The CC wedding thread!

Parent Cafe
41

<p>A funny story about wedding pictures:</p>

<p>Some years ago, we were on vacation with various people from my wife’s family, including her nieces (then 15 and 13) but not their parents, and my mother-in-law. MIL, I , and 15-year-old niece were looking at one of my wife’s elaborate photo albums, the one that is essentially “best of her childhood”. We come to a set of hilarious pictures of her oldest sister’s wedding, in 1971, fresh out of college, with everyone wearing homemade tie-dyed dresses, and my father-in-law with a wiiiiide American flag tie.</p>

<p>Niece: “What are these pictures of?”
Me (suddenly a little panicked): “Umm . . . your mother’s first wedding?”
Niece (shocked): “My mother was married before?”
Me (still panicked): “Um, yes. I thought you knew that. I thought you might have noticed that her last name is different from your father’s AND [my wife]'s.”
Niece (still disbelieving): “Does [my wife, her aunt] KNOW about this?”
Me: “That’s her in the orangish dress. She played the piano. It was the first time she tasted champagne, and you can tell she’s tipsy in some of these pictures.”
Niece: [Runs off yelling my wife’s name, demanding to know why we kept this secret from her.]</p>

42

<p>Courthouse wedding, forgot to comb my hair. TV crew was there filming a segment on prenups for a short-lived show called “The Love Report”. Our low-key wedding (bits of it anyway) wound up on nationally syndicated television. If it ever shows up on YouTube, I’m the one with a crooked part in my 1984 permed hair.</p>

43

<p>OK, you asked for it.</p>

<p>H’s parents lived on a great piece of property that had a free standing workshop in addition to the main house. When I met H, he was in the process of turning the workshop into an apartment (H paid for all the renovations and in return his parents would allow him to live there rent free), and when we decided to get married we planned to live there for a year to save money for our own house. What was acceptable living quarters for this bachelor was a little more, um… rustic than would be optimal for newlyweds, so H was putting some finishing touches on a few improvements 2 days before the wedding when he got metal shavings in his eye. </p>

<p>He had several visits to the opthalmologist over the next 2 days and managed to get through the rehearsal although he was clearly in pain. The morning of the wedding, everyone assured me he was doing better. What they didn’t tell me was that he had had emergency eye surgery that morning to remove a metal fragment deeply embedded in his cornea and was heavily sedated! He still doesn’t know how he did it, but he dragged himself to the church for a 6pm ceremony. Had it been any earlier in the day, forget it. (Oh and Zooser, my attendants wore that same dusty rose, including the hat with netting.) I didn’t find out about any of this until after the ceremony on the ride to the reception. One of our more resourceful and humorous groomsmen went to a local drug store and purchased eye patches for all the men in the wedding party and several of our pictures look like they came right out of “Pirates of the Caribbean”!:wink: Laugh don’t cry.</p>

<p>We had to cancel the honeymoon to Bermuda so H could continue with his followup care, but were able to sneak in a few days at Virginia Beach later in the week. All was going well, eye patch gone, painkillers gone, and we decided to stop off in DC for 2 days on the way home to NJ. We were at the Capitol when my new contacts started to really bother me. I had originally thought it was allergies, but the pain was increasing significantly. A few hours later we were in the ER and I was diagnosed with corneal erosion due to improper oxygen transfer with the new contacts…2 eye patches and painkillers. Is this a joke??? H with his one good eye (couldn’t put a contact in the other yet) drove home while I was basically passed out in the passenger seat on Percodan. We’re about a half hour from home when I am awakened by a loud BANG. I actually thought it was a gunshot. Turns out someone threw a beer bottle out their window and it shattered our windshield. Glass everywhere, including…H’s good eye!:eek: Off to the ER by ambulance, more opthalmologists, more eye patches, more painkillers and I had to call my parents to come pick us up from our honeymoon. We had to go live at my parents’ house because we literally did not have one good eye between us. In as much pain as we were, all we could do was laugh, it was ridiculous.</p>

