craschworks

's recent post regarding her dream wedding reminded me of my sister Jen's wedding.

It was held at the LDS 5th ward church building in Jerome, ID. Jen looked gorgeous in a lace gown, hand-sewn by my aunt Vesta. A faux white trellised arch stood at the beginning of the “bridal path”. Relatives from both Kelly and Jen's family sat in chairs on either side. After a brief, but beautiful ceremony, Jen and Kelly stayed for photographs. Everyone else was instructed to take a packet of birdseed and line up outside the chapel doors.

My sister Heather had prepared dozens of small packets of birdseed, wrapped in green paper and finished with a curly yellow ribbon. I passed them out to everyone–Grandma, 5-year old nieces and nephews, bridesmaids, my parents, etc. Heather instructed everyone to open their packets and throw them into the air as soon as Jen and Kelly exited the church.

Finally, Jen and Kelly emerged. We all cheered and whistled. The five-year olds enthusiasticly tossed their birdseed into the air, as did everyone else.

Then it began. First the babies started crying and rubbing their eyes. The five year olds. Then the bridesmaids. Even the groomsman were rubbing their eyes. People began rushing into the church to wash out their eyes.

It was, of course, the birdseed.

I went into the kitchen and found the packages.

The second ingredient?

Cayenne pepper.

We had all been enthusiasticly throwing cayenne pepper into each other's eyes. I learned later that the cayenne pepper was added as deterrent to squirrels and other rodents.

Why birdseed rather than traditional rice? Heather had read somewhere that some pigeons gorged on the rice thrown at traditional weddings. The dry rice then expanded until their stomach exploded and they died. Kindhearted soul that she is, she thought it would be better to substitute rice.

You know, I liked the cayenne birdseed, but exploding pidgeons would be kinda cool too.