An Amazing, Beautiful and so very Precious Day

I did not sleep well Tuesday night.  I think I was as excited about the events coming on the next day.  Maybe a little anxious also.  I had written the ceremony for the wedding and I could not read it without weeping a little.  I am so dramatic, so emotional, shoot I cry at Publix (where shopping is a  pleasure) Commercials.  I probably got some sleep, but I remember waking up and checking the clock like a small child waiting for Christmas or their birthday.  I was waiting for a wedding.
Not mine.
No, Falcon and Amanda's wedding
sweet precious childhood sweethearts.
lovely intelligent responsible adults
dear funny giving friends.

I got up a little before 7:00am and checked the cake.  The "wedding cake" was actually a small bundt cake iced with whipped chocolate ganache and the rest of the "cake' were okay.  I had carefully baked them on Tuesday and iced them before I went to bed.  The white cakes were iced with a white shiny icing that I think of as a wedding cake.  The chocolate cupcakes they were also iced with the ganache.  I had also made a vegetable pickled relish with mushrooms, roasted red pepper, olives, capers, onions, olive oil and balsamic vinegar.  Yum.  Quick easy and delicious as a side relish for a meal, or spread on crackers.  I also cut up vegetables for Crudités with a dip.  This way people had snacks to munch on until the wedding and then the cover dish dinner.  Everything seemed okay, so I put the top down on the toy and put a 6 foot ladder in the back seat and headed to the Woman's club.  I got there early, so I left the ladder at the Woman's club and headed over to Winn Dixie for Sunflowers.  I had bought flowers yesterday, but had not picked up the sunflowers, Manda's favorite.  I needed flowers for the bouquet and I needed flowers for the cake and then I wanted to have some flowers for the Wedding table as well as for the food table.  Plus I just love working with flowers  and tend to go over board.  

I picked out my flowers and drove home. I finished the bouquet. It came out beautiful. Sunflowers, gerbra daisies, yellow mums, yellow roses and baby's breath.  Then I made Falcon's boutonniere out of a yellow rose, baby's breath and black silk rose leaves and black ribbon.  I should have taken a photo of the bouquet, it was wrapped with black silky ribbon with gold button pins and at the top a circle of gold filigree with crystals and yellow and black ribbons hanging down from the bottom.

The happy couple

The cake finished, the flowers finished, my contributions to the dinner, finished, the ceremony written and adjusted to Falcon and Manda's wishes, finished.  So off I drove back up to the Woman's Club to help decorate the front steps, and to help set up chairs for the ceremony.  Then to work with Jan as we decorated the inside of the club.  We put down white table cloths, a red one for accent on the food table.  The table that after the wedding would be groaning from the weight of so much food.  We blew up balloons that Jan had picked up and set out the flowers.  I set up the cake:

wedding cake

Mid afternoon, with the chairs in place, the lights set up, the inside ready, we all headed home to get prepared for the big event. 

People starting arriving about 6:00.  Falcon scurried here and there setting up the music, working on problems with the lights, greeting beloved ones who had come in for the pending nuptials.  Manda was stuck inside with all the woman wanting to fuss over her and be a part of this moment with this precious young lady. 

Our sweet beautiful Manda

At Falcon's cue, we got everyone seated for the ceremony.  Falcon and Manda walked together from the front of the building along the sidewalk to where they then entered the park, the side walk lined with luminaries.  The music played, they walked up to the gazebo.  I stood there smiling at how beautiful they looked.  How special this day was, for them, for all of us who were lucky enough to be there.  The service lasted only about five minutes.  Here is what was said:

On behalf of Falcon and Amanda, I would like to thank you for joining in this day to celebrate their marriage.  Marriage is a celebration of two people, two hearts coming together.  It is a joining of two people into a family.  Falcon and Amanda come willing and by their own volition to take these vows in front of their family and friends.  We ask you to support them, love them and to be there for them as they take this first step today as husband and wife.

I, William Falcon Street take you, Amanda Nichole DePotty to be my wife my partner in life and my one true love I will cherish our union and love you more each day than I did the day before.  I will trust you and respect you laugh with you and cry with you loving you faithfully through good times and bad regardless of the obstacles we may face together I give you my hand my heart and my love from this day forward for as long as we both shall live.

I, Amanda Nichole DePotty take you, William Falcon Street to be my husband my partner in life and my one true love I will cherish our union and love you more each day than I did the day before.  I will trust you and respect you laugh with you and cry with you loving you faithfully through good times and bad regardless of the obstacles we may face together I give you my hand my heart and my love from this day forward for as long as we both shall live. 

While Falcon and Amanda exchange rings, I would like to share a poem by Shel Silverstein:

“How Many, How Much”

How many slams in an old screen door?
      Depends how loud you shut it.

How many slices in a bread?

      Depends how thin you cut it.

How much good inside a day?

      Depends how good you live 'em.

How much love inside a friend?

      Depends how much you give 'em

And now I would like to ask for everyone to please stand.  Falcon, Amanda on behalf of your family and friends, it is our honor to be the first to pronounce you Husband and Wife.  You may now seal the union with a kiss.

Ladies and gentleman, Mr. and Mrs. William Falcon Street.

Isn't that a beautiful ceremony?  I managed to make it through the ceremony without crying.  After the ceremony everyone carried their chairs inside and the party began. 

Jack and Jan decorating

falcon setting the lights

putting out the luminaries

view of the ceremony site

Aren't they beautiful?

Conducting the ceremony

Environmentally friendly lanterns being flown off after the ceremony just like in a Disney movie

So many people managed to make this mid week celebration.  People who love Manda and Falcon.  People who wanted to be there to support them and to wrap their arms around them and love them.  I felt so special to be a part of this.  I felt so honored to be there for them.  The night was magical.  There was laughter and love and joy and bells ringing.  yes, everyone got a bell and whenever a bell rang, the new married couple had to kiss each other.  And yes, yes the beloved gathered there for them took complete advantage of the bells.  The bells rang continuously.  I would not be surprised if they woke up with chapped lips this morning.  I am sure that they woke up with the glow of newly weds.  They woke up with memories of all the love and caring and giving and sharing that had occurred on a warm winter night in north Florida.  At a beautiful old building that has held so many happy and loving moments.  And last night was another one to add to the memories, to the patina of the old pine walls.  And each of us who were able to be there last night, also woke up this morning the with the afterglow of a night filled with sharing something so rare and special.

Good luck Falcon and Manda.  Happy ever after.  And if two people have the chance for that?  It would be these two sweet precious people.  I love you both dearly.