<p>Healing progresses, sight returns and the windshield get fixed, time to go to our new home. The driveway is in sight, hooray we made it when… BANG, a deer slams into the side of the car. Luckily, the only casualty was the car. We didn’t dare venture out for quite some time. Fortunately, being newlyweds, that wasn’t a problem.;)</p>

<p>We happily celebrated our 25th last September! No one was injured during the celebration.</p>

44

<p>My-3-sons that is an amazing story. What a testament that you’re still together! Very glad the anniversary was safe!</p>

<p><a href=“Oh%20and%20Zooser,%20my%20attendants%20wore%20that%20same%20dusty%20rose,%20including%20the%20hat%20with%20netting.”>quote</a>

[/quote]

That is too funny. What was with the netting?</p>

45

<p>Got married in December 1983, which is a problem when the caterer has decorated the entire place for Christmas and the happy couple is Jewish! </p>

<p>Made my gown, as well as skirts, cumberbunds and Victorian blouses for the bridesmaids (my two sisters and BFF from college, who became my SIL two years later). Found a fabric store down on South 4th Street in Philly and and bought all my stuff there. I wanted dusty rose and brown, but couldn’t find brown velvet (or brown tuxes, but now I know why!!) to save my life. Cumberbunds wound up being burgundy and the tuxes charcoal gray, which was the better choice, anyway. Also made silk flower bouquets/arrangements, the chuppah and the oversized loaf of challah. I did the traditional circling of the groom during the ceremony and lost count of how many times I had gone around. I kept looking at my chuppah holders mouthing the words, “how many times?” and they had NO idea what I was talking about. The rabbi cracked up, because he warned me I’d lose count and I had assured him I could count to seven even though I was about to be a married woman. </p>

<p>Definitely should have taped our processional music beforehand; trying to play the records was painful. Weather was rainy and cold; the car that was supposed to take me there never showed up. DH spent half the reception on the phone complaining about the DJ.</p>

<p>Everyone took tons of pictures – very glad about that. Almost everyone in my family shoots, so we had some really good stuff that the professional photographer missed. Had about 55 people, mostly friends. We had a sit-down buffet, which was OK, but not what we would do if given another opportunity. Folks behaved; noone got drunk; everyone came back to our apt. afterwards and sat up all night eating and talking. We were 22 and life was just beginning. We were the first among DH’s friends to get married, and among the last of my friends.</p>

<p>I have never been a bridesmaid. Came close once, but SIL (not the one who was in my wedding) asked me to drop out because one of the groomsmen had backed out and this made the numbers uneven. For this I am now extremely grateful, though at the time it stung. When I saw the bridesmaids’ dresses on the day of the wedding, I was REALLY thankful. The only time I show that much cleavage is for my mammogram!</p>

46

<p>Another '83 wedding here. As a little punk rocker with no preconceptions( in regards to weddings)I was determined to put on a wedding that my parents would like…after all they were paying! So I died my hair (from pink to brown), put on the big white dress, and had a fabulous time.H (a movie costumer) had the best tux ever.He borrowed a cream color, shawl collar tux from a movie studio. On the label “custom made for Mr David Niven” 1941. Very handsome indeed. We also scored a band to die for. The Solid Senders, whose last hit was in 1945. We had taken ball room dance lessons for about six months before the event and we did ourselves proud.</p>

47

<p>Oh, the bridesmaids’ skirts were dusty rose, just to continue that 80s thing…</p>

<p>my-3-sons – YIKES about all the eye calamities! At a certain point, all you can do is laugh…and that certainly helps in marriage!</p>

<p>musica, I wish my H would dance. Would be heavenly to glide across the floor like we knew what we were doing!</p>

48

<p>well at least one guy has to join in …</p>

<p>Got married in 89 in the garden in the back-yard at my in-laws in Burlington, VT overlooking Lake Champlain … a terrific location. We had about 50 people at the wedding which created much angst with our parents because the 50 did not include all aunts, uncles, and cousins. We wore “regular” dress up cloths (nice dress / nice shirt & tie) and had a simple buffet in the house for the “reception”. Service was an agnostic combination of Jewish and Greek wedding traditions. To this day I do not think my parents know the JP who married us was also a (female) rabbi (I’m the Greek half). As the male the biggest challenge was to appear interested and to provide input during the planning process even though my wife, her mom, and best friend didn’t really care about my opinion but wanted me involved in the process.</p>

