I know, I know, this isn’t the Avatar: The Last Airbender rewatch. In fact, you haven’t had one of those in the past two weeks, have you? Keep your pitchforks at bay, ladies and gents. There’s a very good reason for that, in fact:
Matt London and Jordan Hamessley just got married! This Saturday in Boston. I was a bridesmaid. My dress was lavender. The roses from my bouquet still smell scrumptious.
So, why on Earth would I be bringing it up here? Even though this might fall under our Related Subjects header, it’s not as though Tor.com is renowned for its wedding coverage. Well, it just so happens, this was one of the most spectacular geek weddings you’ll ever hear tell about. Stubby the Rocket even made an appearance.
Summing up one of the happiest days in someone’s life is not an easy task by any means, and now I’m supposed to do it for two dear friends. I think I should start by saying that Jordan is a massive Back to the Future fan. Of the epic variety. So when she found out that they could have their wedding at the Boston Museum of Science in an electricity theater, let’s just call that the point of no return.
Every wedding has its hiccups, and we started a bit late. Through it all, there was no fury over flowers, or yelling at the coordinator. Jordan’s only real complaint was that she was ready to see Matt. Because, unlike what every bridal show and magazine out there would have you believe, weddings aren’t about perfection and production value and silk tablecloths. It’s about taking time out of our often cynical lives to appreciate love. And there was no lack of it anywhere in that museum.
I wish I had more information on Matt and how he handled the wait, but being a bridesmaid, my view of the whole journey was admittedly one-sided. After a walk down the aisle to the theme from Up (as if that wasn’t going to make you emotional enough right out of the gate), we listened as Jordan’s father performed the ceremony. There was a reading from Charles Darwin’s “Notes On Marriage” and The Velveteen Rabbit, and then the vows they had written to each other. They were about time travel and pasta sauce and friendship and telling stories. Blinking back tears every few seconds was just something you had to get used to. They exchanged their rings, broke a lightbulb instead of the traditional glass, and were pronounced husband and wife.
Then it was magic hour.
That’s right; they enjoyed their first few married minutes getting struck by lightning. The Hill Valley Clock Tower’s got nothing on them.
The reception took place in the Blue Wing of the museum, and there were exhibits all over to keep everyone occupied during cocktail hour; math models were a favorite and there was a Naboo starfighter hanging from the ceiling, complete with an R2 unit. Every table had a test tube rack filled with flowers and could be identified by a large card listing an element from the periodic table. (I was seated at Potassium.)
I did make mention of our stalwart mascot, and Stubby was there, right in the middle of the action! On top of their delicious star-covered cake was a custom topper featuring a steampunk robot bride and groom in front of a very familiar rocket. I didn’t manage to snap a picture of it, sadly—once it was cut, they wheeled that cake out for division at a warp factor that I couldn’t register on any of my instruments.
Jordan and Matt’s first dance was to “Earth Angel” (the version from Back to the Future, of course), and the rest of the party was treated to the “Time Warp,” Labyrinth‘s “Magic Dance,” and selections of Lady Gaga. After we’d all danced ourselves sore, the night closed out to “The Power of Love” and everyone received a bag of freeze-dried astronaut-food ice cream to take home with them. If I’d had the money (and known where to find one), I would have hired a Delorean to drive Matt and Jordan to the airport the next morning. They are in France as you read this, probably drinking an incredible Bordeaux wine.
While I suppose that’s a perfectly adequate summary of events, there is nothing here that really imparts how it feels to watch two of your friends transform in front of you, bolstered by all the love and confidence of the people who matter most to them. For some couples, they’re already so married in practice that actual marriage doesn’t change much about their relationship. But I hope that something did change for Jordan and Matt. Their relationship brought them love, but I hope that their beautiful wedding gives them the courage to be the best versions of themselves. Because I believe in what they can do apart, but I believe so much more in what they will achieve together.
Enjoy your honeymoon, Mr. and Mrs. London. Bring us back some stories.
Emmet Asher-Perrin was the Velveteen Rabbit in Matt and Jordan’s wedding. She’s pretty sure that she’s real—most of her hair has been loved off and her eyes are dropping out, and she’s loose in the joints and very shabby.
