Wedding Bubbles

I graduated from my creative writing continuing education course on Tuesday night!  I’m so glad I took the class.  I have learned SO much about writing details, content, dialogue, and getting feedback from my work.

Today, I wanted to share something I wrote in class.  I am hoping it will be a part of a novel one day!  Here was the assignment: “Write 1-2 pages of double spaced dialogue in which two people are arguing about something insignificant, with hints they are really upset about something else.”

Wedding Bubbles

“Cheers!” we say as our chilled flutes clink together.  I smile at John and then look around at the bustling ballroom.  Music is pumping through the ballroom speakers and the flower vendor corner is overflowing with tall, lofty arrangements.  

“Oh, that’s got a really smooth finish and isn’t too dry,” John says after his first sip as we sit together in the wine section of the annual Wedding Showcase.  

“I like it too, I’m just unsure if we should go with the Vueve as it’s more expensive and popular right now” I reply as I lift up my flute to get a glimpse of the chandelier through the bubbles.  

John takes another quick sip.   “Margie, who cares?  If we were basing our decisions off only those factors, we wouldn’t be doing this tasting now.  But, I am a strong believer in serving something that tastes delicious.”  He sets down his glass and crosses his arms just as Sweet Home Alabama begins blaring through the speakers.

“True.  I just want to make sure every little detail of Hattie’s big day is perfect right down to the bubbles selection”, I respond.

John picks up his glass again and says “honey, you know she doesn’t even like champagne.  Her and Josh are both big beer drinkers.”

“Yes, don’t remind me.  As far as I am concerned, they should pour that stuff back into the horse it came from” I say with a serious face.

“HA!”, John says, rolling his eyes.  “Remind me how many bottles we need?”

“Only one hundred,” I say in my most innocent voice.

John almost snorts champagne up his nose.  “Only?  A Hundred?  Seriously?  That is a lot of champagne.  We definitely need to go with the cheaper champagne option or, better yet, let’s go with a sparkling wine.”  A waiter gives us a suspicious look as he passes our table carrying an empty tray of flutes to the kitchen.

“John, we will not serve sparkling wine during the champagne toast at our daughter’s wedding.  That is tacky.  If we don’t serve the real thing, then we might as well not even do a toast,” I reply as I start feeling the buzz of the champagne hitting my body.

“Margie, that sounds a bit dramatic to me.  Won’t the wait staff pour it in the kitchen then bring it out on serving trays?  If so, does it even matter what we serve?” he asks seriously.

“True”, I reply, defeated.  “I’m sorry, I just want this wedding to be wonderful.  You know, when we got married, it was such a simple reception because daddy was so sick.  Part of me feels like I need to make up for our lack of reception by going over the top for Hattie’s.”

John reaches for my hand.   “I know, sweetie.  But let’s try to remember that it’s Hattie and Josh’s day, not ours.  Let’s focus on making them happy so that Hattie won’t do this same thing to her daughter in 30 years” he says with a wink.

“Hmm,” I reply as a bridal fashion show starts on the stage.  All I wanted at our wedding was champagne and desserts but mama convinced me to have punch and cheese straws as it would be cheaper and easier to plan on such a short time line.  

After a few silent moments, I look for the waiter and ask “Excuse me?  May we please try your most expensive champagne?” as I squeeze John’s hand.  He has been married to me long enough to know that I’m going to do what I damn well please.

learn, brooke