GETTING THE WORD OUT - THE A LIST

Every couple wants everything to be special and unique, with an added wow factor, where possible. So we decided to show off a little, and not to name-drop, but we invited Brad and Jen. Yes, the Pitts, which doesn’t have quite the ring, having just reread it. Did we know Brad and Jen? We at least knew of them through their various exploits covered by US Weekly and E! and were reasonably certain that they would like us. Although they have now split, they were Hollywood’s hottest couple at the time.

How cool (I believe “dorky” could be used as a synonym here) were we? To the best of my knowledge, they received an invite and Save the Date card through Brad’s agency. At least they weren’t returned to us. Although we didn’t immediately receive an RSVP card, a fashionably late response was not unexpected from our celebrity friends.

There were several upside and downside possibilities to this bold maneuver. Let’s play out some scenarios.

Scenario #1: Pitt’s personal assistant receives invite and responds no.

Downside: We are out a few bucks (stamp and materials).

Upside: We can tell everyone we invited Brad and Jen, but their schedules wouldn’t allow them to come.

Scenario #2: Brad and Jen, themselves, actually receive invite and decline to attend.

Downside: Still out a few bucks.

Upside: Brad and Jen are entertained by the invite and Save the Date card and send us a celebrity-sized present or give us a walk-on role in one of their upcoming movies.

Scenario #3: Brad and Jen receive invite and accept the invitation.

Upside: Awesome celebrities at our wedding and a celebrity-sized present for sure.

Downside: No one will remember who got married the day Brad and Jen came to Bloomington. I haven’t the first clue who else we would seat at the new cool table. Worst, we will be too busy to make a good impression on them and be cast in a walk-on role in one of their upcoming movies.

Scenario #4: We don’t hear anything.

Upside: The previously mentioned feeling of cool upon inviting.

Downside: We pay a few bucks to make ourselves feel cool. But as time continues to march on, that starts to look like more and more of a bargain.

Note: The following passage was added during a post-wedding editing session.

Scenario #5 (The Truth): Argument over whether to attend wedding eventually breaks up Brad and Jen.

Upside: Brad’s post-fight escapades with Angelina quickly relieve us of the reported “cause of breakup” burden and subsequent press hounding.

Downside: We miss out on a chance to meet Jen (who wanted to attend) and be cast in a walk-on role in one of her upcoming movies. (Jen, we would still consider accepting a fashionably late celebrity-sized present.)
- Drew Lloyd
From "Will You?" to "I Do.": A Groom's Tale of Survival