It’s OK to cry on your wedding day

DAVID Campbell knows what it feels like to watch the woman you love walk down the aisle towards you. He offers some advice to Prince Harry about the importance of ‘happy tears’.

David Campbell: “There are millions of men like me, who were not the Hollywood-ending movie hero at the altar, all composed and cool on the most important day of their adult lives.”

DEAR Harry,

Hope you don’t mind me dropping the whole “Prince” title, however, I wanted to talk to you in a more man-to-man fashion. As opposed to a subject-to-sixth-in-line-to-the-throne fashion.

We need to talk about the wedding. You need to debrief with a guy who has been there.

The day itself was probably a fabulous blur of doting family and mates trying to make you laugh while a mild panic crept up the back of your neck. Not the sort of nerves that make you want to find the nearest boat, grow a beard and sail off for a few years with a small band of sailors (yeah man, I’ve watched The Crown).

Perfect moment to cry.

No, I’m talking about the panic of knowing that you are about to potentially do a certain something in front of your entire family, circle of friends, lords, dukes, an earl or three and a billion people watching. Cry.

Let me explain Harry, me old bud...

It’s a moment I will never forget. The day of my wedding. There I am in my suit, with my three best men waiting for my happy, soon-to-be wife to enter the church. All seemed fine. Sure, my emotions were on a knife’s edge, I was laughing and sweating quite a bit, but if you know me at all, H-Dog, you’ll know that’s my default factory setting.

The door opened. She was backlit by the late afternoon sun. I could only see her silhouette at first. That was all it took. Tears cascaded down my face. As I saw her walk towards me, hazy through the floods of tears, the lump in my throat had grown to the point I thought I would not be able to breathe. Everything made me sob. Her smile? Tears. Her dress? More tears. In fact, I am crying writing this down for you.

Still crying...

I was utterly vulnerable, and also completely safe. I have never experienced anything like it. The whole ceremony seemed designed to break me down. My sister sang my favourite Chaka Khan song, ‘In Love We Grow’. Gone. My family had planted instruments all over the church for people, and when we had finished the whole place and my band sang and played for us. A Thames-worth of tears. My wife had agreed to love, honour and obey a puddle by this point.

I know it sounds crazy, Hazza, but we don’t judge you. Heck, when you welled up, I welled up. And I promise you that I wasn’t alone. There are millions of men like me, who were not the Hollywood-ending movie hero at the altar, all composed and cool with amazing hair on the most important day of their adult lives.

That’s the face David is talking about.

We are everywhere; eye drops in the pocket of our rental suits, in case we need them. Breathing through our mouths because our noses are blocked. Remembering through misty eyes the moment our restless hearts finally found their home.

There ain’t no shame in that game, Haz, and may there be many more happy tears in your future.

David co-hosts Today Extra, 9am weekdays, on the Nine Network.