The Wedding - Ireland, Day 10

July 19 - At last the day was here!  The wedding of Jenni and Sam was the reason we went to Ireland, and we felt keenly how privileged we were to be able to celebrate with them that day!

Jenni and Sam got married at Kells Presbyterian, that stately old stone building where Jenni and her dad had worshiped and she had taught Sunday School for some number of years.  Derek and I remember the short drive down the road to the church from their home when we visited back in 2007.

April and Tim.  :)  April read Scripture as part of the service.  

 Sam and his three best men taking a selfie before the service began.

 

I don't have many good official-looking wedding photos, and the ones we do have are heavily weighted toward photos of our family, but I chose around 30 of the best of our 120 to share (and this is after my original sifting!).  This moment is just a memory . . . the wigglies while we were all waiting.  :)

No bride's face here, but there is a glimpse of the happy groom's . . .  

They were married by Jenni's pastor from Belfast, where she'd lived in N. Ireland most recently.  And that's all we have from the ceremony, sorry!  I spent the sermon outside with a noisy Ruthie, but I do remember singing at least two hymns/spiritual songs.  The order of their service was different from our own wedding, but the elements were the same with one notable exception.  While music played, the bride and groom and their witnesses signed the marriage certificate in front of everyone.  I loved it!

 Afterward, we took in the beauty of the pew decorations for a bit.  They say that friends of Jenni's crocheted all these lacy jar-holders!  Unique and beautiful.  Later, we helped pack them up to decorate the reception site as centerpieces, etc.  (There's a photo in a bit of many hanging from a barn door.)

It was soon time for Reception stage 1.  :)  The Pastor had invited the general population into the fellowship hall for tea, and I share this photo partly to illustrate how much more care the British put into dressing for weddings than we do.  There were many hats, headdresses, formal updos and semi-formal gowns, even for an afternoon wedding.  It was all lovely!

Friends serving tea, which accompanied a large table of dainty desserts.

Meanwhile, the children played in the nursery and we did our best to capture the two Gemmas.  :)

 Then we drove over to a farm where this cheerful bicycle welcomed us to the Reception, stage 2!  It was something of a working farm, with real animals out in pasture nearby.

(The aforementioned barn door.)

 The waitstaff then welcomed us with teacups full of some kind of creamy soup with leeks in it.  We carried them over to this enchanting sitting area and chased away the July chill(!) with hot sips.  Other servers circled with a couple other trays of starters.



While the bridal party took photos, we explored a little bit and tried to get some portraits of our own, with mixed success. :)
 

Before long, we were all welcomed to find our seats in the barn.  The rumor was that Jenni had brought back these teacup place card favors and coffee beans from a market in Ethiopia.  The children had jelly beans in theirs.  :)

We had lots of laughs over dinner, especially once the speeches started.  The British truly outdo us in speeches!  Both dads spoke, and all three best men spoke (Sam's brothers holding up a bar graph to display the relative number of spankings each sibling received growing up!  According to them, little sister Yolanda had just about none . . . ).  Sam spoke, Gemma's husband Graham spoke . . . and there were probably others, but I had to spend some of the time outside, corralling little ones.

This photo really shows Jenni--trying to get her dinner, yet ready to smile for a random camera while someone else tries to get her attention!  Lovely Yolanda is in the background.

Making friends.  :)

Always the self-forgetting hostess, even on her wedding day, Jenni was soon working her way around the tables, greeting all her guests.  In the course of chatting with our Irish tablemates, John and I learned that the clinking of glasses was a foreign custom to those present, but we decided to try, and clinked in sync, as loud as we could.  Others looked around, a bit confused, but Jenni knew what to do, and quickly found her husband to give him the kiss requested by us Americans.  :)

Cutting the cake . . . after serving us each a large dessert!  There were three choices, and I remember that I had an exceedingly rich and delicious caramel pavlova.  

Then we briefly detained poor Logan, pipe-in-hand, hoping to get a family portrait in front of the stone building.  We tried.   

After dinner, the waitstaff asked us to wander about while they removed the tables from the barn for dancing.

There was plenty to do while we waited.  :)

The children, being darlings . . . Gemma and Graham's girls were so sweet to ours.

The afternoon wore on, and the little ones began wearing out.  :)  I love this photo of Mr. Campbell, being a sweet grandpa.

