A Wedding Day to Remember

Keep in mind, these stories were written back in 2001-2004, so they're not current time-wise, but I wanted to start with the oldest and work forward.

Brides, I tell you, your big day will not go off without a hitch. Why do I say this? I got married just over a year ago. The love of my life, the most beautiful gown ever made, a beautiful historic mansion in which to have the wedding, but nevermind all that. Here’s how my fairytale went. That gray first day of December, I picked up a rental car, (it wasn’t perfect, but better than the ones we owned). I drove the little red compact to the hair salon and the updo turned out lovely, barring all the hairspray she applied and I hate.
I then drove to pick up the lovely all-ivory cake on my way home. As soon as I walked in my front door, I went straight to my desk and e-mailed my soon-to-be husband letting him know everything was going well, and how I couldn’t wait three more hours to be his.
I have three children, one of which doesn’t like to do anything with her beautiful curly hair (like comb it). My son informed me that he’d left his dress shoes at his dad’s and would just wear whatever he could find. That just wouldn’t do, because he was to be my escort down the aisle. I said “That’s fine, we have time to stop there and get them.”
It was time to make last minute checks on my suitcase for the weekend away. Check. My son started loading the car while I grabbed the ingredients for the punch. “Oh yes,” I told myself, “get the CD of wedding music off the desk.” Check.
“Does everyone have everything now? We need to go.”
“Yes,” my three offspring declared.
It was lightly snowing and misting on this December afternoon as we got into the car to get my son’s shoes and pick up his friend. Halfway to our destination, I realized I had failed to grab the soda for the punch.
“That’s okay,” I thought, “we’ll just run back home, we’re doing fine.”
We picked up the shoes, drove back home (within the speed limit, of course) and got the soda. We picked up my son’s friend; she was to help my two daughters get ready and do their hair. Finally, we were on our way to the large house on historic Hall Street in St. Joseph and finish getting ready. We were shown to one of the big bedroom suites where we spread our belongings on the bed. We took our makeup and accessories to the bathroom, where I began to put on my foundation. My daughter told me she’d forgotten her slip. I told her, “Do without it, no one will know.”
She rolled her eyes.
Then I heard someone call my name from the hallway. It was the lady of the house, asking where the CD was. I told her it was with the other things I had given her. She held out the case, opened it, and there was no CD inside. “Oh no! It’s still in the computer at home where I was previewing it! No problem, I’ll go get it. If I take the highway, I’ll be there in 5-7 minutes.” (Doing the speed limit, of course).
Halfway there, I realized I had grabbed only the keyring with the rental car keys—no house key. “Sheesh, now what am I going to do?” I decided I would try and get into the house by alternate means. I managed to get a window open. Remember, my hair was in that lovely updo.
Of course, I picked a window with mini-blinds and our old console TV in front of it. I
climbed in through a 12-inch opening, fought the blinds, and danced with the swivel TV.
“Oh, there goes my hair,” I thought. I got in, grabbed both girls’ slips, the CD, and maneuvered myself back out the window. (The door only locks with a key, so you exit the way you enter.) My hair and I escaped unscathed. Thank goodness for all that hairspray that I hated.
“Alright, now I’m rolling.” I jumped back in the car, and drove (within the speed limit, of course) back to the house.
Back inside, I gave the CD to the hostess and went upstairs to finish putting on my face and gown. One daughter was happy to have her slip; however, the youngest was offended by the idea.
Now, I had to put on a sticky bra, and didn’t know the adhesive had to dry for 15 minutes prior to putting everything in place. So, I applied the adhesive, fanning it in hopes it would dry faster, and was ready to put the gown on in five, much more convenient, minutes.
Next, I applied lipstick and had a Kodak moment with my baby girl.
After determining that my grandmother wasn’t coming because of the snowy weather, we went downstairs. I unwittingly rushed the processional, forgetting to take my son’s arm at first. Finally, I was at my groom’s side. He stood there by the Christmas tree in the glow of the fireplace, flanked by two of his sons, handsome as ever.
As he said his vows to me, he looked at me with the most adoring eyes and all I knew was this had been the perfect night.
Now there are seven children in this new family of ours, but that’s another story…