There was but one little hiccup in our otherwise perfect ceremony. When Econo Boy's father got up to read the prayer we'd selected ("Wedding Prayer" by Robert Louis Stevenson, an author dear to both Econo Boy and his dad), I looked out at our loved ones and realized something: no one had programs! With the rain, they had simply never made it out to the chairs as planned.
At the time I brushed it aside -- too many wonderful things were happening to dwell on the missing bits of paper. But after the wedding, when I looked back, this was the one thing that really bummed me out. Our programs were so lovely, and moreover, they were a fair amount of work! But you know what? We count ourselves lucky that this was the biggest disappointment of our day. (Second biggest: not getting to try both flavors of cake! The lemon-raspberry was untasted by me, but received rave reviews.) If that's all the rain took from our ceremony, that's not bad. And at least the programs made it to the tables at dinner, so our guests could still admire our hard work!
Sunday, August 9, 2009
Saturday, August 8, 2009
Our ceremony
I don't think I can attach the word "vignette" to our ceremony. It was too weighty, too beautiful, too perfectly imperfect to think of as just another little story. Talking about it still gets the two of us choked up.
This was due in no small part to our officiant, Katie, a family friend and socially progressive minister. She opened with a welcome, including the following words:
Yes, I do.
Katie then read a homily she'd written, with 3 new R's for these two academics: Recognition (of our differences), Reverence (for the promise we'd made to one another), and Ritual (shared traditions binding out lives together).
And then the vows. I handed my bouquet to Supermaid, and took my fiance's hand.
Econo Boy almost cried, but managed to hold it back to just a few sniffles. And when my turn came, my voice suddenly broke. For a moment I thought I wouldn't be able to say those words back to him, that my throat was too closed with emotion and that I'd have to whisper them. But my voice came through, wobbly and soft and not at all like my usual public speaking voice. But Econo Boy could hear me.
When the vows were through, we beamed at each other, clutching hands for dear life, and instinctively, we leaned in to kiss -- stopping ourselves just in time. Katie laughed, and so did our family and friends. "You can kiss if you want!" But we held off until after we exchanged rings and Katie presented us as the newlyweds.
Katie gave the benediction and blessing, the string quartet started up the "Hornpipe" from Water Music, and we turned to go down the stairs, but then I felt a gentle tap on my shoulder.
Supermaid: "Uh, sweetie? Do you want your bouquet back?"
Me: "Oh, yeah!"
And down the aisle we went, married, glowing, and complete with bouquet.
This was due in no small part to our officiant, Katie, a family friend and socially progressive minister. She opened with a welcome, including the following words:
As we celebrate this marriage today, the covenant promises that these two will make and the rights and privileges that will be offered them as a result, we are ever mindful that there are loving couples to whom these privileges are not offered. Econo Boy, BiE, and I celebrate this moment with the hope that marriage might someday be an institution recognized by both church and state for all couples who would make the promises of living their lives together.Then she read us the declaration of intent, the "I do" questions. Econo Boy went first, and I was so spellbound by those words that when my turn came, Katie had to prompt me with a little smile and nod -- "Do you?"
Yes, I do.
Katie then read a homily she'd written, with 3 new R's for these two academics: Recognition (of our differences), Reverence (for the promise we'd made to one another), and Ritual (shared traditions binding out lives together).
And then the vows. I handed my bouquet to Supermaid, and took my fiance's hand.
Econo Boy almost cried, but managed to hold it back to just a few sniffles. And when my turn came, my voice suddenly broke. For a moment I thought I wouldn't be able to say those words back to him, that my throat was too closed with emotion and that I'd have to whisper them. But my voice came through, wobbly and soft and not at all like my usual public speaking voice. But Econo Boy could hear me.
When the vows were through, we beamed at each other, clutching hands for dear life, and instinctively, we leaned in to kiss -- stopping ourselves just in time. Katie laughed, and so did our family and friends. "You can kiss if you want!" But we held off until after we exchanged rings and Katie presented us as the newlyweds.
Katie gave the benediction and blessing, the string quartet started up the "Hornpipe" from Water Music, and we turned to go down the stairs, but then I felt a gentle tap on my shoulder.
Supermaid: "Uh, sweetie? Do you want your bouquet back?"
Me: "Oh, yeah!"
And down the aisle we went, married, glowing, and complete with bouquet.
