Creamed

This will be a long blog post. 

I've never been a fan of brevity; the full-frontal attack of Twitter's 140 characters and resulting cultural obsession with cheapening everything into a pithy quote is a battle I fight on a daily basis. Today, friends, I need as many words as I can get my hands on.

Last night, I went to a wedding showcase event in Downtown Los Angeles called 'The Cream'. There's a line from the 'Lord of the Rings' that perfectly sums up how I've been feeling for the last few hours. In 'The Two Towers', an exasperated, confused, emotionally exhausted King Theoden comes face-to-face with the realisation that war is upon him and he has to lead his troops against the Uruk Hai. Bewildered, he solemnly asks, 'how did it come to this?'.

I went with my fiance, Abby to see what was going on in the world of weddings and maybe to get inspiration for our own big day. I thought I was quite knowledgeable about what weddings entailed. I. Know. Nothing.

So, apparently teepees are in...

It's taken three months, but I had my very first Steve Martin/Father of the Bride moment: 'A cake, Franck, is made of flour and water, my first car didn't cost $1200...'

Now I'm in a bind; I don't want to judge anyone, but I do need to express what I'm feeling. I've done my Myers Briggs test enough times to discover that I 'pick up' on things in an environment. The resulting 'processing period' looks like judgement to some people. It's really not.  

I'm aware that there are different levels going on here and I feel I should address them separately. Firstly, I absolutely, genuinely applaud every independent start-up company and anyone who follows their dreams and makes them a reality. Secondly, I am humbled and full of admiration of any artist who puts their work into the public eye - you are to be commended for your courage and creativity. 

Having said that... there's something going on here that I can't get my head around. There were about 800 people at this event and we were the only couple there. Honestly. Abby and I couldn't see another couple anywhere. Halfway through I played a fun game with myself called 'spot the male'. I lost. 

It was a wedding fair that wasn't for couples preparing a wedding... what is that? It was filled with women. Where are all the men? Seriously, where are they all? At one point, one of the venders seemed bemused when I told them that I was actually planning a wedding.

It seemed like the whole place was saturated with something that had turned in on itself. Call me naive, but I thought a wedding was two people coming together in front of their friends, family and God and making a public commitment to each other. How did it come to this?

It's made me examine if there is anything in my own life that I have let turn in on itself. That I have let become a golden calf. An idol. Have I let the idea of a wedding day become the be all and end all? What about marriage? What's next after the big day? It's like everywhere I look everything is all about the quick answer - the show - the image - the front... what comes after that? What's underneath and below that? Is that the problem I have with Twitter quotes? With Instagram? Am I just show? I want depth, sincerity and genuineness. So many questions have been buzzing around my head since I got 'Creamed'.

Having said all of that, one thing struck me the most. I simply could not believe how lucky I was to be engaged to the most beautiful woman in the whole building. It really floored me.

On another note, I think I've found my suit! Cue: Zadok the Priest. Here's me and my twin (best man)...

It's going to take a while to get my head around 'The Cream'. Until then, ride on to glory, Theoden King and all true soldiers of the West.