Tuesday, November 13, 2007

Happy Anniversary!

Happy Anniversary, my dear one!


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It's our anniversary today. We were married on a mild November day in Arizona eight years ago today. On the night before my wedding, to keep with tradition, I stayed overnight at a bed and breakfast run by friends so I wouldn't see R. on our wedding day. I always thought it was amusing that my last night of single life was spent on the extra bed of a lesbian couple. Sadly they have since broken up and one has a boyfriend now...or did...hard to keep straight. Hah. No pun intended. On my wedding morning I received a massage and then proceeded to get my hair done and all the usual accoutrements for weddings that occur. What was perhaps different for us was that every single detail of our wedding and wedding day was made possible by friends. Of course, in a small town this is possible. Our wedding was very special and will go down in the books as probably one of the best times in our lives. We lived in the small, funky town of Bisbee, Arizona and several guests were out of towners who chose to come early since they were traveling from far away. As well as the usual assortment of interesting characters one can find in Bisbee on any given day. My mom and I had just finished up a production of "The Music Man" and all the cast was invited...the little girls in the show were so excited to come to the wedding. It was kind of like we had a party going for a week. My dress was made by a local seamstress (after my mom begged off the project.) And my necklace was handmade and given to me by the artist. I had admired it a month or so before, and it was her present to me. I still think it's one of the most beautiful necklaces I've ever seen. If our friends hadn't of shown up early I'm not sure we could have pulled the thing off. See, in my past life before marriage I used to be a catering manager and I had the bright idea we could just put everything together ourselves. I wouldn't recommend this idea to anyone now, but I also would have rather gone this route than spend thousands upon thousands of dollars on the thing the way people try and make you think is the norm nowadays. We bought all the food and prepared it ourselves. The liquor was bought in Mexico. Our reception was held in the hallway of an old school building that had been turned into artist studios. We decorated everything ourselves. We were lucky enough to have a rock and roll band play at our reception as well, and I sand “Breakdown” by Tom Petty with them as a surprise for R. because that was the only song we could agree on. I wanted to sing “Do I Love You” by Blossom Dearie…they didn’t know it. We practiced in secret before the wedding. By the end of the reception I was singing “Do I Love You” acapella. We hired two local friends to bartend and one didn't show because she got drunk beforehand. So one of my maids of honor bartended for awhile to get things going (as the second guy was late). Oh the stories....I think I could perhaps write a novel just based on that one week alone. I was terribly embarrassed at the time that I had to ask my friends to help me pull the thing off.... (“Do you mind driving 30 miles to get some extra folding chairs since you have a truck?”) but they always maintained that it made it all the more an amazing experience that they got to be part of chaos that was our wedding. When all was said and done and everyone had gone home we had five pounds of feta cheese in our fridge we had forgotten to take to the party. It was that kind of week...

But the two most important things that could happen, happened. I got married to my "boo" (yes, I still love you) and my dad walked me down the aisle. Almost exactly one year later he died. I think when I used to fantasize about my wedding when I was a kid that the thing I always envisioned was him walking me down the aisle. His favorite moment of our wedding was right before we started through the doors of the church (which is a story unto itself) I said as I was clinging to his arm "Jesus Christ, I'm scared". He thought this was amusing because in this context it would be looked at as I was swearing or using the Lord's name in vain...right as I was walking into a church. Given his background in religion and struggle with his thoughts about it his whole life, I can see why he thought it was funny. I actually think it was a way of mine to try and summon up God's strength to help me at that moment. I didn't mean it in a bad way....it just was what it was. Regardless, he loved telling about that moment when we would reflect on the whole thing later.


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(This would be "the moment"...)

I think if there was one day I could relive over and over in my life, it might just be that day. There was so much joy. When we all left each other it was commented among some that we should have a wedding reunion in ten years or so....perhaps that could come to fruition some day. But I'd better start planning now.


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For the self portrait challenge this week ("what I wear") I give you...my necklace. I don't wear it often for fear of losing it. I've already lost one of the matching earrings. But when I put it on it takes me back and makes me feel so special.

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6 comments:

Anonymous said...

you looked beautiful on your wedding day. and that necklace is breathtaking!

cheers!

Princess Consuela Banana Hammock said...

you looked so absolutely breathtaking on your wedding and your friends helping out , thats the sweetest thing ...
wow is the only word i had after reading this .....i mean you guys did everythign on your own .. and as for the necklace it is really really pretty

jos said...

whoa. the necklace is beautiful but that story! it sounds like it would be a good book or movie. would love to hear more of the stories behind the scenes you mention.

and congratulations on your anniversary. as you can tell from my wedding project site, i am partial to a good wedding anecdote. and thanks for visiting.

daisies said...

that necklace is lovely, so very beautiful and you ~ divinely beautiful, so radiant and happy :)

i love how your did your wedding yourself with the help of friends and family, it is the very best way i think :)

happy anniversary!!

gkgirl said...

happy anniversary
and you and the necklace,
both beautiful
:)

Sharon Tomlinson said...

What a sweet story, beautiful bride and georgous necklace. And your friends are the best.
Happy Anniversary