It was a sixties-style wedding, only 20 people including the Baptist minister and the bride and groom. I was there with my friend. The guests were all family except for three close friends of the couple and the officiating Minister, chosen because his church was rent-free home for innumerable political groups -- and he had consented not to mention God in the service. He did require the couple to attend some pre-marital counseling sessions, but the only thing the bride and groom could remember about them was that at one point he mentioned the wedding ring's circle was a symbol of endless love.
The ceremony took place in the apartment of one of the couple's friends, in the heart of the inner city, not far from the medical center where I work. The groom was wearing a suit. He's a doctor but not much of a suit wearer and this one was from highschool. The bride complained, good naturedly, it had a moth hole. She was wearing a long green dress of Egyptian cotton and I thought she looked stunning.
The pre-ceremony music was Pete Seeger songs, played on a phonograph. The groom's collection and equipment. So after Pete sang a couple of songs and when all the guests had arrived and introduced themselves to each other, the bride and groom stood unceremoniously in front of the Minister, who ceremoniously, did his thing. He was a nice guy. I'm sure what he said was nice, too, but I wasn't paying attention. It wasn't really the point, as far as my friend and I were concerned.
Then off to a function room in an old hotel downtown for a nice dinner. There were some toasts, but the only one I remember was the groom's, a hope for an end to the unpopular war dividing the country. Not exactly wedding toast fare, but the groom was notorious for that kind of thing, so no one was surprised except for the bride's right wing God parents. Everyone else was probably just baffled. It was a sixties-style wedding, after all.
Seven of the 20 are now gone. And the friend I went to the wedding with is no longer just my friend, but my best friend in all the world. 36 years ago today, she was also the loveliest of brides. My bride.
Happy Anniversary, my sweetheart. I (still) love you.
revere, the shameless romantic.
June 10, 2008
- Log in to post comments
More like this
Best wishes and many, many more.
"We are all a little weird and life's a little weird, and when we find someone whose weirdness is compatible with ours, we join up with them and fall in mutual weirdness and call it love." ~Author Unknown
A toast to the lovely bride and groom!
Happy anniversary!
Happy anniversary.
You just brought tears to my eyes.I hope you both have many more wonderful years together.
Reading your lovely post and listening to the song made me tear up. Many people never give themselves to love. I'm glad you did and still do.
Happy anniversary.
Let your experience of strong love experiences God.
God bless you and your family.
Happy Anniversary Revere....... Being married has just never gotten too weird for me, close but not quite.
Thanks for that wonderful story. Happy anniversary!
Happy anniversary, reveres! May you have many many more together.
Kate Wolf had one of the most beautiful voices ever. She was silenced too soon.
Revere, you made me cry... many more happy returns of the day.
Happy Anniversary to both of you!
May you have many more and live to an extreme ripe old age together in total happiness.
Ting, Ting, Ting [on the champaign flute]
Cheers to the Reveres! Many happy returns of the day, and of the days to come.
That's champagne...
Happy Anniversary and may you have many more to come with your lovely lady.
Happy anniversary! That was a lovely post.
Happy anniversary, Revere. I guessed the twist in this post, but it was no less touching for that.
Aww. That was sweet. Congrats!
A soft heart and kind soul you are.
Much love to you and the wife.
My father in law, gave me a very precious gift, a little advice. He said that, every marriage has its ups and downs, and that when I needed to, all I would have to do is remember is how I felt on my wedding day, and all would be well. When my husband and I were saying our vows, I remember feeling an overwhelming sense of love and optimism for the future. A very precious gift indeed.
Congratulations Revere.
Adding my voice to the congratulations, a toast to you both.
Also my best wishes to you and your wife!
I've never read such a lovely post about a wedding anniversary as you can write, Revere!
Congrats Revere's! ! ! I hope this public display of affection allowed you to skip the Hallmark card.
.
Congratulations! I'm crying over here too. That was beautiful.
Wonderful! Congratulations!
First -- Congratulations to you both!
Now, I will mention it again in case your ultra busy life may have caused you to 'misplace' an earlier suggestion: Rent, borrow, or steal a copy of the movie "Across the Universe." After reading this post I am doubly certain you will both enjoy it! It will transport you back to that magical, mystical time we were so very lucky to have had as part of our life's resume.
Congrats to both of you - Now where are the photos?! :)
I'm also thinking about a sixties-style theme for my wedding, but we'll probably go for a more rockabilly style with a band and everything!