Friday, August 7, 2009
Vignette 6: The processional
Pictures were taken. The rain had lifted. Our awesome DOC said the ceremony was a go. And so we all lined up at the side of the house to process down the aisle, up to the front steps of the mansion.
The processional began with Katie, our officiant, followed by Econo Boy and his parents, then the groomsmen, all to the strains of Vivaldi's "Largo" from the "Winter" suite of the Four Seasons.
As my bridesmaids started down the aisle, our string quartet, who had prima donna-ish-ly insisted that they had played zillions of weddings and that there was no reason for them to be at the rehearsal, botched the processional royally -- they restarted "Largo" instead of moving on to the hymn "For the Beauty of the Earth." Fortunately they switched in time for the last two bridesmaids to walk down the aisle to the right song. I was annoyed, but pushed it aside. Because as soon as the last bridesmaid was down the aisle, "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing" started, and it was my turn to walk down the aisle, my dad on my right and my mom on my left.
Of course, being the total goofballs we are, we couldn't resist talking as we walked down the aisle.
Me: "Between not wearing my glasses and this veil, I can't see a damn thing."
Mom: "Hey Dad, are we supposed to remain standing at the end of the walk?"
Dad: "Yikes. I forget. Well, everyone will stand when the bride enters, right? So we'll stand."
We entered the aisle. Everyone turned, but no one stood.
Mom: "No one is standing."
Me: "Eh, close enough."
Dad: "I guess we'll sit then."
And suddenly there we were at the end. I hugged my parents, and extended my hand to a beaming Econo Boy. I grinned at him through my tulle, and as the quartet finished the verse, I whispered, "Hey, want to help me with my veil?"
Econo Boy lifted the veil. Supermaid adjusted it subtly as we ascended the stairs. Katie smiled at us warmly. And the ceremony began.
The processional began with Katie, our officiant, followed by Econo Boy and his parents, then the groomsmen, all to the strains of Vivaldi's "Largo" from the "Winter" suite of the Four Seasons.
As my bridesmaids started down the aisle, our string quartet, who had prima donna-ish-ly insisted that they had played zillions of weddings and that there was no reason for them to be at the rehearsal, botched the processional royally -- they restarted "Largo" instead of moving on to the hymn "For the Beauty of the Earth." Fortunately they switched in time for the last two bridesmaids to walk down the aisle to the right song. I was annoyed, but pushed it aside. Because as soon as the last bridesmaid was down the aisle, "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing" started, and it was my turn to walk down the aisle, my dad on my right and my mom on my left.
Of course, being the total goofballs we are, we couldn't resist talking as we walked down the aisle.
Me: "Between not wearing my glasses and this veil, I can't see a damn thing."
Mom: "Hey Dad, are we supposed to remain standing at the end of the walk?"
Dad: "Yikes. I forget. Well, everyone will stand when the bride enters, right? So we'll stand."
We entered the aisle. Everyone turned, but no one stood.
Mom: "No one is standing."
Me: "Eh, close enough."
Dad: "I guess we'll sit then."
And suddenly there we were at the end. I hugged my parents, and extended my hand to a beaming Econo Boy. I grinned at him through my tulle, and as the quartet finished the verse, I whispered, "Hey, want to help me with my veil?"
Econo Boy lifted the veil. Supermaid adjusted it subtly as we ascended the stairs. Katie smiled at us warmly. And the ceremony began.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Vignette 5: Rain, rain, go away
When Econo Boy and I decided to have our ceremony outside, we of course made sure we had a contingency plan for bad weather, but we never thought for a moment that we'd actually *need* it. Colorado is bone dry in the summer. Rainstorms in the summer are short, few, and far between ...
... except, as it turns out, in the summer of 2009, the wettest Colorado summer since 1882, when they began tracking rainfall.
The forecast all week had been for "possible PM thunderstorms." And sure enough, just as my bridesmaids and I left the salon, it started sprinkling. The rain soon cut out, but three hours later, as the ceremony setup was completed, it began to rain again.
To my surprise, I was completely calm as I watched the drops fall from the window of the bridal dressing room. It was still an hour before the ceremony, and in my heart of hearts I believed that the patch of blue sky was coming towards us just quickly enough.
For the first look and the wedding party photos, our brave photographer posed us under the mansion's awning and stood out in the rain, cheerfully ignoring the drops as he called instructions to us. (I am absolutely dying to get our photos back!) I periodically shook my bouquet dramatically at the sky and told the rain to stop, never seriously considering that it wouldn't.
