During the winter break, I was given an honor that few people of my age will receive. I was asked by Jennifer, my younger sister, to walk her down the aisle during her wedding on Dec. 21.
I didn’t think she was serious at first. While I knew for over a month that she was going to be married, I never expected that she would ask me to give her away at the wedding. I was truly surprised. After all, how many people are asked to give away their sisters?
Jennifer and I had a tenuous relationship while growing up, mostly because I was envious of her. She’s utterly beautiful and has always been popular. Men trip over their feet just to get the chance to ask her out. A few guys in my class actually tried to become friends with me only to get close to her.
She’s a talented musician and a brilliant woman with a soft spot for animals and nature.
Our father died of cancer when we were children and my mother never remarried, or even dated, anyone after he passed away. Neither of us grew up with a father, so I guess it makes sense that she would ask me to walk her down the aisle.
I accepted Jennifer’s request and I was all smiles.
Over the Thanksgiving break, I bought a new suit to wear for the wedding. Though I have been in a wedding before as a groomsman, this was different. It is one thing to usher people to their seats and escort a bridesmaid while watching your best friend get married. It is entirely another thing to give away your only sister.
On the morning of the wedding, I felt very fatherly. The wedding was held at a bed and breakfast inn in Black Mountain, N.C. I went upstairs to her room to see Jennifer a few minutes before the ceremony began. She was already in her wedding dress, which my mother had sewn. She was absolutely gorgeous, the picture of beauty.
She reminded me of Snow White. I was expecting at any moment for a pair of bluebirds to land on her shoulder and sing to her before the wedding.
Needless to say, I was pretty nervous before the ceremony, mostly because I have a history of crying at weddings.
At my best friend’s wedding, I was the first person to cry. It was kind of embarrassing because there were over 100 people in the church and I had to turn around with red puffy eyes. Even though that was over a year ago, my best friend’s mother still introduces me to people as “… and this is Kevin, you know, that guy who cried at Karl’s wedding.”
Though I have no children, when it came time for us to walk down the aisle, I had a vision of what my life would be like as a father … what I would be feeling when I walked my own daughter down the aisle someday.
I imagined that I would be reminiscing about taking my daughter out on Halloween to trick-or-treat as a princess. I would remember the birthday parties, Christmases, proms, all the boyfriends that I never trusted before her future husband, and all the times she would say, “I love you daddy.” And I would wonder, “How could I give her away?”
Jennifer gleamed while reciting her vows. She was truly happy that day.
I felt really sad that my little sister isn’t little anymore. While watching the ceremony, I just couldn’t help but remember all the fun times we had growing up: all the pillow fights, petty squabbles over who gets to pick what we watch on TV, bus rides home after school, swimming in our pool and harassing our pets.
Jennifer’s wedding went off without a hitch. The groom’s dog served as the ring-bearer, with the ring attached to a bowtie tied around his neck. Nobody messed up their lines, nobody tripped and nobody objected. I gave her away and now she’s married.
My experience was definitely unique in that it offered me a practice run for my own daughter’s wedding so many years from now.
Whether the experience will make it any easier or that much harder for me to give my daughter away, only time will tell.

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