The first sign of a Buckley event is the splash of non-traditional. The reception to my daughters wedding was not in white with lines of tired smiles and small plates of cake and ice cream punch. Oh no, this was an invitation to entire families, bring the kids for playing in the water, softball, volleyball, watermelon and all the home made root beer you can drink. Picnic in the sun, with laughter…and a head shaving party at the pavilion.
Head shaving? OH yeah. It was the coolest, heart warming thing I’ve been involved in for a looong time.
My grandson, only 4 years old, has Leukemia. He is the most brave child I have met and we all love him dearly. When he learned his hair would eventually fall out, his magnificent father smiled at him and said that when that day came, he would shave his head too.
Well, there were a few of us who felt the same way…and his hair fell out right before the reception. So my daughter encouraged our family to include this act of support into her own personal moment with her new husband, who agreed.
So we did the eating, we did the playing and we did the traditional stuff…and then we opened the mic and made the announcement as we rolled out the sheets, hooked up the sheers to the extension cords and brought my grandson to the center ring with his father.
What happened made me cry and then cheer. My grandson shaved his fathers hair off…and found a near endless stream of others wanting to express their love and support by submitting themselves to the buzzer.
How appropriate that by daughters new last name just happens to be “Barber”.
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Yup, I am pleased with the four bald guys at my house. And I wouldn’t say we’re non-traditional, because we’re very traditional about loving and supporting family and feeding people and enjoy a good visit with our loved ones for any occasion.
Bah–I don’t think loving and supporting family and feeding people is traditional.
Well, Samoans are the best example of that incredible hospitality which I admire, but those aspects are a dying standard my love.
My opinion only, BTW.
So glad I could be a part of that, I’ll admit I didn’t know what to think of a reception that didn’t have a line of tired smiling people when I first heard of it. Totally love the idea now
and I am liking the new hair-do too 
Though I don’t think I’ll be using the ‘bald is beautiful’ slogan, Kathi’s fear has been realized….I like the buzz.
It fits more of my personality and I don’t have to growl like a bear to get my point across anymore… =)