There’s A Snake In My… Reception?
In May of 2022, one of my good friends got married in her hometown of Carmel, California. Her and her now-husband chose to do a small ceremony with family and close friends in a beautiful field beneath an oak tree. The ceremony was followed by a large reception in her in-laws backyard just a few miles down the road.
As her day-of coordinator, I met all vendors at the reception space, making sure decor, flowers, the bar, caterers, and all other details were organized and ready to go for guest arrival at 3:30 PM sharp. By the time the bride and groom arrived at the reception, all of the guests were sipping on whiskey and Whiteclaws. Everything was going beautifully.
As the guests were enjoying the delicious wood-fired pizza, the bride and groom were making their rounds, chatting with all of their guests. I was in the back corner of the yard grabbing a bite to eat, while the bride was talking to a few guests nearby. It wasn’t until I heard the bride yell over and over, “GET IT! GET IT! GET IT!” that I realized something was going on. The officiant, also best friends with the bride and groom, was running and weaving through tables across the yard with a fishing line hooked to his back and a snake attached to the other end. A real snake. Like, 4 feet long.
Turns out, that beautiful field where the ceremony was held was crawling with critters, including snakes. One of the bridesmaids grabbed a paper Safeway grocery bag, threw a snake inside, put it in the car, and brought it to the ceremony. Knowing that the officiant was DEATHLY afraid of snakes, a groomsmen was able to hook the snake to the back of his shirt once he sat down for dinner. The guests watched as the officiant ran all the way across the yard and out the side gate. Little did he know, he was able to shake-off the snake within the first few steps of his escape, leading to all of the guests in the area to vacate immediately, including me.
We still laugh about this memory today, and it serves as a good reminder that weddings are supposed to include tears of laughter, as well as tears of joy.