49

<p>I got married in December, 1985. I was a senior in college, away from home, so my mother planned it all, the wedding of her dreams!! LOL</p>

<p>It was in the evening of the 21st, white tie and tails (very chi chi), I wore the first dress that I tried on at Sakowitz - it was absolutely stunning (for mid 80’s), cathedral train, reembroidered Alencon lace, beading, millions of tiny buttons up the back - the whole works. My bridesmaids wore hunter green silk taffeta long skirts, with creme silk blouses that had lace cravats (totally 80’s), with red silk cumberbunds. The church was lit by gazillions of candelabras, the flowers were red and white poinsettas with english ivy. My bouquet was all white roses and lilies, the bridesmaids carried really cool bouquets of red tulips (where she got them in December is a mystery).</p>

<p>The reception was held at the country club with ice sculptures and wonderful flowers and decorations. She had two bands playing, one was a dance band, the other a Dixie Land Jazz group that played while the dance band was on break. The food was incredible, snow crab, carved roast beef, open bar, etc…</p>

<p>The whole thing was totally over the top. </p>

<p>Needless to say, this was my mother’s crowning achievement!! (my poor dad paid the bills ;)) But, I’m so glad I shared it with my mom - she tragically died two years later :(</p>

<p>So, in two weeks, my oldest son is getting married - the 2009 version!</p>

<p>They are marrying in the Florida Keys. He and his groomsmen are wearing khakis and Guaverra shirts (Mexican Wedding Shirts) and flip flops!! The bride is wearing a simple white dress and her bridesmaids are wearing J Crew Sundresses. After the ceremony, they are all changing into flip flops too. :)</p>

<p>The reception is going to be in her parents yard (granted they live on the water in the Keys, so the backdrop is pretty spectacular), and they are having a “Cuban bar-b-que” complete with pulled pork and black beans and rice.</p>

<p>I think my mom would be smiling about this one :wink: I know she will be there with us!!</p>

50

<p>Hey ag54, congratulations on the upcoming nuptials! Have a grand time!</p>

51

<p>My parents eloped in Tahoe February 1984. The festivities were such that the first I heard about their wedding was the explanation given while on a vacation in Tahoe for why we wouldn’t be able to step on the grounds of that hotel/casino over there. ;)</p>

52

<p>m-3-s–Your eyepatch story really takes the cake. BTW, I saw those brown tuxes at a fall wedding in '07–they’re still making the rounds!</p>

<p>H and I met in Peace Corps in Botswana. We planned to get married there in Nov.‘86 after we’d known each other about 5 mo. Mom wasn’t too happy, so in order to please our families, we got married when we came back to the US. Jan 3 was it. My two sisters were maid and matron of honor. Mom made their red satin dresses, and my gown–she was still sewing the day before the wedding. The men wore plain black tuxes with white shirts and black bow ties, groom wore a white tie. Nothing weird. We had the rehearsal dinner in my parents’ basement–that’s where I met my future in-laws. Only about 65–and no one from H’s side but his parents and sibs–attended the ceremony. It was an ugly modern church with a very short aisle, rust carpet, and avocado chairs. It was still decorated for the Christmas season, so that helped. Our bouquets were artificial red and white roses. I kept mine for a while, but after a few years my kids ripped it up and I threw it away. H and I listened to a tape by the church organist to pick out the music (" #2, #5 and #9 sound good to me"–I don’t know what songs were played). H’s brother sang Panis Angelicus and Ave Maria–he did a wonderful job. H’s sister was supposed to sing, but had a terrible cold.</p>

