My family grew last weekend. One of my daughter’s dear friends, who has become like family to me, got married.

I’ve been looking forward to the event. All weddings are wonderful celebrations. And this seemed like a perfect way to make winter a memory and kick off the spring/summer season. Who doesn’t want to get dressed up, drink a little champagne, and send a loving couple off on their life’s journey?

Then, about Thursday, the crisis hit. (Well, at least what qualifies as crisis in the midst of wedding planning.) The photographer scheduled for the day had to bow out due to a family emergency. The appeal went out for a substitute.

I was reluctant to step forward. While I’m at home behind a camera, and have shot many public events, I had never done a wedding. I certainly didn’t want to step into something that would not give the young couple the memories of their special day they so deserved.

I eventually caved to the requests – admittedly enticed by the prospect of taking at least some of the photos against the backdrop of beautiful downtown Des Moines.

Some would say the wedding was unique. There were two grooms. But to me, this wasn’t a “gay wedding” – it was simply a wedding – a marriage of two souls, like any other. There was ample family and friends, nervous sweaty palms, beautiful bridesmaids (including my daughter) in a beautiful shade of blue, and adorable little kids constantly being reminded not to get their fine clothes dirty. In this case it was the nieces and nephew of the grooms.

It was a wonderful day – a life-affirming day. A day that will be reminisced about with the new duo around my Christmas dinner table for years to come.

During the reception I ventured into the elevated DJ booth for some overhead shots. There I met two young men – really young. Conversation ensued, and I quickly found myself in the company of individuals exceptionally well versed in current events, politics, and history. We had a fascinating exchange and I left renewed in the knowledge there are members of the younger generation who are intelligent and articulate, not to mention well grounded.

Observing the scene below, one of the young men commented on the children involved in the wedding. “Isn’t it great they’re part of this?” he offered. “They’ll grow up thinking this is just the way things are.” He meant, of course, that their opinions will be devoid of the prejudices many in our generation have been taught.

Indeed, there will be no room in their world for prejudice, hatred, discrimination. They will grow up just as they were that day – surrounded by the love of friends and family and two people committed to living in union. They will know Christmases and Easters and birthdays and other family weddings with doting uncles Tim and Austin.

And if they are even half as astute as the young men in the sound booth, they will understand the louder voices of our society and the legislative forces they control often lag behind the rest of us.

Weddings are cause for celebration. They give us reason to look to the future

I, for one, am ready to see where the next generation leads us.