The Dance

Anyone who knows me knows that I LOVE to dance at weddings.  I am totally the girl at the front of the electric slide who has 'extra moves' to complicate the dance,  who has to get "can-she-get-up?" low during the twist, and who thinks that every conga line is equal parts inventive and hilarious.  Nothing makes me happier than cutting it up with people I care about.  I've always said that the part of my wedding I'm looking forward to most is the dancing.  Dancing with my dad, dancing with my wife, and dancing with all of our friends and family.  And I still say that.  I'm in charge of the music at our wedding and you better believe there will be every stereotypical wedding song and then some played and I will be on the dance floor for every single one of them.   Every dance. 
But there's another dance.  A dance I'm doing now.  An unanticipated dance that's not quite as fun as the Macarena.  It's the ugly stepsister of the wedding dance, the wedding-planning dance.  The wedding-planning dance demands the precision of the tango, the energy of the jitterbug and the patience of waltz.  It's a very complicated, unpredictable set of steps and can only be executed by a true Lord of the Dance. 
One must have the stamina to get through the fast parts.  Phone calls, e-mails, research research research and more phone calls.  It requires endurance.  Perserverence. Patience with oneself.  Despite the rhythmic tick of the clock one must not be phased. Not break stride.  Not miss a step. Stay focused.  Keep going.  Keep googling.
And there are the slow parts.  Waiting.  Don't get too comfortable during these easier portions of the ritual.  That's when you lose the audience.  The lull.  That's when you lose momentum and the finale right around the corner becomes impossible.
And the big finish.  Always going on in the backround and carried out with a combination of furious precision and unprecedented complexity.  Navigating the crowd.  Foxtrotting between Mom's wishes and cousins' demands.  Moonwalking between college friends and work friends.  Lindy hopping through the cabbage patch of the guest lists trying not to step on anyone.  Trying not to misstep. Trying to be inclusive but realistic.  Delicate but firm.  Considerate of everyone but true to ourselves.  Doing  perfect grand plies between the wedding vision and the wedding budget. 
It's not a dance I love.  I've loved all dances in the past but this one is pretty complicated and this is the beginning of a very long song.  Hopefully we can not only pull off a show-stopping performance but maybe even enjoy ourselves a little!  And when things get stressful, if anyone has any insight on how to gracefully execute these moves, please teach me how to Dougie.