There have been times in my life when time seems to take on a dream-like quality, when every sight, sound and action is so infused with importance and meaning that it is almost too much to take in. Maggie’s wedding weekend was like that. And, like most dreams, now that it’s over, the details have become blurry but the feelings of awe remain.
To say the entire event went off without a hitch would be an understatement. All forms of transportation cooperated allowing everyone to be where they needed to be at the right time. With the exception of one very smoky room, all accommodations were satisfactory. And the food! Both the Rehearsal Dinner and Reception Buffets were superb. The weather – well let’s just say that God shined his face down upon Maggie and Jan by providing them with the perfect day!
The only glitches were comical. First, when the wedding cake was removed from its box we realized we didn’t have a platter for it. Andy’s girlfriend, Amy and Isolde’s boyfriend, Austin, sprang into action and sprinted up to the visitor center where they were able to borrow a lovely pedestalled plate from the caterer. Then there was some excitement when a Copperhead snake had to be shooed from the path leading down to the perennial garden where the ceremony was to take place. Another oops moment occurred when one guest (who shall remain nameless) grabbed the wrong suit when he packed for the wedding and didn’t realizing it until he went to get dressed for the ceremony. Luckily there was a Men’s Warehouse right across the street from the hotel so he was able to purchase a new outfit in time for the reception.
The ceremony was awesome. I refrain from using that word too frequently because in my opinion, to be awed is extremely special and rare. I have to admit, when Maggie and Jan let us know they wanted to get married in a garden I responded with a polite, “nice” when I really secretly hoped they would get married in a church. The Catholic guilt was suppressed when I reminded myself that this was their wedding not mine. But, any fears I may have had that they had turned their backs on the sacred and spiritual nature of marriage were dispelled on Saturday.
Sitting in a lush green garden, surrounded by mounds of flowering plants beneath a sky so blue as not to be believed, I was quickly reassured that they knew exactly what a marriage was all about. No, they didn’t use the traditional symbolism that most of us use, but the symbols they did choose demonstrated clearly that even though she hadn’t chosen to be married in the Church, I had completed my task of handing on my faith to her. It may not be a traditional Catholic faith, but it is nonetheless a strong faith. In some ways, I envied the honesty and intimacy of their ceremony. Although I could hear sniffles behind me, I don’t think I shed a single tear. I was so totally drawn into the moment, full of pride and awe.
The reception party, as I hoped it would be, was a wonderful celebration of the coming together of family and friends. Since my family is so spread out and we’ve picked up friends from everywhere we’ve lived, most have heard us talk about the others, but this was the first time they together in one room. It was marvelous! They may have arrived as strangers but by the end of the evening we were all dancing and singing everything from Journey’s “Don’t Stop” to Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines”.
After dinner, as Teresa and I made the rounds from table to table to greet our guests and especially introduce ourselves to the ones we didn’t know, I received a complement from one of Maggie’s high-school friends that I will always cherish. She said, “Gee, you and your husband did such a great job with your kids, you should get an award or something. They’ve both turned out so well. You must be very proud.”
Wow! I didn’t know what to say except “thank you” because I am.