And then somehow, miraculously, as the guests began to arrive ... it stopped. My optimism was rewarded! Once the clear weather had held for 15 minutes, our wonderful DOC declared the ceremony a "go!"
... except, as it turns out, in the summer of 2009, the wettest Colorado summer since 1882, when they began tracking rainfall.
The forecast all week had been for "possible PM thunderstorms." And sure enough, just as my bridesmaids and I left the salon, it started sprinkling. The rain soon cut out, but three hours later, as the ceremony setup was completed, it began to rain again.
To my surprise, I was completely calm as I watched the drops fall from the window of the bridal dressing room. It was still an hour before the ceremony, and in my heart of hearts I believed that the patch of blue sky was coming towards us just quickly enough.
For the first look and the wedding party photos, our brave photographer posed us under the mansion's awning and stood out in the rain, cheerfully ignoring the drops as he called instructions to us. (I am absolutely dying to get our photos back!) I periodically shook my bouquet dramatically at the sky and told the rain to stop, never seriously considering that it wouldn't.
And then somehow, miraculously, as the guests began to arrive ... it stopped. My optimism was rewarded! Once the clear weather had held for 15 minutes, our wonderful DOC declared the ceremony a "go!"
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Wine Wednesday: Ironstone Vineyards Obsession
We interrupt our recaps to bring: a return of Wine Wednesday, and a brief rant on the liquor laws in my new state.
I don't think it's telling you too much to say that Econo Boy and I have relocated to the Boston area. (We're American academics, it's sort of inevitable.) There are many things I like about our new home, including the beautiful wine and liquor store that's literally just around the corner (time from front door to wine shop: 3 minutes).
But I cannot stand MA liquor laws! We can't have anything shipped here, taxes on alcohol are through the roof, and to combat underage drinking, some stores only take a MA driver's license as proof of age. I look young, I'm always carded, and I'm OK with that. I respect that there are strict penalties for selling to teenagers. But at 27 years old I hardly expected to have a bottle of Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc nastily snatched away from me by a very unpleasant woman at a Costco in Waltham, with the snotty announcement that it would be ILLEGAL to sell to someone offering another state's driver's license as proof of age. Yeesh.
Fortunately, our corner wine store is much friendlier, and didn't bat an eye at our out-of-state licenses. They also stock a wide range of unusual wines, including this one that Econo Boy and I opened the other night: Obsession, from Ironstone Vineyards, made from the Symphony grape (a hybrid of Muscat and Grenache Gris).
I don't think it's telling you too much to say that Econo Boy and I have relocated to the Boston area. (We're American academics, it's sort of inevitable.) There are many things I like about our new home, including the beautiful wine and liquor store that's literally just around the corner (time from front door to wine shop: 3 minutes).
But I cannot stand MA liquor laws! We can't have anything shipped here, taxes on alcohol are through the roof, and to combat underage drinking, some stores only take a MA driver's license as proof of age. I look young, I'm always carded, and I'm OK with that. I respect that there are strict penalties for selling to teenagers. But at 27 years old I hardly expected to have a bottle of Kim Crawford Sauvignon Blanc nastily snatched away from me by a very unpleasant woman at a Costco in Waltham, with the snotty announcement that it would be ILLEGAL to sell to someone offering another state's driver's license as proof of age. Yeesh.
Fortunately, our corner wine store is much friendlier, and didn't bat an eye at our out-of-state licenses. They also stock a wide range of unusual wines, including this one that Econo Boy and I opened the other night: Obsession, from Ironstone Vineyards, made from the Symphony grape (a hybrid of Muscat and Grenache Gris).
Image from Wine.com.I've started making a point of trying anything that looks "weird," and a grape I'd never heard of in a Riesling-shaped bottle, selling for $9, caught my attention. The wine was juicy, with lots of tropical fruit (pineapple, mango, and even a hint of starfruit), and had a clean finish. It was clearly thoughtfully made. But to be honest, it was a bit sweet for us -- I think we needed a spicier dish than the fairly tame stir-fry we were eating to really stand up to its sugar. I'm not sure if I'd buy it again, but if you like sweeter wines, this one is worth a look.
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
Vignette 4: Tree Pose
The morning of the wedding, I woke up feeling rested and happy. My bridesmaids, who were staying next door, came over for breakfast (mmm, leftover brunch muffins), and a lovely, lazy morning began.
