(Photo courtesy of Carolyn Egerszegi Photography)

If you’ve been to my blog more than a couple times (and if not, why haven’t you? That seems silly on your part), you’ll know that I occasionally end up babbling on the radio in Vancouver with my friend Buzz.

In fact, I once got to hang out in the studio with him for a few hours doing the morning shift (on a holiday when everyone was sleeping in, mind you, but still!)

I’ve known him for a couple of years now, ever since he read this entry of mine on the radio during the height of the 2007 NHL Playoffs, and I emailed him to ask if he wanted to put ME on the radio… not just my blog.

(Well, okay, let’s be honest here — the first time we actually spoke is when I phoned in a radio request in 1997, when I was all of 23, and I giggled girlishly and he sent us a couple of pizzas. Ahem.)

We struck up a friendship ever since those playoffs, and the rest is happy history.

What’s unique about this friendship is that we’ve only actually hung out a few times “in the flesh” — in fact, our first face-to-face meeting was in the YVR airport when he was waiting to jet off to Paris, where he would eventually ask his lovely (now wife) Jennifer to marry him at the top of the Eiffel Tower, and I was flying off to Yellowknife to see my brother get married and catch pneumonia.

Somehow I think I got the raw deal there, but hey.

Still, through various channels, I generally interact with him most days of the week, so I feel like I have a pretty good idea of who he is, and what he’s about.

And what he’s been about since 2006 is being with this amazing woman, Jennifer:

(Photo courtesy of Carolyn Egerszegi Photography)

and since May 2007, being a dad to this amazing kid, Zacharie:

(Photo courtesy of Carolyn Egerszegi Photography)

Seriously. Lucky guy, no?

Now, let’s get to the first photo in this entry.

I was BEYOND surprised and WAY honoured when he told me that he was inviting me to his wedding on July 4th, 2009.

I knew it wasn’t going to be a big crowd, so making the cut for such an intimate, special celebration was probably the best way he could ever tell me that he appreciated our friendship, too (although he claims he just wants an invite if I get married in Boston one day.)

(Sucker! I’d get married in Vancouver! HA!)

I was also incredibly nervous, since it turned out that my date (Gradon) couldn’t make it, and the only other people I knew going were the bride and groom (and Zacharie.)

The day of the wedding was bright and gorgeous, which was a relief, since the ceremony would be outdoors at Ferguson Point in Stanley Park. I wore black (because I’m totally weird), but I DID have a really flashy orange and pink shawl and pink silk roses in my hair. And I was definitely not the only guest rocking the most sophisticated shade on earth.

When I arrived there via cab, Buzz greeted me enthusiastically — looking hot in charcoal suit and pink tie — and then went back to attending to all his groomly details. I stood there somewhat awkwardly (did I mention I didn’t know anyone?) until the ceremony started.

From there on in, the day was magic.

The vows were lovely and tear-inducing, and the reception was fun and warm and silly and cool. I ended up meeting lots of fantastic people, including various members of Buzz’s and Jen’s family, and his dear friends (Rob, Carrie, Lauren, Chad, Reg, Erin, Steve and Carolyn… we totally had the best table.)

OH… and you should be proud of me.

I actually interacted with a butterfly without smashing it and screaming blue murder.

You see, I’m terrified of butterflies.

If you’ve been here for very long, this will come as no shock to you. And yeah, yeah, yeah… I hear you saying it: “Meg, butterflies are beautiful! They are nothing to be scared of!”

But have you ever LOOKED at one? Really LOOKED at one?

They’re like hairy men in dresses. The actual “fly” part (as opposed to the “butter” part… oh, wait…) is CREEPY.

Anyway, I had no idea that the ceremony would end with a butterfly release until a nice lady handed me a cardboard triangle and told me to open it when everyone else did. I peeked into my triangle and OH MY GOODNESS.

Antennae. Wiggling.

But I kept it together (other than a small, low squeal of horror that I don’t think anyone noticed.)

When the moment to “release” (the butterfly, not a scream) came, I opened my triangle and held that sucker up to the sky as high as I could (which, if you’ve seen my flipper-like arms, ain’t too far away from my body.)

There were butterflies flapping around me immediately, but mine?

He was chilling in the triangle like, “What? What are we doing now?”

THEN HE CRAWLED ONTO MY HAND.

I don’t need to tell you what noise I wanted to make then, but instead I threatened him under my breath: “Dude, you don’t want to know what I’ve done to your kind before. I’d get those wings in gear pronto.”

And lo, he did fly.

Onto a lady’s ass.

And stayed there.

Sigh.

I had a perv-terfly.

But he did live, which means I managed to conquer my usual response to insects, which is AAAAAAAAAAAA! and SMACK!

Anyway.

Here are some photos of the day, courtesy of Carolyn Egerszegi Photography (Carolyn, you DID AN AMAZING JOB):

Pure, unadulterated awesomeness.

Buzz and Jen, thank you SO much for letting me be a part of your amazing day. I’m so excited to see what the future holds for your beautiful family, and I wish you every single good thing life can bring you.

Your love story inspires me to no end.

And I dedicate this little number to you:

Ain’t it grand?