This past weekend, because I didn't have surgery on my right foot as was previously scheduled, I joined Scott as he and I flew across the country for the wedding of one of his closest friends from his years at the University of Florida. To be more specific, Scott was one of the four groomsman at the wedding of his dear friend Rob (a Gator) and his bride Kristi (a Gator).
Scott and I flew into Orlando, arriving Friday (6/24) afternoon around dinnertime. Another of his friends from his Florida friends, Scott S.(a Gator) and his partner Jay(a Florida State Seminole, gasp), picked us up and we immediately attacked the drive (and traffic) of Interstate 4 to St. Petersburg, FL, the location of all wedding festivities. Friday evening was spent eating and reminiscing about their days of yore at Florida and the Florida Marching band. I had a fantastic time, sitting out in the warm evening on the balcony of Dan Marino's Restaurant eating Mahi Mahi and drinking fresh brewed lemonade. I can complain about the heat and humidity of Florida weather, but it's nice to never have to worry about being cold in the evening.
Saturday was spent meeting more friends, eating more food and attending the rehearsal dinner at the St. Petersburg Yacht Club. The setting looked familiar as I remembered the view looked very reminiscent to the view from the reception of another wedding I attended here in St. Petersburg back in 1999. In speaking to my friend Gina, her wedding which I attended right here in St. Petersburg back in 1999, the location of her reception was a mere half mile from the Yacht club.
The wedding took place on Sunday, not Saturday. The wedding and reception took place in the afternoon at the Mirror Lake Lyceum. I would personally like to thank Rob and his bride for having all of us in attendance sit through a ceremony that lasted at most 10 minutes. Seriously. It was a tactical strike of a wedding ceremony. Afterwards, the reception was help in the same space and the wedding party asked the spouses of the wedding party to join them at a large center table in the middle of the dining room. That meant ME! In a matter of seconds, I went from anonymously sitting at a table with a family from Iowa to being seated at the center table. I had become a SPOUSE. Scott and Jay (from the drive down), and Scott and I were equal members of this wedding party table. I thought it was totally cool.
In fact, everyone at the wedding was kind and open to the Scott's, Jay and I. Rob, the groom, has been friends with the Scott's for so long, that the extended families are comfortable with gay relationships. On the flight home, I asked Scott what percentage of wedding attendees did he think were Republican voters, he said probably 90%. However, I never felt any overt hostility, and that was really nice.
However, what became most striking to me about this wedding was the pride all the graduates had in their alma mater, The University of Florida at Gainesville. Talk centered on the upcoming football season, who was going to attend which games, which games on the road were sold out (South Carolina and ten cool points to non-SEC football fans who can email me why) and the score of the Florida-Texas baseball game as the University of Florida Gators Baseball team had made it to the College World Series finals for the first time ever and the games were being played that weekend. I'm sorry to report that the Gators the best two out of three series, 0-2, having made valiant comeback attempts in both losses.
Here's what the groom's cake looked like.
The design of the groom's cake. GO GATORS!!
I don't think many of us who have lived our lives in the Northern tier of states truly can understand the passion with which those in the South identify with their schools. The "heated" interplay between those who went to Florida State versus Florida might be interpreted as outright hostility to those of us not in the know. But it's all apart of daily life here in the South. Many of Scott's friends are excited to have me experience it all when I attend the Florida versus Tennessee game in Gainesville on the 17th of September. It will be quite the experience as a) it will be Florida's SEC East Opener b) Urban Meyer's first SEC game c) Tennessee and it's coach Phillip Fulmer are the team most thought to contend with Florida for the SEC East division title d) the game time has been moved to 8PM thereby allowing for extended tailgaiting. I can't wait!
The most touching part of the evening was when all the Florida alumni were asked to gather and sing the alma mater. The fact that I got misty eyed (man I've been doing that a lot lately) was a testament to how much that place and time is held so dear in the hearts of those who were belting out:
Florida, our Alma Mater
Thy glorious name we praise;
All thy loyal sons and daughters
A joyous song shall raise.
Where palm and pine are blowing,
Where southern seas are flowing,
Shine forth thy noble Gothic walls,
Thy lovely vine-clad halls.
'Neath the Orange and Blue victorious
Our love shall never fail.
There’s no other name so glorious—
All Hail, Florida, Hail!
