and friends, join hands and are about to embark on their journey together. Maybe, if we take an extra moment or two right there, that memory will be more firmly planted. At least, that’s my hope.

Because, before you know it, the ceremony is over, the party begins and the focus shifts to the line at the bar and when they’re going to cut the cake and who should sit where and if the deejay is any good.

The deejay was good, the cake got cut and I didn’t worry about a line at the bar because my last-minute date is very well-trained. All in all, I’d chalk that up as a fairy tale ending.

Congrats and best wishes to Jay and Sharese. And thank you for letting me be a part of your celebration.