<p>Before the ceremony I had an argument with my mom about videotaping the wedding. I didn’t want to be nervous about the camera being on me the whole time. She said I’d regret not having the video, but I don’t. There were so many things we didn’t have–no bridal showers, no program, no aisle runner, no table decorations (restaurant had some Xmas stuff), no favors, no limo, no veil. . . I didn’t even think of having hair, nails, or makeup done. (D did up more for prom than I did for my wedding!)</p>

<p>After I walked down the aisle with my dad, I had to go up the steps to the altar. I tripped on my dress and muttered “*****” (what a classy bride). H wore shoes he’d bought at a thrift shop–the price sticker was still on the bottom of his shoe, so when he knelt
down. . . (and a classy groom to match).</p>

<p>Mom planned everything before we got back to the US, so we had few decisions to make. H and I aren’t picky, so that was OK with us–no agonizing over cake decorations or dinner menus or any other details. The reception was an early afternoon dinner, open bar. We had a DJ and a little dancing. (H and I aren’t dancers). H smeared icing all over my face when we cut the cake. We did the bouquet and garter toss. There was a TV by the bar and a bunch my uncles and cousins were watching a football game at the reception (this was in Ohio and I think the Browns were playing the Bengals, or something big)–I thought that was really tacky. After that everyone went back to my parents’ basement for another party. My f-i-l, who was a big bully, forced his sick daughter–who couldn’t sing at the wedding–to sing “Wouldn’t It Be Loverly” from My Fair Lady. What a scene–him begging her to sing, her refusing, back and forth, over and over. He made such a jerk out of himself in front of my relatives, she finally gave in. I was so embarrassed that I hid in my dad’s workshop–along with my younger brother–and we watched through a crack in the door! About 9pm H and I changed into jeans and went to a local hotel (we didn’t even make a reservation) for one night. Then we stayed with my parents for one month until we found jobs and an apartment–some honeymoon! Yes, it was a cheap and tacky wedding, but things went up–and down–and back up again from there.</p>

53

<p>We were married, December 1979. I am Jewish and the place was decorated for Christmas. (Yes, it was pretty.) My future MIL ordered the flowers (no chuppah, she “forgot”) and instead did HUGE arrangements on either side of us. (My father paid for the flowers.) Husband and his groomsmen wore morning coats. I, breaking with tradition, said to my bridesmaids, “These are the colors. Show up in a dress in the color scheme.” Would have been great, except husband brother’s wife, was angry that a Jew was infecting her family. Wore a garrish (but very expensive) dress that really didn’t go…but she looked awful. The story of the dress that I wore should have blazing warning signals: MIL and SIL asked me to wear SIL’s dress. (It was very beautiful, extremely expensive…and not my taste. Nothing “wrong” with it, just not me. One week before the wedding, SIL wanted it back. Now, I would have handed it back and worn a formal day dress…then I cried, tried to find another gown and couldn’t, I wore it, had it cleaned and sent it back. What 30 years teaches you.)</p>

<p>Husband’s grandmother almost jumped from her seat during the service because she had never seen a Rabbi pray. The Rabbi was davening (swaying) prayers. Grandmother thought that he was going to pass out. She, at 86 was about the get up to grab him when thankfully the Rabbi stopped swaying.</p>

54

<p>I made a poufy dress from the l982 Vogue pattern! Very pretty with chantilly lace, much influenced by Lady Diana Spencer, or so I imagined.</p>

<p>Standing proudly in bridal splendor in the rabbi’s tiny office before the ceremony to co-sign our marriage contract, I did not realize I had positioned myself under his bulletin board. Thumbtacked there was his parking lot bumper sticker, used regularly whenever he needed to make a hosptial visit.</p>

<p>When our wedding photos came back, there was I, smiling and signing away, above my head his big bumper-sticker label: “Clergyman Emergency.” I know I married late in life but didn’t realize I was a 911 case. Photographer air-brushed it out.</p>

<p>Another favorite photo was my 90-year-old widower grandfather who looked very dapper in a brand new powder blue suit. In one hand, he held the latest audio-tape-casette player on the market; in the other, he was dancing with the most beautiful of the bridesmaids as the klezmer band played on! Good for grandpa!!!</p>

