Scott and Elizabeth's Wedding - Part 2

My niece, Dianna, was one of the bridesmaids and also sang at the wedding with such a sweet voice that she had us all in tears . . .

So maybe I'm a teensy bit biased, but isn't she beautiful?

We couldn't have asked for better weather.  It was a gorgeous October day and the ceremony was lovely.  Best wishes to the happy couple!  Vive l'amour!

The last hankie

This was my wedding handkerchief. My Aunt Lala had it made in Cuba hoping that she'd be able to send it to me and that some day I'd carry it on my wedding day. She had no idea at the time that she would ultimately be coming to the U.S. herself and bringing it to me in person. She stood in line for a week in order to be able to acquire the embroidery floss from which it was knit. Fabric was scarce, so the linen center of the hankie came from a shirt I wore as an infant.

I snagged one of the threads with my wedding ring, and Mama Lala offered to repair it afterwards, but somehow, we never got around to it. It's just as well, the snag is part of the memories of this day. The arrow in the picture below points to the handkerchief which I'm holding in my right hand. The photo was taken by my brother-in-law, Doug.

Married 25 Years

“Love is a choice you make from moment to moment.”
— Barbara De Angelis


Thank you, my darling, for 25 years of perfect moments.

Tempus fugit . . .

Another picture from Scotty's wedding. The five boys are now men.

A Wedding Poem

Bright faces surround the woman in white,
the man in black, the sweetness of their attention
to each other a shine rising toward the high ceiling.
The men watch the groom, and the women
the bride, as they speak their candle-lit vows,
as if there were something in it for us personally.

Worn by the distances we the already-married
have traveled down the road on which these two
are setting out, we leave the dust of the journey
outside the door of this house where tonight no word
is casual, no posture undignified, and each
becomes again handsome in them, beautiful in them.

—Thomas R. Smith

Here's wishing you all the happiness in the world, Scott and Jackie!

Bianca's Wedding

One of my oldest friends got married last weekend. The snow was coming down fast that day, and the wind was gusty. We were worried about the driving conditions, so we left the house early. We arrived without incident and then spent some time trying to park. We couldn't see the curb from all the snow and ice that had accumulated and the parking lot hadn't been plowed yet. Then, when we got out of the car, I had to use an umbrella so my hair wouldn't get plastered from the wet snow. But I didn't care about the weather. I wouldn't have missed this wedding for the world.

Our early arrival gave us the opportunity to settle in, take in our surroundings and people watch. The church started to fill and gradually I began to recognize faces I hadn't seen in 25 years. Slowly, the scent of still blooming Christmas poinsettias began to reach me, and I became aware of the sounds of the organ, softly playing Pachelbel's Canon in D Major. There was family there, but mostly there were so many friends. Bianca is one of those rare individuals that manages to conserve friendships throughout her life, and when she announced her wedding plans, we came eagerly, from all over the country, in spite of the weather, and, oh, so happily. She looked lovely. Her Joe is a handsome guy, and they seem so much in love.

 

The wedding and reception were wonderful, understated, and very classy. The conversation at our table sparkled. We talked about Obama. Everything from the elections to the Inauguration, to the formidable task that awaits him, to his beautiful daughters. We spoke of travel and places we've seen. The tipsy deacon at our table was very funny. I've never had such good conversation at a wedding; Bianca knew that we would "click."

 

And then we got loud, we sang love songs so the bride and groom would kiss, a twist on the old clink-the glasses-with-the-spoon tradition ("She loves you, yeah, yeah, yeah . . . ") and we laughed. And then Bianca and Joe danced their first dance to "Unforgettable" by Nat King Cole. And it was magical.