 

As it grew dark, it was time for Reception, stage 3!  The British outdo us not only in speeches, but in their celebrating!  Since the barn could seat a limited number of people, additional friends were invited as "evening guests," arriving about now in time for a completely new buffet of sausages, sandwiches, chips, more sweets and more tea.  I snapped this photo after the table had been rummaged through a bit and it was growing dark.  

Soon the DJ was ready and the dancing began with a Cèilidh (pronounced "kaylee," I believe), which was practically speaking an Irish barn dance.  :)  A caller organized us into circles, lines, or squares, as each dance required, and walked us through the steps for each one.  It was loads of fun, though a bit hard for our little ones to understand.  Gemma was content to stand in the middle of a circle with all the grownups skipping around her, but Ruthie was tired and confused, so I attempted to dance with her on my hip for a few rounds.

We sat out for a couple of dances, then Sarah and Logan kindly watched our children while we returned to the barn for what became the last "dance" of the Cèilidh--the hat game.  It was like a version of musical chairs, with height being a certain advantage as it involved passing hats to the person behind you and making sure you had one on your head when the music stopped.  I say this because John ended up being one of the two or three finalists.  :)

Then the DJ started playing the usual stuff, and even our little ones had fun with daddy for a song or two.  It was growing late, however, and as it neared 11, we realized the party was going to last longer than we were.  We loaded our exhausted children into the car and drove back up to the coast in the dark after a full day, later seeing photographic evidence that we had missed out on some fire-breathing by abandoning the party so early!

Oh, happy day!  2014 was the year in which the Lord provided good men for two who are so dear to me--my own sister and Jenni.  Not only did He give them good men, but he gave one a graduate of West Point, and the other of Oxford and Harvard!  (I hope you don't mind if I brag on the mercies of the Lord a little bit!)  I'm sure that both will tell you that it was worth waiting a bit longer than they'd expected to be married.  It was similar for me--I never expected to marry a Ph.D., yet here I am.  It's not that education really matters at all; I would rather have a good man with no degree than an educated fool!  (John notes: "I am both, having a degree _and_ and being an educated fool") I only mention it because it's one way in which the Lord blessed exceedingly abundantly beyond all that we asked or thought (or hoped or dreamed!).  To Jenni and Sam!

3 Years Ago

Three years we have been married . . . and I thought you might like to read a bit of an insider's-view of our wedding day.  :)  That is, the whole day, including behind the scenes, from the perspective of the bride!

My brother and I drove home from the rehearsal dinner on Friday, June 24, 2009, and I was in a tizzy of excitement.  It had been a busy day of rushing around town, purchasing coffee and creamer for the reception, plus flowers for my make-your-own-toss-bouquet, but everything culminated in our very organized rehearsal (thanks to our pastor!), and the lovely romantic rainy steak dinner in John's parents' backyard.  Tomorrow was THE day!  

I still had to pack for the honeymoon, so I was rushing about working on that, and trying to keep both John's things and mine to a single carry-on, while my bridesmaids chatted and did their nails.  By about 1 a.m., we all decided to go to bed, ready or not, and my nails would just have to get done in the morning.

I slept in my sister's room with her that night, and awoke around 7 for my hair appointment at 8.  I don't remember if I had any real devotions besides praying in the shower, as was my habit.  I slipped into a snap-up shirt and my dear friends insisted I eat breakfast--of course, I'm not the type ever to skip breakfast!

It was a 10-15 minute drive to town for the hair appointment, and I thought that we would have plenty of time to get ready for our 11:00 wedding.  (I think the girls were all supposed to arrive at 10:30 or earlier for pictures.)  Unfortunately, I threw the hair-dresser a curve ball by telling her that I had re-thought the style she  had loosely put together at the trial two weeks earlier.  Tears started to spring to my eyes when I saw how "big" she was teasing it around my head, so she combed it down until I was happier.  9:00 came and brought the florist to the salon, who dropped off the spray roses I'd requested for my hair (I didn't even get to see her!) and still my hair was not done.  

Finally, I left and drove home, fighting back tears.  Ahhh.  It just wasn't like I had envisioned my wedding hair to be . . . and I arrived home where my bridesmaids were all happily getting ready together, and their hair wasn't quite like I had envisioned it, either.  One tried to comfort me with "Just think--in a few hours, it will all be over, and you'll be heading off on your honeymoon!" but it just made me cry harder, because I had been so looking forward to this big day which we'd been planning in minute detail for nine and a half months.

