Thursday, May 20, 2010

32 Years of Love and Memories

Hi all, I thought I would do a little anniversary post today. My day started out just lovely with my wonderful hubster bringing me coffee and breakfast in bed. This goes with the flowers he brought home with him last night.
He knows I prefer bright unusual flowers that I can arrange myself, he outdid himself this year. We are planning on a casual dinner out tonight, most likely at a fun little Italian restaurant that our son Andy first took us to called Roman Cucina. They have the best shrimp and pasta in a lemon cream sauce.
So I made my hubs a little card to commemorate this special day:
I used the sketch from Inchie INKlings and the Hero Arts clear set Mix and Match Elements. The patterned paper is a scrap from the famous scrap basket of Jacqueline.
So let's leave you with a story (it's a bit lengthy, but worth it) of just one of the difficulties we faced with our wedding. When you see the photo, another difficulty (a photographer lacking in any talent for photography) will be very obvious.
So here we are, the happy couple just moments after exchanging our vows at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Huntington Beach, Calif.  So do you notice anything interesting or unusual about my sweetie's tux? Of course other than the awful shade of chestnut brown- all I can say is the 70s were a very awkward decade when fashion totally took a hike! Getting back to the tux, you'll notice that my sweetie is 6 foot 4 inches tall and his tux jacket was made for someone about a foot shorter. But that's okay because his lovely peach ruffled shirt, yes that's right I said peach and ruffled- it was the 70s, I take no responsibility. Anyhoo, the peach ruffled shirt was at least 3 sizes too big.  Here's how the story of tuxes happened.....
We went to a very reputable tux shop, they were in all the wedding magazines and of course they had the coveted chestnut brown tux that I just had to have. All the guys went in for their fittings and got their orders in with plenty of time to spare. Check the tuxes off my list of things to do. We did our wedding on a shoe-string, the greatest expense being my dress which I found on sale for $350.00. (We should have spent a bit more than the $100.00 we did on the photog though). So, I'm feeling pretty good about everything with a check mark next to everything on the wedding preparation list.
Then came the rehearsal, the night before the wedding. All the guys were scheduled to pick up their tuxes on the way to the church that evening. When they arrived at the shop in the Westminster Mall they were greeted with sheer bedlam. Instead of the tidy appointments they had arranged, the shop was filled with men from 2 other weddings and a smattering of awkward teens looking for their prom tuxes. The store clerks had given up all hope, they had none of the tuxes ready due to some MAJOR scheduling snafu at the home office.
My hubby-to-be, his dad, my dad and our 4 groomsmen left the store and hurried to the rehearsal, keeping very tight-lipped about the tux festivities they had just witnessed. After the rehearsal and the lovely dinner made by my mother-in-law all the guys were heading back to the shop to see if any tuxes had materialized.
I had been made aware of the situation and went home to have a minor pity party.
The scene at the tux shop had not improved, who knows what became of the store clerks but our guys being resourceful took matters into their own hands because they just couldn't wait to wear those stylin' tuxes. Al's brother Ron, who was 16 at the time went in the back of the store and started tossing out pants and jackets and vests and shirts, anything he could find in the right colors. (I believe they could have rectified my ill-advised color scheme at this point but I don't hold it against them). So there they are standing in the lobby of the tux shop at the mall, trying on pants and jackets to get something that would come close to a fit. Now at this time there were 3 wedding parties and 3 random teens all doing the same thing. That must have been a riot to watch that scene through the window in the mall.
They finally acquired all the necessary pieces to clothe them all and just when they thought they were home free...Al remembered that he had ordered shoes (it was the 70s, he only wore flip flops or bare feet). He was sent to another of this esteemed tux shops stores in the South Coast Plaza mall in Costa Mesa because they were the only ones who had the right shoes in a size 12.
In the meantime, I had come to the conclusion that I was getting married the next day even if Al showed up in cut-off jeans. I knew then that the wedding day was not as important as the shared life that came after it!
So back to Al at South Coast Plaza. He got there just as they were closing, but they had his shoes, hallelujah! He paid for them, and left the store through the mall while the clerk exited the store through the back after locking the door. It was only then that Al realized the mall had closed and he was locked in. Now this is one very large mall and he spent the better part of 2 hours searching for a security guard to let him out. It was after 1 a.m. when he finally left the mall.
Oh but we aren't home free yet...there was the little matter of suit pieces and parts that were not the right sizes and shirts that hadn't been laundered since the last occupant. One shirt even had a sleeve almost torn off (must have been one wild wedding). So my mother in law was up at the crack of dawn the next day to sort out the tuxes, mixing and matching to get everyone covered. Some of the guys were sewn into their pants so they would stay up and Al's shirt neck had to be gathered a few times as it was probably made for a gorilla. It was the only shirt with long enough sleeves for my tall drink of water.
So there you have it, this motley crew of wonderful men sacrificed their time, their effort and not a little of their dignity to participate in our sweet little ceremony. They looked truly rumpled, but at least the photographs are so bad it is very hard to tell.

Thanks for sticking with this epic tale!

Thought for the Day: It's not the wedding, but the life of love and sharing memories that is important. I hope that the trend will change from extravagant weddings and a high divorce rate to more thoughtful ceremonies that prepare couples for a life of imperfect days, disappointments and scattered happy moments. Because that is what makes up a life that is so much better when shared by two. A favorite quote of mine is an old Amish one: Choose thy Love, Love thy Choice; if you take time with the first part it makes the second part easier.
blessings to you,
nancy

23 comments:

  1. Oh, Nancy! Thanks for sharing your epic tale! (I just want to know why you're standing closer to the minister than to Al?!)

