Bon Jovi Lyrics Hijack Coastal Wedding
Bay Saint Louis, Mississippi – The wedding venue is a wooden building with a lot of windows raised on high piers a block from the beach. The ceremony is being held on a deep, wrap-around porch. It is warm and humid. You can see the sandy coastline of the Gulf of Mexico from up here.
Down on the beach road, the popular Cruisin’ the Coast car parade weekend is getting underway. We were nearly late for the wedding because of it. This is South Mississippi, so if the local to-dos are a little loud and rowdy, well, that’s the way they like it. They do know how to party.
The ceremony starts and everyone gets down the aisle and the flower girl throws all the flowers under the chairs to her left and the bride is beautiful. The groom is well dressed and nervous.
The preacher says, “Who gives this woman to be married to this man?” Dad says, “I do.” Dad steps back to be seated. The bride and groom face each other and join hands. All eyes are on the couple. A block away, with perfect timing, into the salt air, through widespread limbs of ancient live oaks and across the broad lawn of the wedding venue, a local garage band blasts forth, “SHOT THROUGH THE HEART, AND YOU’RE TO BLAME!!! . . .”
And continues to do so, as loudly as their cheap Peavy loudspeakers can be driven, throughout the reading of scriptures and half the vows.
Guests and wedding party howl in appreciation.
Weddings . . .
Guy D. Johnson is a writer and marketing communications professional. Previously an animation studio owner, daily newspaper editor, reporter and photographer, volunteer fireman, railroad bridge gang helper, FM radio station underling and cave guide. He has lived on farmland trusted to the sun and rain; atop a wooded hill; beside great rivers; upon an arid, high plateau; and at the subtropical coast of the Gulf of Mexico. For 20 years, he worked and wrote in New Orleans.