Now we were crunched for time, too, since it was a half-hour drive to the church and it was already around 10.  The girls energetically attacked me--one painting my finger and toe nails, one starting to put makeup on my face and dear, calm Leah started fixing my hair.  I remember when Jenni started to put something that looked like foundation on my face, and I reacted with a "WAIT!  What is that stuff?"  

"It's very light, Gretch.  My auntie with the ginger hair wears it."  

"Ok!"  

And then someone started trying to put eye-liner on me, and I bristled, "Can Sarah do it?"  (We do our eyeliner similarly.)  ;-)

Quietly, Mom and Dad ushered one, then two carloads of bridesmaids out the door while Leah and I finished preparation.  We slipped on my dress, and I immediately regretted not making a bigger fuss about how low-cut it had turned out at the final fitting.  Mom hurriedly ran to find some lace.  Something borrowed.  Much better.  Except that I wished I had had that bow removed, too . . . oh well.  It was still gorgeous, and it was my primary something new.  

I had no idea what time it was, but Leah assured me that a princess is never late :) and that the wedding would wait for us.  I took a deep breath, rubbed off a bunch of the plum eyeshadow that looked so foreign on my face, and we headed down to the car with my parents.

It was actually a blessing, I think, that we had a half-hour drive to relax before starting the wedding itself.  Dad's phone rang and Mom picked it up, telling someone our ETA of noon.  (I found out later that it was John himself and I was sorry that I didn't get to talk with him!)  But the rest of the drive was peaceful.  It was half an hour of country roads, and I breathed, prayed, quietly sang some hymns to myself, and told myself that it would all be OK as soon I was holding John's hand.

Our amateur photographer greeted our car and got some neat shots of Mom and Heidi putting on my veil and giving me the bouquet.  Another friend hurried to find John, who had my earrings.  He'd been to the jeweler the day before to get our wedding bands engraved, my engagement ring cleaned, and my earring fixed, but the earrings had been forgotten until now.  Something old.

Soon, we all processed up the sidewalk to the church.  I took in the loveliness of my roses and Queen Anne's Lace, pausing to pull out a gaudy rhinestone cross pick and thoughtlessly toss it on the ground.  Next we went to the church basement, aka "holding pen," where my mom-in-law-to-be had been entertaining the ten little ones who were supposed to walk the aisle.  I mildly panicked when I realized that none of the flower girls had the wreaths Heidi and I had spent hours crafting or their baskets.  We were being pressured to begin the wedding without them, but thankfully someone ran to the nursery building across the parking lot to get the box where we'd left them.  (I think it actually took two trips, since the building was locked!)

Finally, we began.  The cream carpet was rolled in and the bridesmaids filed in to Handel's "Largo" from the opera Xerxes (a piece I'd sung in high school for NYSSMA).  Then the trumpet sounded, played by a former math student, and he and the piano triumphantly began Patrick Doyle's "Non Nobis Domine," as taken from the movie Henry V.  The sweet little flower girls took their turns sauntering down the aisle and dropping dried lavender each in her own way.  Next came the little ring bearer, who was actually carrying the rings in a little wooden box. 

At last the music climaxed, and Dad and I stepped through the double doors.  The congregation rose in droves and tears sprang to my eyes again, but they were happy tears this time.  John waited, smiling at the other end, and so many of my dear friends and family beamed at us as we regally marched.  It was everything I had dreamed, and I tried to take in every moment. 

I had been right; as soon as I was holding John's hand, everything was better.  From then on, the ceremony went smoothly as we sang the hymns John had requested, enjoyed the quiet moments of his pastor's short sermon, and feelingly repeated the vows we had painstakingly written for each other.  I remember listening to the sermon and thinking, "please include the gospel . . . please include the gospel . . . excellent, yes! . . .wow . . . excellent!"

Early in our engagement, John had declared to me his intention not to kiss me until our wedding day.  It was to be my first kiss ever, and as the vows concluded and our pastor was giving us a charge, John and I locked eyes and realized the big moment was about to come.  

It was the softest, sweetest, most wonderful thing ever.  :)

We were man and wife!  We all sang "Non Nobis Domine," then, and even the little ones sang as best they could:

*Smile*

My Little Brother Gets Married

Last Saturday, Derek and Liz got married.  It was a beautiful day, a beautiful wedding (Gemma's seventh!), and soon they should be returning from their honeymoon in the Adirondacks!  


