The Big Day

Amazingly, after 40 days and 40 nights of rain, the sun came out...

O.k. that is an exaggeration. After 14 days of rain, the first really dry day, happened to be the wedding day. Good thing as it was an outdoor wedding at a place called the Woodend Sanctuary, in Chevy Chase, Maryland.

Here, my cousin and his brother, awaiting in the wood alcove for the bride to make her entrance. From the look on his face, that is what she is doing.

The bride on her father's arm, entering the tree alcove.

The vows begin.

The bride is a beautiful person through and through. One thing that is very cool about her is she is always quick to smile and laugh. As they turned and took each others hands to say their vows, the emotion came over her. She started to cry and took a second to regain her composure.

The vows have been said and its time to exchange the rings. The bride again, laughs happily.

Next, the exchange of rings.

I haven't noticed the binding of the hands at a wedding for a while. I think it goes that what God has bound together let no man tear asunder. The final blessing follows.

The Kiss.

They had some really neat personal touches to their ceremony. One was the reading of a portion of the Velveteen Rabbit, the discussion between the toys about what makes you 'real'. I had tears streaming down my face. That story always makes me cry and I gotta tell you there were a lot of kleenexes being pulled out of purses. Then there was a reading from Song of Solomon, everyone was back, even keel now. Then a reading of a poem my cousin wrote his bride the year that they were apart when she finished her last year of college...my tears from everyone. The final personal touch... bag pipes for their exit. Tears again!

My aunt and her grand daughters, who were the bridesmaids.

The reception was held at the the house in the sanctuary, an old estate house.

A tent was set up over the back stone patio. The bar was set up on the front porch.

My cousin and his wife are also very into photography and like me, they photograph weddings for their friends. The photographer they hired is ranked as the best photographer in the Washington, DC area. Here they are being set up for a shot.

The bride trying to get her veil to blow in the wind.

My cousin and her nieces.

The groom's brother and bestman, his girlfriend and friends from Germany and Holland.

The grand entrance as Mr. and Mrs.

Another surprise for the couple, a quilt made by family and friends. Months ago, directions were sent out to a bunch of people to make either large or small squares that you would sign and write good wishes to the couple. All the squares were assembled and quilted and, well, it was a big surprise when it was presented.

The bride is again, overcome with emotion as she thanks everyone.

The first dance.

I love this shot of my cousin. He looks so in love!

Sitting down for dinner. We all chuckled, one of the flower girls was seated at the "Singles" table. Her parents (My cousins) were sitting at the table right next to her. Her dad told her she needed to participate in the conversation. She was such a good sport. Funnier yet, a young man was assigned to sit at this table also, but there were no open seats. He couldn't tell a four-year-old to move. Both the young man and this little flower girl were saved when the groom's mother ushered her over to the kids table. The kids table was set up very nicely, coloring books, crayons, bubbles, little toys and a dinner of chicken fingers and mac and cheese. Us grown-ups had steak and fish with vegetables.

Yes, I really was there. Here I am with my parents.

All of my cousins laughing and carrying on. We were doing a lot of remembrances of summers at Grandma and Grandpa S's. It is interesting hearing how other people perceived their visits and our Grandparents. My family lived next door -- so my sisters really knew our grandparents. Often, when you are so close to someone and see them everyday, there are things you take for granted or never really noticed - - because that was "just how it was". I'll have to write about this at another time. But it set some gears turning in my mind about something to do.

One of the flower girls coloring - - yes, she is lying on the ground in her pretty dress.

This was the wedding cake. The pieces for the guests were cupcakes. They were filled with coconut cream.

That is me in the middle with a couple cousins.

My cousin dancing with his girls.

What is this? This is the groom playing drums with the band.

There is his wife cheering him on!

He was really good. I never knew my cousin played drums. As you can see everyone was dancing and having a good time.