Wedding Fun

Weddings are all pretty much the same. A joyful bride and groom say their vows, exchange their rings and a pastor says a few things that nobody really listens to - least of all the bride and groom. Top it all off with some cake and voilà, you have an American wedding. There is more to the ceremony than that and most people serve more than cake but there really isn't a lot of room for variation. Yet somehow the personalities of the bride and groom show through.

Last weekend I attended Janelle and Jared's wedding and there were plenty of things that showed their personalities (and that of their mothers). Jared and his groomsmen entered to Star Wars music led by his pastor who fought really hard to keep a straight face. Janelle grew up in France so there was some French thrown into the ceremony. But the thing that stood out to me was the obvious joy on Janelle's father's face. I have never seen a more happy father of the bride. I think his smile was bigger than Janelle's as he walked her down the aisle to give his precious daughter to Jared. And if you know Steve and weren't there, you missed your one chance to see him dance.

A great side benefit for me was getting to see my "French nieces and nephews." When I arrived in France over 20 years ago I worked with 2 families whose children called me Aunt Alice. Actually those first few years it was Aunt Allie since the younger ones couldn't quite get out "Alice." Janelle was one of those little ones along with her two brothers, Stephen & Nathan and their four "cousins" from the other family, Greg, Heather, Geoffrey & Jeremy. The love they showered on me helped make my adjustment to France go more smoothly. Over the years they gave me the excuse to decorate cookies, play games, attend all kinds of sporting events, go to the circus, River Dance and a live performance of Beauty and the Beast. I don't have many opportunities to see them any more so it was a special treat to catch up with Janelle's two brothers and meet Greg's 11-month-old son as well as Heather's husband. For this aunt, it will be too long before we are together again.