We were curious about how Gemma would do as a flower girl, since she is so young!  Thankfully she seemed to hit it off with the junior bridesmaid, with whom she was walking.  All she had to do was to make it down the aisle, where Grammy Reid was waiting to scoop her up and hold her for as long as she would sit quietly.  We've been practicing "quiet time" with family worship, but Gemma's not used to sitting through an hour-long service yet, so the back-up plan was to pass her down the pew to her other Grandma if she started making a scene, and Grandma B would take her out.  Gemma is in love with both of her Grandmas and had a few weeks of bonding time with them before the wedding, so we had high hopes!

The run-throughs at the rehearsal went by almost without a hitch--the second time, Gemma caught a glimpse of Grammy and started backward down the aisle, but the junior bridesmaid stopped and redirected her.  We made a plan to leave a bag with some Cheerios, a drink, and her blanket in the front pew before the wedding the next morning.

That morning, my little flower girl woke up smiling, and I scooped her up with a hug!  When I sat her on the bed with me to do her hair, she was happy to play with the hair ties and hairspray bottle while I wet, moussed, rolled back, and sprayed her 18-month-old hair in the hopes that it would stay put.  As pictures from later in the day reveal, it didn't stay put very well, but it still looked sweet for most of the day!

Our final concern was that the wedding was at 1:00 in the afternoon and Gemma's usual nap time begins at 12:30/1.  When 12:30 came, she started getting a bit antsy and whiny.  John, and then Grammy, took turns walking around with her quietly and generally trying to keep her unstimulated.  

When the piano started playing Canon in D, cuing the bridesmaids to begin the procession, I quietly prayed one final time and took my place, staring my groom in the eyes as I walked down the aisle.  It was fun and a blessing that Derek and Liz asked both of us to be in their wedding and we got to walk together!

After all seven bridesmaids filed in, it was Gemma and the junior bridesmaid's turn!  She took a few steps, stopped, and from the front of the church it looked like she had gotten distracted by the people in the pews around her.  But the two of them quickly resumed their pace, Gemma confidently carrying her basket all the way down the aisle to Grammy.  After the wedding, one of Derek's friends handed me Gemma's darling white shoes.  Apparently, they were the cause of the delay, as they came off her feet almost as soon as she started walking!

The two older flower girls followed, and then the bride and her father entered to a stirring piano rendition of a piece which, I believe, is called "Hymne."  And the wedding continued much like the weddings at our little church usually do, with a welcome, prayer, the giving of the bride, hymns, a short sermon, and the vows.  We sang "I Greet Thee Who my Sure Redeemer Art," "What Wondrous Love is This?" and "In Christ Alone."  My dear father-in-law preached to the couple from 1 Corinthians 13--the love chapter.  And they exchanged simple, traditional-sounding vows.  

To our astonishment, Gemma quickly fell asleep in her Grammy's arms and never had to be taken out!  We were amazed at God's graciousness in this respect, and so thankful!  

Unfortunately, I don't have many proper wedding photos, and those that we do have were just off the iPhone.  But here is a shot of Derek and Liz with all the girls.  Doesn't my brother look handsome in his army uniform?  

Liz had allowed us to choose both the style and even the color of our dresses, within a spectrum of blues.  What a fun and unique decision!  I thought that the colors all looked beautiful together.   

Sisters!  The roses and hydrangeas in our hand-tied bouquets, were gorgeous, too.  (You can credit Gemma for my half-smile in this photo . . . she had lost it at this point.)

On her Daddy's shoulders . . . of course most of our pictures are of Gemma . . . 

Then we all headed to the town hall for a sweet, informal lunch reception of hors d'oerves, sandwiches and cake.  Mom made the cake.  :)  Some day I will find someone with a picture of it . . . 

While most of us were busy toasting and feasting, John and a couple of Derek's friends decorated the car with the supplies Heidi had procured the night before.  They were quite proud of themselves.  :)  The front windshield read "Sparta!"

The beautiful bride and groom!  With, of course, Gemma.  :)  In spite of that brief earlier meltdown, she pulled it together beautifully and was happy for the whole reception!  

 

And one last picture for good measure . . . the two of us:  

Baby #3 is due around Christmas eve.  :)

Congratulations, Derek and Liz!  May you know many years of happiness together, serving Christ and each other as husband and wife!