After all the tears had started to subside, it was time for the Mother-Son dance. I know Mr. Meerkat had a rough time choosing music for this because he really loves rock. So I was happy to see him find a classic that he loved: Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong.
As the music started Mr. Meerkat led Mama-In-Law Meerkat out onto the dance floor.
After Mama-In-Law Meerkat and Mr. Meerkat had finished their dance and we had all wiped our tears away I pulled Mama Meerkat out onto the floor.
Remember back when I asked you for help on what music to play for the surprise mother-daughter dance I was planning? As always, you came through with awesome ideas. I ended up doing a mash up of three songs: Chubby Checker's The Twist (my moms favorite), Cupids's Cupid Shuffle and Cotton Eyed Joe by The Rednex.
And thankfully the AMAZING Mr. Panther was able to put together a mp3 for me that faded from one song to the next.
As the last few notes of our first dance faded away, I started to turn and make my way off the dance floor for the Mother-Son dance but Mr. Meerkat stopped me. Then I heard the the beginning of a song my dad use to play for me as a little girl.
The song is called Daddy's Girl and it was our song. The one where when you hear it playing, you look at each other and smile.
So for a minute I just stood there staring at Mr. Meerkat. I didn't understand what was going on. Then it slowly came to me. Mr. Meerkat was giving me the Father-Daughter dance I never thought I would be able to have.
After losing my dad to cancer, being able to have a Father-Daughter dance to our song wasn't an option. It was one of the hardest things to come to terms with while we were planning.
I held on so very tightly to Mr. Meerkat as we danced. And I cried - a lot. So did our family and friend. But it was the good kind of cry that reminds us of how much we are loved.
Even though I was crying, I was still pretty much holding it together until I heard this part of the song:
I recall the day that your young man come to call.
Seems like only yesterday, you swam and played football.
But I know the time has come, that I must set you free.
But no matter where you are, you know what you are to me.
Once I heard that I couldn't dance anymore. It was just too hard. I told Mr. Meerkat how much it meant to me to have my Father-Daughter dance but that I wanted to get back to the celebrating.
Throughout our planning Mr. Meerkat and I debated back and forth on choreographing our first dance vs taking the lets just wing it approach. I moaned and whined to you about wanting a up beat, get the crowd cheering dance but in the end we totally went for the wing it option. And you know what? Our first dance turned out even better than I had imagined it choreographed.
I think one of the reasons was the song we chose - All or Nothing by Theory of a Deadman.
So many of the things said in the song reminded me of how Mr. Meerkat and I meet and fell in love. It was so perfectly us I don't know how I didn't see it from the beginning.
I guess I should let the photos and song speak for themselves.
Looking at all or nothing Babe it's you and I With you I know that I am good for something So lets go give it a try
We got our backs against the ocean It's just us against the world Looking at all or nothing Babe it's you and I Looking at all or nothing Babe it's you and I
As the last notes of our first dance faded away, something happened that I never thought would have happened in a million years....
Ahhh, yes the cake cutting. The time honored traditional of feeding each other wedding cake and/or smashing it into your spouses face. Now wait before you judge Mr. Meerkat to harshly, I have to confess that I am the one who started the spontaneous smashing. Yes, me. Little ole Mrs. Meerkat.
All throughout our wedding planning I said how much I hated when couples smashed cake into each others faces. The meaning of this tradition is for the new husband and wife to perform their first task together and show how they will support each other. Even Mr. Meerkat agreed with me that we wanted something that followed through with the tradition and that didn't involve seeing who could smash the most cake into the other persons face.
The first part of dinner flew by. It seemed like I blinked twice and the waitstaff was already bring out the orange sorbet. While we were all cleansing our pallets with the sorbet, Bridesmaid K was putting a couple finishing touches on her toast.
Once we had made our grand entrance it was time to start our dinner and toasts.
During each course of the meal, a member of our bridal party gave a toast (ala Mrs. Pug). I really loved how the speeches were spaced out. Not only did it help to break up each course, it gave us some time to really take in what had been said before the next speech started.
