Top Ten: Wedded Bliss

This past weekend, Scott and I attended the wedding of a sweet friend.  It’s funny, because we hardly ever get invited to weddings anymore, our season of life has moved us into baby showers, baptisms, birthday parties and graduation open houses.  ‘Tis a season for everything, I guess.

At the wedding – and it was really beautiful, by the way – I was reminded of many things from our Nuptial Mass over 15 years ago.  Yes, the marriage has been wonderful, but the wedding day was just as beautiful.  Many people reminded us to focus on the marriage and that the wedding would take care of itself.  I agree, but I also believe your wedding sets the tone for the kind of commitment you place on your marriage.  Of couse, that is all hindsight.  At the time, I was just extremely excited that I had taken a floral design course in college the semester I was engaged.  Just keepin’ it real.

Here are a few things I loved about our big day.  I’m betting you had some pretty amazing ones on your big day, too.  I would love to hear them!

TOP TEN:  WEDDED BLISS, THE THINGS I LOVED

1.  My confirmation.  Some of you know I’m a convert to Catholicism.  What you may NOT know is that I was confirmed, officially, an hour before our Rehearsal Dinner.  It was a pretty low-key affair and Fr. Phil did it up right.  Someday I’ll tell you all about my non-traditional way into the Catholic church.

2.  Scott and I served as Eucharistic Ministers of the Eucharist (EME for short).  It was so very humbling.  To be perfectly honest, next to my vows with Scott, that is my MOST favorite and cherished memory from the day.  I am so grateful Fr. Phil allowed me to be confirmed and entrusted me with serving communion on our special day.  It was an idea we borrowed from a pretty fabulous union between Theresa Kolker and Chris Thompson.  They deserve all the credit.  Imitation is the highest form of flattery.

3.  Having a dear friend sing “Ava Maria,” the Latin version.  It was gorgeous.

4.  During the “Ava Maria,” we placed white roses at the base of the Mary statue.  {Disclaimer:  please don’t mark us as crazy Catholics, keep reading}.  I was always fascinated by Mary, the mother of Jesus, even before my conversion.  As a mother now, I see her in a whole new light.  The pain I felt watching my sweet preemie Luke suffer isn’t 1-millionth the pain she felt when Jesus was crucified.  Of course, I couldn’t have known it then, but her example has given me strength when I knew I had nothing left.  At the base of that statue, I remember Scott looking at me, saying, “Someday you’re going to be an awesome mom, just like Mary.”  I have a long way to go, but boy what an awesome thing for Scott to say to me.  It still brings tears to my eyes.

5.  We didn’t hire a wedding planner.  I know they are super-fab, but we had a good family friend, Cyd, who took care of all the wedding details the day of, and I mean, HELLO.  My mom is the master party planner.  Between the two of us and my mother-in-law, we had a blast.  I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

6.  The funny thing about Amarillo is that it’s split into two counties, one is wet the other is dry.  For my non-Texas friends, that means one can sell alcohol and the other can’t.  Translation for a wedding reception?  You can’t have one with alcohol in a dry county.  So, we got hitched in a dry county, then drove 15 minutes north to the wet county for the party.  I still think that’s so “Texas.”  The reception was a complete blast.  We had an ice cream bar which was 100% brilliant.  Lots of dancing, eating, cake cutting and sweet memories.  I remember wanting that night to last forever.  Every single person in the world I loved was at that reception.

7.  During the wedding vows, Fr. Phil stood in front and whispered them to us.  Almost everyone believed Scott and I had them memorized!  Clearly, speaking the words aloud to Scott and knowing that we were finally” Mr. and Mrs. Whitaker” defies description.  Happiest moment of my life.  Every year at 3:32pm on our wedding anniversary we remember saying the words that made it official, “…I will love you and honor you all the days of my life.”

8.  Fr. Phil’s homily was personalized and very heartfelt.  He spoke at length about going from the “I/me” existence to the “we/us.”  Those were words we needed to hear, and still do.

9.  We made it a point to write down in the program and have Fr. Phil explain all the things and meanings behind what we did.  We wanted everyone, Catholic and non-Catholic, to feel included.  That was important to both of us.  I had to chuckle when Fr. Phil was introduced to my Jewish friend from A&M and exclaimed, “A son of Abraham!” and embraced him.  Love!

10.  The joy.  From the photographer who said he’d never had more fun, to the family members who stayed up seriously late reminiscing, to our friends who drove crazy amounts of hours to be there, to the permanent smile on our faces – our wedding day rocked.