Sunday, June 17, 2007

Where Ever We're Together, That's My Home*

Twelve years ago, today, Husband and I stood up, in front of our assembled families and friends, on the hottest day of the summer, and promised to love one another until the end of time.


My grandfather sang an old-fashioned hymn in his beautiful, deep baritone that brought tears to my eyes, and my veil nearly caught on fire in the unity candle as Husband lifted it over my head.


And it was hot. Wow. Was it ever hot. And I think we got married in the last church in Ohio that didn't have air conditioning in it's sanctuary. (Earlier in the day, my grandfather and I had actually had a fight - in which he took the reasonable side and suggested that lighting 48 enormous candles along the aisle was an incredibly poor choice on a day that was already 95 degrees at 10 AM, and I took the bridezilla side and insisted that I was only getting married once and I was going to have my 48 candles come hell or high water or obscene temperatures. (I cannot remember what was significant about the number of candles. I only remember it was important at the time.) And my grandpa, a man who had raised 5 daughters, recognized the insanity glowing in my heat-stroked eyes, and gave in. I miss that man.)


It was hot, and my groom and his groomsmen were wearing three piece grey wool tuxedos. We had an amazing wedding cake, made by mother, who, among her many many talents, is an extraordinary cake creator (I guess that a Bachelor's Degree in Sculpture can have unusual applications in the real world.) The heat made my mother fret that our cake would collapse, but, it didn't.

We made our getaway in a vintage Ford Mustang, and that night, we danced to the theme song to the movie The Princess Bride. (Mark Knopfler's "Storybook Love.")

And twelve years later, on a day as hot as our wedding day, I just want to say to Husband, you are my best friend, you are my passion, you are my everything.

Home is just another word for you*...

LM

*Stolen shamelessly from "You're My Home" by Billy Joel.


9 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

awwww, this is so romantic. Happy Anniversary!!
I love that song - of course, you know how much I love the Princess Bride. :)
Our church (in downstate NY) was also crazy hot and not air conditioned when we got married in late June. Seriously, how were there any churches left without some kind of air conditioning in states that get that hot?
Hope you had a wonderful anniversary and that your hubby had a great Father's Day too!

Monday, June 18, 2007 1:10:00 AM  
Blogger niobe said...

I hope you got some good pictures of your 48 (!) candles. I don't know why I find the concept of all those candles so hilarious.

Hope you had a very happy anniverary.

Monday, June 18, 2007 8:09:00 AM  
Blogger S. said...

Happy Anniversary! Glad the cake didn't melt. We are Princess Bride fans here too, that was a great choice for a song. I love that Sandy Patty song "Love will be our home." sort of the same idea.

Monday, June 18, 2007 9:14:00 AM  
Blogger maxhelcal said...

Happy anniversary Gretchen and Dave! What a wonderful memory. Funny, but some of my most fond childhood memeories involve scorching hot heat. Something romantic about it I guess.

~Michelle

Monday, June 18, 2007 10:27:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Oh my gosh, that is beautiful!!! Wool, candles and 100 degree days but somehow you make it sound romantic :-) Happy Anniversary!

Monday, June 18, 2007 10:55:00 AM  
Blogger Danielle said...

I too remember the heat of that day... I tried so hard not to pass out during the ceremony! Happy Anniversary to the both of you! What a wonderful family was made that day.

Miss you

Monday, June 18, 2007 5:41:00 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I know I'm a couple days late now, but happy anniversary! Ours was a scorcher, too. And only window air conditioners where we had our reception! And, of course, my dress was long-sleeved. In July. What was I thinking?

Tuesday, June 19, 2007 9:48:00 AM  
Blogger Space Mom said...

Happy Anniversary from one Junebe to another!

Tuesday, June 19, 2007 11:03:00 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Happy Anniversary (a bit belated) What fantastic memories of that day. :)

Tuesday, June 19, 2007 8:24:00 PM  

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