On Fathers...And Traditions

"I used to think a wedding was a simple affair. Boy and girl meet, they fall in love, he buys a ring, she buys a dress, they say I do. I was wrong. That's getting married. A wedding is an entirely different proposition...

You fathers will understand. You have a little girl. An adorable little girl who looks up to you and adores you in a way you could never have imagined. I remember how her little hand used to fit inside mine. Then comes the day when she wants to get her ears pierced, and wants you to drop her off a block before the movie theater. 

From that moment on you're in a constant panic. You worry about her meeting the wrong kind of guy, the kind of guy who only wants one thing, and you know exactly what that one thing is, because it's the same thing you wanted when you were their age. 

Then, you stop worrying about her meeting the wrong guy, and you worry about her meeting the right guy. That's the greatest fear of all, because, then you lose her..." - (slightly edited) quote from Father of the Bride

Although the above quote comes from George Stanley Banks (played by Steve Martin), it could have been said by my father. You see, if you've seen Father of the Bride, you "know" Turkey Dad. He is (pretty much) that character.

Father of the Bride (source)

This has been one of my family's favorite movies since it came out in 1991 and it's only become more meaningful this past year. I even showed Mr. Turkey the movie before he met my father...you know, for training!

Mr. Turkey and me with Turkey Dad (note the tiny hat on his head)

Then, we got engaged and after hearing the introductory monologue again, we realized what we were in for with the wedding process. Not that Turkey Dad has gotten himself arrested for stealing hot dog buns, but there are a lot of actions and quotes from the movie character that sound (scarily) familiar. And he, like Mr. Banks, is very traditional.

So although I discussed the traditions we were skipping last month, we have far more traditions remaining intact. And I actually imagine some of these special moments as they tie in with the movie.

First, the walk down the aisle.

Source

I will be walking down the (really long, uneven) aisle with Turkey Dad. I can't imagine it any other way and can only hope that I, like Annie Banks, will be calm in that moment versus a basket case with tears streaming down my face.

Next, the father - daughter dance.

Stylin' back in the 1990s

In the movie (spoiler alert), Annie and George never get to dance due to a number of issues (not enough valets, long line for food, etc). We have a scheduled time for ours, so I feel fairly confident that the father - daughter dance will occur. I think Turkey Dad can probably hold it together, but do worry that I might (again) be a hot mess.

Turkey Dad and I LOVE hats

Although some may choose to forgo these two traditions, I feel it is important to keep them so that I can have some time with Turkey Dad during the crazy hectic day.

First, despite the fact that I've been "on my own" and away from home for years, Turkey Dad and I remain very close. Second, as host (with Turkey Mom) of the evening, I want to honor the traditions that are especially important to him (and me too)! Lastly, I believe these two moments during the wedding will be some that I will come to treasure the most years from now.

All the guys in my life - Mr. Turkey, Turkey Dad, Brother Turkey

How are you handling the father-daughter traditions?