Beck + Josie

I recently did a photo shoot for a toddler wedding. My own toddler's wedding. 

Let me back up.

Several years ago, a man stopped by my family's table at a church activity to chat. Seeing that my kids were hopped up on goofballs (as they usually are), he made the oh-so-unhelpful comment, "I see that the inmates are running the asylum here." I wasn't mad in the slightest because he. was. right.

And that coup from many years ago remains successful today. We parents are mere pawns in our children's schemes. Sometimes I get to carry out one of my own ideas, but really it's only an idea that my kids have planted as a seed in my head and then have worked tirelessly to grow until it comes to fruition. I am the Manchurian Mother, a mere instrument through which my children are taking over the world.

Which is how I came to host a totally unnecessary and somewhat frivolous toddler wedding within the walls of my own crazy home.

Some of our closest friends are the Whitlocks. My June and Gwen and their Charlie and Raelyn have been talking about pairing up our Beck with their Josie for the longest time. I didn't mind this a bit as the girls could be entertained with the planning of this for hours, and it bought me a lot of time during our playdates. 

But then they started asking when we could host this thing. And I balked. "That's ridiculous," I said. "We aren't going to be weirdos who have toddler weddings."

It turns out that's exactly who we are going to be--weirdos who host toddler weddings. I don't remember the exact moment I changed my tune but what started out as an adamant "NO!" turned into me at Dollar Tree blowing 15 bucks on toddler wedding decorations.

Beck, at his destination wedding beach spot, eagerly awaits his one-true-love/playdate-partner-he-often-refuses-to-play-with, Josie.

The blushing bride, scampering down the aisle to see her beloved frenemy. 

Harris, the sole shy resident of this family, chickened out of officiating, so Head Bridesmaid/Wedding Planner/Wedding Dictator June jumped in to save the day.

The solemn union was solidified by a hug. They exchanged ring pops. (Note: Dan made fun of this whole thing for a long time and kept giving me a hard time for giving in. But then an hour before the ceremony, he went to the store to buy ring pops because he said "they have to exchange rings!!" Everyone is guilty over here.)

And a KISS! 

The happy couple departed on Harris's borrowed big wheel, complete with streamers and a "Just Married" sign June made and affixed to the back.

And then we had pizza and a little white cake I had made. The best part was that the parents weren't allowed to participate in the actual wedding, so we all wore sweats. 

The End.