I think I remember every detail of that day. We'd decided to be careful with our budget and still have a nice ceremony and a party to follow. Since it was a second marriage for each of us, we wanted it to an appropriate service. We are not believers in spending multi-thousands of dollars for a blow out, impressive ceremony and reception. We aren't the type of people who need to impress anyone. If my husband had been able to choose exactly what he would have wanted to wear, it most likely would have been a pair of jeans and a short sleeved dress shirt, and we'd have married outside.
I wanted to have the ceremony outdoors, too, but I was a bit fearful of the unpredictable weather. As it turned out, it was 88 degrees, the hottest day of the whole summer that year. It would have been a perfect day for an outside ceremony in a rose garden. Oh well! Instead, we chose the little Presbyterian church where my mother had attended in her youth.
My dress was 'designed' by myself. I knew what I wanted to look like. I bought two patterns, and combined them, making alterations even then, until I came up with the look I'd hoped for. I purchased the fabrics...a soft peach satin and a cream lace and together, Mom and I and began the sewing of the special outfit. I also made the dress for the flower girl, our little two and a half year old granddaughter. Since I was doing the flowers too, they were all silk arrangements.
We wrote the service and our own vows. We included all of our seven children in the ceremony...two daughters singing "Grow Old Along With Me" written by John Lennon. One of them was so full of emotion, she cried all the way through it, while her sister sang the duet as a solo! Another daughter read a passage from The Prophet, by Kahlil Gibran. Another passed the guest book. Mike's sons were ring bearer and best man. My daughter's fiance took many of the photos, adding to our photographer's supply. My son in law and a friend video taped the day.
The reception was a gathering in a local hall, a simply decorated, too-hot spot. (I'd neglected to think that the day might be hot and didn't notice that there was no central air in the hall!) Friends had asked what we needed in the way of gifts. Our answer was to please not bring gifts, but if they wanted to, they could bring a covered dish for the reception. Many of them brought delicious casseroles, vegetable platters, etc. to supplement what we'd ordered from a caterer. Simplicity was the order of the day.
Because we couldn't leave on our wedding trip until Monday, my girls surprised us with a motel room for our wedding night. They decorated it with rose petals on the bed, candles on the jacuzzi tub, and a cd player with romantic music. (We couldn't figure out how to make it work!) It made me wonder how my young ladies knew of such romantic things!
Though I would make a few changes to the day, knowing now what I knew then, the feat was accomplished and I began the journey of a lifetime...married to my White Knight. That is a change I would never choose! We are a perfect fit of two partners who are prepared to do whatever it takes to keep things cheerful and united as we travel the marital journey over the mountains and valleys into the distant sunset. So far, no complaints!