Best wishes to the newlyweds as they spend their honeymoon in Hawaii and then return to domestic bliss. Thanks to all those in St. Petersburg who made me feel welcome and recognized the significance of Scott asking me to attend this wedding with him.
Scott and I flew into Orlando, arriving Friday (6/24) afternoon around dinnertime. Another of his friends from his Florida friends, Scott S.(a Gator) and his partner Jay(a Florida State Seminole, gasp), picked us up and we immediately attacked the drive (and traffic) of Interstate 4 to St. Petersburg, FL, the location of all wedding festivities. Friday evening was spent eating and reminiscing about their days of yore at Florida and the Florida Marching band. I had a fantastic time, sitting out in the warm evening on the balcony of Dan Marino's Restaurant eating Mahi Mahi and drinking fresh brewed lemonade. I can complain about the heat and humidity of Florida weather, but it's nice to never have to worry about being cold in the evening.
Saturday was spent meeting more friends, eating more food and attending the rehearsal dinner at the St. Petersburg Yacht Club. The setting looked familiar as I remembered the view looked very reminiscent to the view from the reception of another wedding I attended here in St. Petersburg back in 1999. In speaking to my friend Gina, her wedding which I attended right here in St. Petersburg back in 1999, the location of her reception was a mere half mile from the Yacht club.
The wedding took place on Sunday, not Saturday. The wedding and reception took place in the afternoon at the Mirror Lake Lyceum. I would personally like to thank Rob and his bride for having all of us in attendance sit through a ceremony that lasted at most 10 minutes. Seriously. It was a tactical strike of a wedding ceremony. Afterwards, the reception was help in the same space and the wedding party asked the spouses of the wedding party to join them at a large center table in the middle of the dining room. That meant ME! In a matter of seconds, I went from anonymously sitting at a table with a family from Iowa to being seated at the center table. I had become a SPOUSE. Scott and Jay (from the drive down), and Scott and I were equal members of this wedding party table. I thought it was totally cool.
In fact, everyone at the wedding was kind and open to the Scott's, Jay and I. Rob, the groom, has been friends with the Scott's for so long, that the extended families are comfortable with gay relationships. On the flight home, I asked Scott what percentage of wedding attendees did he think were Republican voters, he said probably 90%. However, I never felt any overt hostility, and that was really nice.
However, what became most striking to me about this wedding was the pride all the graduates had in their alma mater, The University of Florida at Gainesville. Talk centered on the upcoming football season, who was going to attend which games, which games on the road were sold out (South Carolina and ten cool points to non-SEC football fans who can email me why) and the score of the Florida-Texas baseball game as the University of Florida Gators Baseball team had made it to the College World Series finals for the first time ever and the games were being played that weekend. I'm sorry to report that the Gators the best two out of three series, 0-2, having made valiant comeback attempts in both losses.
Here's what the groom's cake looked like.
I don't think many of us who have lived our lives in the Northern tier of states truly can understand the passion with which those in the South identify with their schools. The "heated" interplay between those who went to Florida State versus Florida might be interpreted as outright hostility to those of us not in the know. But it's all apart of daily life here in the South. Many of Scott's friends are excited to have me experience it all when I attend the Florida versus Tennessee game in Gainesville on the 17th of September. It will be quite the experience as a) it will be Florida's SEC East Opener b) Urban Meyer's first SEC game c) Tennessee and it's coach Phillip Fulmer are the team most thought to contend with Florida for the SEC East division title d) the game time has been moved to 8PM thereby allowing for extended tailgaiting. I can't wait!
The most touching part of the evening was when all the Florida alumni were asked to gather and sing the alma mater. The fact that I got misty eyed (man I've been doing that a lot lately) was a testament to how much that place and time is held so dear in the hearts of those who were belting out:
Thy glorious name we praise;
All thy loyal sons and daughters
A joyous song shall raise.
Where palm and pine are blowing,
Where southern seas are flowing,
Shine forth thy noble Gothic walls,
Thy lovely vine-clad halls.
'Neath the Orange and Blue victorious
Our love shall never fail.
There’s no other name so glorious—
All Hail, Florida, Hail!
Best wishes to the newlyweds as they spend their honeymoon in Hawaii and then return to domestic bliss. Thanks to all those in St. Petersburg who made me feel welcome and recognized the significance of Scott asking me to attend this wedding with him.
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