Saturday, Sharl and I attended a wedding ceremony together for an old friend of mine. It was the most romantic ceremony I'd been to and the first that choked me up and drew tears. Before the bride entered, the groom picked up a guitar, stood in front of a microphone at the head of the church and serenaded his future wife as she walked down the aisle. His voice was calm and steady, with no hint of nervousness. Everyone in the pews were quiet. He had an amazing voice and she had a glowing smile. There was no phoniness or cheesiness to it as sometimes weddings can have. IT was such a genuinely romantic moment.

The vows to eachother were also lovely.
They had both written their own vows and had memorized them and spoke strongly and without flaws. These vows were so honest and heartfelt. The groom addressed the fact that though everyone had asked him if he was nervous about the day, he wasn't. He had been looking forward to this day for so long.

And so was she...

I guess part of the reason that I found this wedding so touching is because I remember the bride from highschool. She was a hopeless romantic, and loved all things girlie and sweet, but she'd never had a boyfriend. Seeing her finally find her prince charming made the moment so heartwarming.

I had never been one for sticky sweet romance becuase I had boyfriends in who would send me flowers, write songs, and recite poetry. While I had to (secretly) fight back laughter or extreme embarassment, I realized that romance cannot be contrived.

However, when BOTH people are geuninely romantic, gestures such as serenading and handwritten vows can be so beautiful.