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June 17, 2008
weddings i have known - family weddings
as i've been researching weddings, and how to plan one, i've been reviewing weddings i've been to over the course of my life. i think it would be helpful to me to summarize them for future reference and to clarify my thoughts. and gee, what better place to do that than in my online journal? because i'm sure you really want to hear me rummage through my memories.
so this is part one, family weddings....
wedding #1: our living room. i was maid of honor. i LOVED MY DRESS and cried a lot. i think we had snacks outside in the yard afterward.
wedding #2: church wedding with a reception at the moose lodge afterward. grandpa was the photographer; he was a great wedding photographer although he never worked professionally. i remember my aunt posing for the formal portrait in the front room at the house in her long, lace dress with the train spread out in a circle behind her. at the ceremony, my great aunt sang and it gave us chills. at the reception my uncle popped a champagne cork off at the nose of the moose on the wall. i tasted champagne and i didn't like it. i think they gave out jordan almonds after the ceremony, in little bits of tulle.
wedding #3: we must have had the ceremony in my grandparents' yard. all i remember-- vaguely-- is the reception in their living room, and the house SO FULL of people.
wedding #4: church ceremony. the couple walked down the aisle together and had no attendants. no photography in the church. reception at an old house in town. heavy snacks, wine and a big cake. i took some nice black and white photos at the reception. no dancing, or favors. this wedding was planned in about three months, which is considered record time these days.
wedding #5: church ceremony which included communion. reception at a nice restaurant in a private room. i remember all the cousins sitting at the same table by choice, i don't think there were table assignments, or favors. i can't remember if it was a buffet or a served dinner. probably not a buffet. there may have been some attempt at dancing.
in summary, very few of these follow the entire formula laid out in the wedding planning book i've been reading, although they all incorporate elements. my family is not so much with the dancing. we have been known to have at-home weddings, or at-home receptions.
not mentioned here are three civil ceremonies that had no guests-- so i didn't attend them, but i heard about them afterward.
none of these weddings were very expensive. my family doesn't have big elaborate tent weddings with ice sculptures, or destination weddings in exotic locales like cabo san lucas.
Posted by lisa at June 17, 2008 10:11 PM
ok, so a) your comment won't post right away because i have to approve it first and b) you might get a server error but your comment probably posted anyway and c) previewing doesn't work so i've removed the preview button.