<p>My husband and his 4 brothers kept me laughing the entire day, bantering about how he should throw in a few more goats to seal the deal, “borrowing” a set of drums from the nearby college and dragging them over to my mother’s lawn, so the musician brother could play us his wedding gift: an original composition with two themes interwoven. One theme was on snare drum, the other on a cow-bell. The cowbell took on new meaning after that hilarious SNL routine years later. </p>

<p>Lots of laughter and love is how I recall the day.</p>

55

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<p>Oooh… At least you had good music. Which reminds me, I need to brag about my husband…</p>

<p>Our musical selections:
The prelude music was chosen by the string quartet, who are friends of ours, and whom we paid in beer and lodging.
The mothers entered to Gounod’s Ave Maria.
The groom and groomsmen entered to Mozart’s Exultante Jubilante, K165.
The bridesmaids entered to the Violin Theme from Brahms’ First Symphony, 4th Movement.
I entered to Bach’s 2nd Movement from the 3rd Orchestral Suite, BWV 1068 (we don’t talk about G-strings when we’re discussing Bach Airs, thank you).
The Kyrie was from Schubert’s Mass in G.
The presentation of the gifts was Mozart’s Ave Verum Corpus (sung by a vocal quartet of three friends of ours and my brother… all very talented singers… our celebrant just closed his eyes and smiled the entire time).
The Sanctus was from an arrangement of Gounod’s St. Cecilia Mass (St. Cecilia being the patron saint of musicians).
The Agnus Dei was from Faure’s Messe Breve.
Panis Angelicus, by Franck, was sung during Communion.
We didn’t actually choose the recessional, so we’re not sure what it was…
The string quartet were enjoying themselves so much that they kept playing music in a fabulous impromptu recital until they were kicked out of the church by the photographer.</p>

<p>And my friends were all SO WORRIED when I told them that I was going to let the groom choose the ceremony music and have it be a complete surprise for me! :wink: (I was like, c’mon! He’s a professional musician! I’m just an engineer!!) He chose only music that was liturgically appropriate for each part of the Mass, and he chose (bribed?) and rehearsed the nine musicians completely on his own.</p>

<p>Okay, done bragging. =)</p>

56

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<p>mommusic, I think it’s because these photos make you feel like you were there. I can’t remember for sure, but I think aibarr said in a previous post that it’s a journalistic style. Is that right, aibarr? ( I need to file this info away for use in the future!)</p>

57

<p>aibarr–I’m going to print up your musical selections and save the list for D’s future wedding. (She doesn’t have a boyfriend, but she knows she wants a really classy wedding!)</p>

58

<p>aibarr, has exceptionally nice photos, I enjoyed looking at them again.</p>

59

<p>Aibarr - beautiful music. I especially like the “Air on the 4th string” as a processional. </p>

<p>I can’t wait to see what my kids are going to choose for music. (Although I’m more curious who they are going to choose for mates!) I suspect my S will write his own, at least for part. I’m betting it will be some amazing brass fanfare.</p>

<p>My D shares my love of musicals. I’m hoping she will choose what I used: the wedding processional from The Sound of Music. (Although my mom kept threatening to start singing the “Maria” duet with it.)</p>

60

<p>Ah, memories of bridesmaids’ dresses. I had a number of those horrors. For some reason just about everyone who asked me to be a bridesmaid would pick colors and styles that were just terrible on me. The only dress that looked nice on me was a very tight fitted burgundy dress that was cut so small that none of us bridesmaids could breathe. One of them fainted in the church. I have been in baby blue dotted swiss, orangey peach blouson dresses, huge muttonchop sleeved dresses. </p>

<p>My bridesmaids found their dresses for my wedding in a discount bin. A bunch of us went to Bridaltown, Pa and looked at dresses. Everyone got dresses that day for their weddings except for me. My bridesmaids wore very simple cream colored dresses with a big lacy collar. They added pink ribbons under the bust . Both kept their dresses and used them several times for other occasions. I wanted pink dresses initially, but the pink version of the dress was pepto bismo in color and not acceptable.</p>