Friday, March 02, 2007

Friday Favourites - My wedding memories





I think there's something in the air, or at least people everywhere have been struck with wedding fever because every where I turn, someone's getting married or having an anniversary or just writing about their weddings. I had this post written out in my head for over a week, since I wrote this, and people asked to see my 'fat wedding photos.' Here we go...

I was 18 when I got married. Was it too young? Probably. Do I regret it? Not at all. I had fun planning my wedding, I've been blessed with a great marriage, a beautiful son. Here are my favourite memories...

THE DRESS
When I was back in America, after N and I were engaged, I was at work (a fast food restaurant, classy) and flicking through one of the million wedding magazines I had to have, eyeing up all those hugely expensive, lavish wedding gowns and cursing my bad luck that I wasn't born into family with MONEY. I let out a big sigh and told myself silently that I would find a perfect dress for less money somehow, and that I'd be HAPPY even though I didn't have a designer dress. I pushed the magazine away, and there in front of me is the answer to my wedding dress problems. It was the front page of the local paper. The photo is of rows and rows of wedding dresses (I wish I'd kept that paper). I couldn't believe my luck and quickly started reading.

Apparently, this great new charity had started up called Making Memories Breast Cancer Foundation whose goal is to grant wishes to terminal cancer patients. (Literally the patients' dying wishes - to send their family on one last holiday of a lifetime, to do up their home, whatever would set their minds at ease. It made me cry just hearing about all the great things this charity has done) Their leading fundraising event? Women all over the country donate their used wedding gowns, and Making Memories sell on the dresses at reasonable prices. They tour the country with their gowns and raise as much money as possible, selling wedding gowns, veils, bridesmaid's dresses, shawls, accessories. I couldn't believe my luck. It started in Portland, and then came to my hometown, Eugene, Oregon. Here's another great story. Oprah had heard of the new charity, had the charity on her show, and as a surprise, had a top wedding designer donate a number of new dresses in different sizes to the charity and set an upper-limit on the prices for these dresses.

Here's where I came in. I called my best friend and bridesmaid-to-be, Diane to help me pick out a dress, and my father, who said he'd buy my dress for me, and told them to meet me downtown at this place. I, of course got there a million years early and started combing through the dresses. I quite liked a lot of the vintage-style dresses, but nothing was perfect. I didn't like this neckline, or the arm holes were too much of a squeeze and I tried on over a dozen not-quite-rights. I didn't have a particular style or look I was going for, but I knew as soon as I saw my dress that it was the one, and I took home that designer dress I wanted, in my size and for $500. (Sadly, when I moved to England, I wasn't able to work for 6 months and put on a lot of weight because I didn't have anything to except sit around our flat and put on weight. I had to have a last-minute adjustment to have my dress 'let out' SIGH.)

Because of the style of this dress, I had to wear a large hoop. I'd only tried the hoop on once from the shop I'd hired it from, and on the day, I was so nervous and flighty, I managed to put the hoop on inside-out, with the scratchy bits against my legs. I didn't realise until the reception!

THE RINGS
N and I got married in December of 2000, but the previous May, N's father passed away. Under different circumstances, we may have postponed the wedding, but everything was too complicated because of my entry visa and moving to a different continent and all. But N's father's death was pretty fresh in everyone's minds, and N and I wanted him to be part of our ceremony somehow. Our wedding bands was the perfect way to do this. We had a jeweller melt down N's father's engagement ring and create our two wedding bands with the gold. Then, they were engraved with 'N + M Forever'

During the ceremony, the priest, this great guy called Father Michael asked N's best man for the rings. Andrew placed them on this tray and then Fr Michael blessed them with holy water. On the tray, N had no idea which ring was meant for him and which was meant for me, and he took a chance and grabbed the wrong one. He has smaller fingers than I do, and it got stuck around my knuckle. We had to swap rings discreetly after the ceremony!

There's more to write, about what my dad said to me before he walked me down the aisle, how I felt when I walked into our reception, the fact that our cake almost melted... but this is enough, I didn't realise I'd write so much. Thank you in advance to anyone who participates this week in Friday Favourites - please sign the Mr Linky so everyone can share the fun! Remember, you don't have to follow my example and can write about any current favourite of yours, just let me know, all right? And enjoy!

9 comments:

  1. Hi Michelle-

    I'll be joining you tomorrow! Also, I am the moderator for memes & writing prompts over at moms of grace so I'll be sure to mention Friday Favourites next week. (I list daily memes the day before their featured).

    Blessings-
    Jennifer

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  2. What a great story about your wedding dress and your rings! Thank you for sharing :)

    And I think you look great in your wedding pictures. Happy and beautiful--exactly how a bride should look on her wedding day!

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  3. I love planning my wedding. I am having so much fun doing it. I love hearing about your story...how great about the rings...thats so sweet.

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  4. I'm a little late this week but up and running now! :-) Next week I'll be better & prepare the night before!

    Great pics!!!

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  5. Thanks for sharing! And that is a beautiful dress!

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  6. I love wedding photos and I've only seen a few of yours!

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  7. I was out of town all weekend so couldn't participate in your FF! You look beautiful and I love the Ring Story!

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  8. You look so happy and not fat at all!

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  9. How did I miss this one? What a beautiful story. I love that you found your dress. I love the bit about the rings too.

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