    A very Happy 32nd Anniversary! Here's to 32 more years!
    Blessings to both of you!

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  2. oh my goodness Nancy... a wedding you'll always remember. I can't believe the coincidences we have... my suit story isn't quite as bad as yours. Hope you are having a happy day and I love the card you made for your Al. Perfect!!!!

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  3. Happy Anniversary! Wonderful card - loved how you framed your inchies and the twine and button are great additions!

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  4. What a tale!!! Excellent! Plenty of memories! Your card is really special for this special day!

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  5. I loved your story, Nancy! Thanks so much for sharing, and aren't you perfectly right with your final words! We will be married 39 years in a few weeks, and I may take your example and do a little look-back at our wedding! I so enjoyed your pictures and story. And so glad to hear that you and Al are still together - a rarity in these times. Happy Anniversary, my friend!!

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  6. You are AMAZING in your card-making, BUT even more amazing with this wedding story and your beloved DH. Thank you for sharing this epic story...I enjoy every bits of it! Happy 32th Anniversary and many more! What an awesome card! LOVE this beautiful creation...blessing to you and your DH! xoxo PS: I still rememeber your last year's wedding anniversary card :)

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  7. What fun to see all these photos and read the wedding story! Thank you for sharing these lovely memories. Congratulations Nancy!

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  8. I love your card and your memories! I hope your anniversary is special and heart warming. Thanks for sharing!

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  9. Nancy, what a wonderful story to read! I'm so happy you shared it! I giggled quite a few times! What fun memories! It's a lovely idea, on your anniversary, to share a tale of your wedding day! My goodness, such madness! And the pictures are such fun too! You look so beautiful and happy!! I hope you had a wonderful dinner, and day, with your hubby!! Happy 32nd to you both! :)

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  10. What a story, Nancy! We had a few wedding day issues too. :) You're right, though. It's the life together that's more important than the wedding day. Hope you had a wonderful anniversary.

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  11. Hope you had a wonderful day yesterday. Like Barb I had a giggle too.... so funny!
    I didn't know AL was so tall - several inches taller than my DH. Love how you look up to him on the photo... and I'm sure you still do :)
    I love the Amish quote too and your reality check at the end! Wonderful!
    OH, yes - so so glad you are joining in on the grid challenges too - looking forward to those. So love your color combo, great masculine card for the anniversary I's say!

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  12. Love the tale and the card. Happy Anniversary.
    Eveline.

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  13. Happy anniversary, Nancy! The flowers are gorgeous and the story is awesome, too. LOL, that's what makes wedding story interesting, usually. That's very sweet of the guys to go through all that trouble.

    And nowadyas, you can make so, so picture great with photoshop. I did that for my parents wedding pics. :)

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  14. Wonderful story! My DH and I celebrate OUR 32nd anniversary on the 27th! I'm considerably older than he (nearly 12 years) and I was married before, so we had a family-only wedding in my childhood church. I wore a homemade yellow peasant dress ---remember those?---and he wore gray. However, a couple of years earlier, my husband was in a wedding party that matched yours: chestnut brown and peach! Happy Anniversary.

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  15. I love your story Nancy! Thanks for sharing. Made me laugh. I love the flowers and your card is beautiful! And such a great thought for the day. So true! My husband and I will be married 14 years this summer and we are still best friends. :) We are truly blessed. Happy Anniversary to you and Al and many more!

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  16. Nancy, again belated Happy Anniversary! I enjoyed reading your story and looking at your wedding photos. I'm sure it must have been terrible at the time but at least now you can look back and laugh at the memorable events! Loved your thought for the day and the Amish quote is so true! Thanks for sharing Nancy!

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  17. WHAT a story!! my gosh---that should win one of those weddings redo contest!! the men were so patient and troopers to get what they needed to look good for your wedding! i know if it was the ladies, we wouldn't be so patient or understanding!! thank you for sharing the story and again, happy anniversary!
    did you enjoy your shrimp pasta w/ lemon cream sauce? sounds delish! will ask you where that restaurant is later today!

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  18. Gosh, what a delightful story!! And I really love your photos and your dress too! I remember your short tale of this on the HA flickr thread once and it is so fun to 'hear' the longer details of it! Sweet memories! The card you made is so perfect and I hope you are still enjoying the flowers Al gave you!

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  19. Congrats, Nancy! Hope you are doing well. I don't get to stop by as often as I'd like!

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  20. oh! i loved reading this fun (?) story of your wedding. =) it warms my heart. so cute and the sacrifice all of you went through to get thing done. thanks so much for sharing. i really enjoyed reading it! =)

    gorgeous inchie card you made for your anniversary, too! is that the same color as your husband's tux?? =) i love it! congratulations on your anniversary and hope you have a wonderful Sunday! =)

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  21. What a wonderful story! Lovely thought and saying. Beautiful card and pictures of your wedding. Happy Anniversary!

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  22. Happy Anniversary and that is beautiful card for your husband....I am sure he will love it...

    Harriet

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  23. This. Is. Fabulous! Happy belated anniversary!

    Lisa @ Inchie INKlings

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Thanks for your comments, I love hearing from you!