A Wedding Do-Over?

I get a kick out of weddings...always have.  The beautiful brides, the fabulous attire, the promise of a future together, the partying.... always been a fan.  And this time of year, I think back to the hottest day of the summer of '72...yep, our 42nd anniversary is coming up.

My own wedding was nice but by today's standards?  Oh, my...

Getting hitched in August was dictated by the fact that hubby was a teacher/football coach and the timing was right.  The fact that it would be hotter than hell in the church and at the reception never entered our minds.

It may seem odd but I never tried on a wedding dress.  My Mom, who was a great seamstress, made my dress.  I guess we knew what style would look good on me and went with that.  (How's that for confidence in your Mom?) Maybe that's why I watch TV shows  like ,"Say Yes To The Dress".  Those girls go on and on about finding "the perfect gown".  They parade around in several and choose the one that will "make their fairytale come true".  (Well, ladies, it won't... Your "fairy tale" will take more work than picking out a wedding gown...)  And maybe someone should tell the one bride on that show that the huge tattoo on her back kinda ruins the demure look she's going for!

Our wedding took place in a Catholic church and the bridal party, made up of family members and friends, looked great.   Missing was a sister who was 7 months pregnant...she had to sit it out, as pregnancy wasn't a good condition for a bridesmaid back in the 70's.  Seems silly now, doesn't it?  She was and is my best friend - she was  instead a "hostess" at the reception.

The girls in the wedding  all wore white and carried a single red carnation. Simple but classy.   The fellas looked a little hungover because the bachelor party took place the night before.  There were no destination bachelor party weekends like there are today -unless you count the notorious (in the 70's) Newport, Kentucky a destination, where they bar-hopped to.

I wasn't kidding when I said it was the hottest day of the summer.  And none of the places we'd be in were air conditioned.  Having my hair done in the morning was a total waste of money!   After the hair appointment, several of us decorated our reception site -a high school cafeteria!     I looked like a drowned rat by noon and the wedding was at 1:30...  Great!  

The wedding turned out to be lovely...the reception, a fun affair, with people we loved, beer and pop, a band, the traditional cake, dancing - in that  sweltering cafeteria!

And when the wedding was over, our old local paper, every Sunday, had write-ups of the weddings that took place the day before.  Giving a detailed description of the bride's gown, the bridesmaids' dresses, even the mothers of the bride and groom's attire...  It told the whole world where the couple was going on their honeymoon and  what the bride would wear - called the "trousseau"  - a fancy word for the bride's going- away outfits.  Ha!  (What was THAT about? And who cared?)

That day in August, in my hand-made wedding gown, with sweaty wet hair, was the   beginning of 42 years of a terrific marriage and I wouldn't change one moment of it.  And I know my folks did the best they could in making our day special.  But if I didn't think I'd look totally ridiculous in a white frilly dress and veil, I'm thinking I should have a wedding do-over.  Whatcha think?