|
|
Wedding Memories
The big day has come and gone and, like the day after Christmas,
there is a slight disbelief that it could all be over. As I write
this, my daughter and her new husband are honeymooning, while Bill
and I are trying to adjust to the quiet. This is quite a difference
from the days leading up to the wedding.
I can now say, from experience, that no matter how much you plan
and organize, the week before a wedding there are always last minute
mishaps that you simply cannot foresee. Take for instance the photo
frames used to hold the guest's seating place cards. We picked them
up from the printer and happily sat down to fit them into the silver
frames. We quickly discovered the lettering was a bit too large.
A trip back to the printer and a prayer she could redo them in one
day, and we were back to work.
The special day dawned sunny and bright - a picture perfect day
to get married. The beautiful bridesmaids and super excited flower
girls gathered around the beaming bride while the photographer snapped
away. The trolley seemed to be here much too early but actually
it was right on time. I had been warned that this day would go by
in a blink of an eye but it must have been the tears of joy that
clouded my perception. An all too quick ride on the trolley and
we were all delivered to the church with only a few minutes to spare.
With God's blessing, and surrounded by family and friends and the
sounds of trumpets and flutes, our little girl became a wife. We
parents of the bride and groom waltzed into the reception as if
walking on air; truly a moment in time for us. The energy in the
room was electric and the excitement contagious. The applause for
the new married couple was so loud and enthusiastic that the music
of the bag piper was barely heard.
The rest of the night went by in a whirl of dancing, as it seemed
like every guest was up on the dance floor, swinging, swaying, or
jumping up and down to the beat of the music. And then it was over.
The lights were turned up, the music turned off and, like a dream,
I wondered if this special day had really come and gone this fast.
Today it feels a little like the day after Christmas. For so many
months the dining room table was wedding central and now it's just
empty and bare.
The champagne has gone flat, the flowers are wilting, and the house
is really much too quiet, but that will take some time to get use
to. Today is a day to remember. Before leaving the reception one
of the waitresses shared her opinion that weddings are wasteful.
She was right, I suppose. I think she was referring, in part, to
all the cake that was left over and the party favors still left
on some of the tables. Her ideal wedding, she said, would be to
give her daughter a ladder and a check, which I assumed meant she
hoped her daughter would elope. Well, not me. If I had to do it
all over again, I wouldn't change a thing.
The gift I'm keeping with me is the awesome memories of a celebration
that was 15 months in the making. And, I'm looking forward to enjoying
the same ceremonious memories when, very soon, it will be our youngest
daughter, Katie, taking her walk down the aisle. |
|
