‘Especially if they both involve the same two people.’
Yes, I’ve been AWOL for a couple of weeks now. But I have a very good excuse. (Many good excuses, actually, but I’ll stick with this one for right now.)
*sigh* The gorgeous Lake Louise setting. The Child pointed out that this is the second time she’s tied the knot in a National Park
The Child had a big ole wedding up in Canada. At Lake Louise — which, if you haven’t been there, is well worth the trip — with a whole week’s worth of ramp-up activities in Banff the week before. (Ditto Banff.) There was so much going on — hiking and rafting and gondola-ing and line dancing — that I didn’t have time to do my PT much less weigh in with blog posts.
Gondola-riding with a Great-Niece
Now, I have time — but so much material I can’t possibly put it all in one measly post. So I’ll focus on explaining why, since Her Childness has been legally hitched for more than a year (see the delightfully scenic “Runaway Bride” for the story) — why, oh why, she and the SIL had another wedding.
Wedding Number One: If you make a toast in the Grand Canyon and there’s no one there to hear it, are you really married?
I’m going to crib a bit from my wedding speech here. (Yes, I was asked to say a few words — but only after reassuring The Child Bride that I most absolutely would not entertain the wedding crowd with tales of Old Discarded Boyfriends.)
Child and SIL take their turn at the podium, Child looking decidedly relieved at my not mentioning old BFs
I started by pointing out that His Dudeness and I had not had a wedding. Yes, we got married, but that was pretty much it. We thought at the time that we would have a party for our family and friends after we got back from our wedding trip. Then it was, “Oh, we’ll have a party on our first anniversary.” Well, that anniversary passed, and so did the fifth and the tenth. The twentieth and thirtieth.
Mr. and Mrs. Dude, almost 40 years ago. A hot dog stand, but no party
And, gosh, the ole anniversary odometer will be turning over to 40 before too long — and still no celebration. (See “Party of Two” for a story of one of our non-celebrations.)
Another shot of Dude and Child strolling the aisle. Note uncanny resemblance. Yup, I was a conduit
Okay, you may be asking, but who cares? Why is having a celebration so important? I mean, other than that it’s so much fun to drink champagne and make toasts and dance like a crazy person and go skinny-dipping at two AM.
During the dancing, but before the skinny dipping
The reason is that weddings are pretty much the only time the family and friends of the bride and the groom ever get together. (Well, except for funerals, though I tactfully omitted mentioning that in my speech.) This was the first time I’d seen my brothers since my Mom’s 90th birthday party three years ago.
Here we are, all dressed up and ready to party: all five Henry kids, together again after three long years
And where else but a wedding am I going to get to trade sibling stories with the SIL’s great aunt on his mother’s side? Or scramble up a mountain with his Dad’s sister? Or dance with members of his college track team?
SIL’s Dad’s sister, plus Oldest Younger Bro Scott, Dude Man and Me, plotting our next move on the Scary Horrible Hike (story to follow, or not)
Yes, having another wedding — a wedding celebration — was a pretty cool idea. So cool, that maybe The Dude and I might rustle up a celebration for our 40th anniversary, after all. Though I think we’ll skip the 2 AM skinny dip. That’s a memory that would last a lifetime — but for all the wrong reasons.
Photo courtesy one of the 2 AM skinny-dippers (not me, thank goodness)
New York. August 2022
Wonderful story. Beautiful wedding. If you have a 40th party make sure you do it in a national park!! Love and hugs to you all. xoxo
So glad you enjoyed the story, Nance! It was a truly beautiful wedding. *sigh* Oh! Is Central Park a national park? At any rate, if we do have a 40th party, you’ll be at the top of the list. For one thing, you’d get to meet my sister (!)
What a beautiful wedding and what a beautiful post!
Why, thank you Mykal! So glad you enjoyed it. I’m still pinching myself!
Alice, thank you for sharing your wedding stories — so amazing and lovely and it is GREAT to see the five sibs together, just beaming and looking very Henry-ish. I was just talking about weddings with my ‘we don’t need no papers from the city hall’ daughter and described a wedding as the best party, wildest time, most fun ‘do you will ever get to throw for yourself. Ever. As long as you both shall live. Full stop. Wishing all of you love and happiness, all the time, always — and yes, throw yourselves a wild one for the fortieth, by all means ♥️
Wow, Teresa! I’m on a bus right now. (Don’t ask.) But couldn’t wait to reply to your message. All the road bumps on the LIE can’t stop me from saying that I couldn’t agree with you more about the power of weddings. Feel free to show Miss Wedding Reluctant photos of the Happiest Bride on the Planet (AKA The Child). Fingers crossed she’ll change her mind. You deserve a good skinny dip. xoxo
How wonderful that they had a wedding. Memories that last a lifetime!
Yes! That’s it exactly. I took no photos, since I wanted to revel in the experience. So glad others felt differently, since I am not only glad of the memories but the pictures as well!
Sounds like this was a grand time, Alice. I probably would have needed a private hospital room to recover from the hiking though.
The hiking was INTENSE, Judy. The wedding was so fabulous, though, that I forgot all my fear. Kidding