In all seriousness, though, going to this wedding was a terrific way for me to get a sense of perspective. It was very, very, in every way different than ours. And that was great for me to see. That, even though ours was entirely different, it was EXACTLY what I wanted (particularly our ceremony). The music was spectacular (more to come on that later, though if you've never heard 'Evening Hymn,' I urge you to download it immediately. It's the piece that the choir sang after our blessing and before our recessional, and it's one of those pieces that makes me believe in God it's so beautiful.), the officiant was loud but not overbearing (and there was no homily!), I smiled, Preston smiled, and the whole occasion was this wonderful combination of solemnity and joy.
This wedding was in a small chapel, which is just a very different setting than St. Stephen's (for those of you who don't know St. Stephen's, it's a GORGEOUS, very regal church, I think), and the officiant was much more casual than Reverend Wells was during our ceremony. We were pretty formal, which was exactly what I'd wanted. This wedding was a Catholic service in the chapel at Georgetown, and while our vows were quite similar, one piece that was missing from today was the charge to the congregation to support the couple in their married life. When we were standing in front of everyone on our wedding day, it was so thrilling to hear Reverend Wells ask the congregation if they would support us, and then to hear this resounding "WE WILL" from behind. I know that's just an Episcopalian part of the ceremony, but it's one I really love. It also makes me really glad that we've decided to make our home in the Episcopalian church. It's so welcoming and lovey dovey. Which I completely love. HUGS ALL AROUND!
At any rate, we got back and opened a few wedding presents that Preston's mom brought up from Richmond (they had been delivered to our parents' houses), and we're 2 for 4. We got a lamp from my high school Latin teacher which I love, a carafe from a friend of Preston's family which is also really nice, our THIRTEENTH place setting (we registered for ten, but decided to keep twelve because we're klutzy. the thirteenth is going back to Macy's, though), and then a pair of monogramed towels that have my WRONG monogram on them. I know this will forever confuse people, but because I have a double name (Mary Frances), and because I'm not attached to my Dad or his side of the family, I have completely dropped my maiden name from my monogram. I was formerly MFN, am now MFB, and these towels have me as MNB. I was probably asking for it by dropping the 'N,' but SIGH. It was very, very thoughtful of these people, it's just...what can I really say but SIGH I'm sorry you're going to get a thank you note that has my ACTUAL monogram on the front of it. OOPS. Maybe I can use the You're a Rockstar! notes I got from Target last week. Somehow I don't think those would go over well with this woman, who's an old colleague of Gussie's. I don't think that she would appreciate anything with a rhinestone on the exclamation point dot. Which is tragic.
In other news, it's officially my birthday (the 15th), and because my birthday generally sucks I like to aim low and assume that it's going to be just another day of writing thank you notes and pretending to pack for our honeymoon (when I'll really probably not pack until Monday, when we leave). And normally I don't advertise my birthday, but you know what it's my blog and I can do whatever I want. Which makes me feel like a real, live adult. Fantastic.
happy (belated) birthday!!!
ReplyDelete