(My thanks to Christopher Seal for the photo.) As you can see, the weather was perfect, the setting beautiful, and the Stetsons dominated the groom's side. A justice from the California Court of Appeal conducted the ceremony; the ring-bearer (studying the lucky horseshoe he carried) was the bride's two-and-a-half-year-old nephew; the flower girl was the groom's four-year-old niece.
Afterwards, we sat down to a wonderful dinner in this beautifully decorated barn (again, Easterners, we're out West here, remember?):
Beautifully planned, beautifully executed -- and once I had escorted my daughter down the aisle, my tasks were done! It was a truly memorable day.
Normal blogging will resume in a few days. No one can be a curmudgeon when basking in such warmth and love. My thanks to all those who have sent their congratulations and best wishes.
Dear Mr. Haley,
ReplyDeleteYou, your wife, and the happy couple have my prayers of thanksgiving for the joyous occasion, and also that God will grant them a long, happy and fruitful marriage filled with His continual blessings.
Pax et bonum,
Keith Töpfer
Congrats!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations - and may their marriage by greatly blessed!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations! I join Keith in praying that they will have a wonderful and will be a blessing.
ReplyDeleteLet's hear about the western menu for the wedding reception.
ReplyDeleteAs you might imagine, Fr. Rob, we were integrating two cultures with this wedding -- but the key was the bride and groom, who were at home in both camps, and who chose the menu. Thus for appetizers, there were oysters and Champagne on one side of the barn, and sausages, mustard and four kinds of beer on the other. The dinner itself was served at stations -- you could start (or end) with the salad station, or the vegetarian/grilled vegetables station, or the meat (slow roasted prime rib) or fish (halibut en croute) stations; and there was even a kids' station, with macaroni and cheese, hot dogs and fries.
ReplyDeleteTo accompany the food, there were (in addition to the beer and Champagne) white, red and rosé wines from our local winery (again, the bride and groom had blended the red specially for this occasion, and bottled it last year; they gave out bottles as presents, and will still have enough to celebrate their anniversaries for many years to come). Servers moderated the portions so that no one consumed more than was good for them, and no one needed to call a taxi to get home.
The bride did not want a wedding cake -- she chose a dessert that harkened back to her days of picking fresh berries with her sisters, making small pies, and selling them to passers-by at the street corner. So we had three kinds of freshly baked (and still warm) pie -- marionberry, lemon meringue and strawberry rhubarb -- with optional vanilla ice cream and whipped cream accompaniment. Needless to say, everyone found something they could like, and the caterer pulled it all off splendidly.
I love that strong blue!
ReplyDeleteWhat a blessing and so wonderful how the feast continues with all of the joyful superlatives and pictures. Truly, the special guest showed up and blessed the wedding with his presence and signs.
A.S.
ReplyDeleteNow you've gone and done it. Here I was taking a brain break and you whet my appetite with that discription of the dinner.
I pray that your daughter and son-in-law have a good and long marriage.
Mr. Haley, What a beautiful wedding, a beautiful day and a beautiful Bride! A feast in every way!
ReplyDeleteMay the Lord bless this dear young couple with all the joy and blessings that married life can bring and give them wisdom, faithfulness, forbearance, forgiveness, faith, hope, peace, truth and love - all things needed to keep them one in heart and mind - together eternally, forever and ever, Amen.