Notes on the Fairy Tale Wedding

Mr. and Mrs. PapaDog having their first married kiss. Then we danced all night. I can't leave the house today because I can't walk and I'm hypoglycemic from the rich foods. So, all in all, it was a huge success. Pictures will follow.

Monday Morning Musings:

This was a relatively good-sized wedding with just over a hundred people. My family, his family, and their rather wide circle of friends. We are very fortunate that we've come to know many of those friends along the way.

The kids themselves paid for the Inn and the lodgings, as well as the beer and wine (Yes!). We backed them up wherever we could and paid for the reception and the rehearsal dinner (which was catered by a friend's mom, also as a gift). I was marginally involved with the process from the beginning. She made favors and placecards.

On a spiritual note: my little girl mentioned a while ago that there was a place that she would choose if we had the money. It was beautiful and remote. Apparently we have passed our "old house" genes to her. When she came to me this summer, she reminded us of the place and said they were going up to have a look, if only to get an idea of the "champagne ideal" they could shoot for on a "beer budget."

The owner was very busy with a wedding weekend and somewhat brusque with our baby. BrideDaughter mentioned her rather hopeless aspiration and left. A few days later the call came that there was a cancellation and would she be interested if they discounted the price? They would require a cash deposit.

I knew at once that Someone was working for us. My sister also told me that she had a premonitory dreams that our Grandparents were urging us on. This weekend my mother said she was certain God wanted a beautiful wedding.

Our newlyweds live in a very, very modest home. Only my son-in-law works, while MammaDog finishes her degree, which she must pay on her own. They scoured the area for a caterer that met the requirements of the Inn. A local mom&pop had suffered a devastating fire that ruined their facilities and are now working from a tiny storefront in town. They are lovely people. They turned out to be the least expensive of the good places, surprisingly so. I took a loan against my 401K, and paid in cash. They decorated the tables with simple hurricane-lamp style candles, nothing more. They also provided a three tiered chocolate cake with chocolate frosting.

Because the food was excellent and the setting itself was sumptuous, we were able to keep everything simple. We also eliminated anything that became a problem. As a result, there was no promenade through the autumn woods, and guests were driven by our groomsmen and their friends from the chapel to the Inn. Husband RJ and I chose to spearhead a return walk along the paved road, during which there was a sunshower and a rainbow leading to the Inn and the lake! We also eliminated the reception line; everyone was hungry.

The girls were crying (during the ceremony), but I never did. In fact, I behaved like a Precinct Boss, hitting the tables and urging everyone to party hearty. Our photographer is a neighbor, as well as the mother of the best man. Her services were also a wedding gift. She kept the studio-style shots to a minimum and was good natured throughout the evening. Many people brought those cheap, disposable cameras and we provided some to non-photography partiers.

Sunday would have been a day of rest, but VeggieGirl had a health scare, when an ugly node appeared suddenly on her leg. After six hours in the ER, which RJ and I shared, three hours apiece, we were relieved to find out it wasn't a blood vessel ready to burst, but a badly infected (staph) ingrown follicle. My girls get very curly hair from Scottish ancestors on both sides. She will need to rest a few days, so I will enjoy her company. It was the first time I felt like crying all weekend.

Would I do it all again? I'd better. VeggieGirl is next, but not in the foreseeable future.

Praise the Lord.

pb
Little Pond