But despite getting some exercise and eating some snacks, the nerves began to build. I had to force down the light lunch of tuna salad and grapes my mom prepared. And so every half hour or so, I started stepping into Tree Pose to quiet the butterflies in my tummy.
Image from fitsugar.com.
I'm actually not that good at Tree Pose, but I did find that it helped to just stand perfectly still, on one leg, breathing deeply and focusing as best I could. Before I knew it, 1:30 had arrived, and Supermaid rolled up in her car to drive us all to our hair and makeup appointments!
And who met us there? Econo Boy!
OK, I know what you're thinking, bad luck, etc. etc. etc. But Econo Boy and I aren't very superstitious. What we are, is a pair of dorks. We couldn't stand not seeing each other until 4:30 pm, so Econo Boy scheduled his hair clean-up for the same time as my makeup appointment. Feeling his arms around me was wonderful. I won't pretend that all my nerves went away, but seeing him then was just about the best, most soothing thing I could have asked for. Way better than tree pose.
But despite getting some exercise and eating some snacks, the nerves began to build. I had to force down the light lunch of tuna salad and grapes my mom prepared. And so every half hour or so, I started stepping into Tree Pose to quiet the butterflies in my tummy.
Image from fitsugar.com. I'm actually not that good at Tree Pose, but I did find that it helped to just stand perfectly still, on one leg, breathing deeply and focusing as best I could. Before I knew it, 1:30 had arrived, and Supermaid rolled up in her car to drive us all to our hair and makeup appointments!
And who met us there? Econo Boy!
OK, I know what you're thinking, bad luck, etc. etc. etc. But Econo Boy and I aren't very superstitious. What we are, is a pair of dorks. We couldn't stand not seeing each other until 4:30 pm, so Econo Boy scheduled his hair clean-up for the same time as my makeup appointment. Feeling his arms around me was wonderful. I won't pretend that all my nerves went away, but seeing him then was just about the best, most soothing thing I could have asked for. Way better than tree pose.
Monday, August 3, 2009
Vignette 3: In which BiE truly begins to enjoy her wedding weekend
My mother-in-law completely outdid herself with the rehearsal dinner. It was western-themed, with BBQ food, adorable table settings, wildflowers everywhere, and 75 chocolate daisy lollipops, hand-made by Econo Boy's mom.
And they were yummy, too!
It started with a cocktail hour outside, then moved in for BBQ food and fun. I got to meet Econo Boy's aunts, uncles, and cousins, and he got to meet mine. I saw friends I hadn't seen in ages -- including apricot, a friend from summer camp (we were both counselor-type people) who I hadn't seen since 2005! The moments with all of these people were, of course, way too brief. I could have spent hours hanging out with every one of them, but had to settle for hugs and short conversations and the excitement of knowing they were there.
The slideshow (yes, we did the mandatory baby pictures-to-adults slideshow) was adorable. The toasts made us laugh and cry. Highlights included my former Girl Scout leader's subtle reference to that time I barfed on a camping trip (her advice to Econo Boy included "don't feed BiE s'mores and hot dogs for dinner"), much teasing about our braininess/geekiness, a rather embarassing picture of Econo Boy that I won't describe here, and two stories about me drinking, both prefaced with, "Now, BiE *never* drank."
I had so much fun that when I finally got to bed, I slept until 9 the next morning, after several consecutive nights of tossing and turning and waking up at 6:30. It was darn near perfect.
And they were yummy, too!It started with a cocktail hour outside, then moved in for BBQ food and fun. I got to meet Econo Boy's aunts, uncles, and cousins, and he got to meet mine. I saw friends I hadn't seen in ages -- including apricot, a friend from summer camp (we were both counselor-type people) who I hadn't seen since 2005! The moments with all of these people were, of course, way too brief. I could have spent hours hanging out with every one of them, but had to settle for hugs and short conversations and the excitement of knowing they were there.
The slideshow (yes, we did the mandatory baby pictures-to-adults slideshow) was adorable. The toasts made us laugh and cry. Highlights included my former Girl Scout leader's subtle reference to that time I barfed on a camping trip (her advice to Econo Boy included "don't feed BiE s'mores and hot dogs for dinner"), much teasing about our braininess/geekiness, a rather embarassing picture of Econo Boy that I won't describe here, and two stories about me drinking, both prefaced with, "Now, BiE *never* drank."
I had so much fun that when I finally got to bed, I slept until 9 the next morning, after several consecutive nights of tossing and turning and waking up at 6:30. It was darn near perfect.
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