Weddings and marriage go hand in hand.
Our daughter is getting married in August, the same month we celebrate our 30th anniversary. We’re not really sure how this happened. Our own wedding was just a few minutes ago.
When I say our ceremony was Unforgettable, it truly was. But not for the reasons that come immediately to mind. Visualize a beautiful backyard setting. Lovely potted plants, pine tree backdrop, sweet flower covered arbor, white chairs, champagne chilling by the porch swing for the first look, and rain. Not a normal rain but a torrential downpour with high winds, lightning, and thunder. The blissful wedding venue was literally decimated in seconds.
We abandoned the ceremony mid-way through and raced, along with the guests, into my parents’ house which was still in pre-wedding prep mode. The groom went downstairs – I went upstairs. We eventually found each other, laughing hysterically, and took a group poll on what to do next. The yard was trashed so the best option was to continue our nuptials at the reception which was, thankfully, an indoor event.
The horse that was to carry us by buggy became so skittish from the storm that he bolted without the groom when the rice hit the air. We circled back, picked him up (quietly), and took a circuitous route through town to avoid railroad tracks. Luckily, somebody had given us a bottle of champagne as we pulled away.
We eventually arrived, reassembled our damp wedding party, and started the ceremony where we had left off. The reading that we had chosen began with the words “may you feel no rain upon your face”, which pretty much brought down the house, so we laughed and started the party. To this day, I’m not 100% sure we ever exchanged “I do’s” but we do have a signed, albeit smeared, wedding license.
Five minutes later, we found ourselves with two kids, two dogs, two cats, two full-time jobs and a good-sized mortgage. The pressure was on as we became a quintessential sandwich generation couple.
They say opposites attract and that has certainly been true for us. I probably dispense of more words in a day than Mr. Fixit does in an entire month. So as our daughter prepares to take her own vows, we can’t help but reflect on what got us to where we are today.
Conveniently, we like each other. We are good at solving problems together and, fortunately, we have the same number one priority … family comes first. There is balance in our marriage. He does the outside; I do the inside. Whoever cooks gets out of doing the dishes. I wash the laundry; he folds it. He likes to vacuum; I like to cook.
We hug a lot. We even named our Elf on the Self “Hug” because we start every day with a hug, a real hug with total attention on one another. Our son recently shared a fun fact that we need four hugs a day for survival, 8 hugs a day for maintenance and 12 hugs a day for growth so I guess we are on to something.
We follow the Golden Rule. We dream big. We celebrate everything. We plan. We work hard. We play often. Friday night is martini night. The summer of fun is real. Movies are for any night of the week. Spontaneity is always a good choice. Humor is essential.
But at the end of the day, what makes us thrive is the same quality that what we see in our daughter and her betrothed. We are each other’s best friends. We want to start and end every day together. Share the good and the bad. And go through life with the other as our witness.
What started as a memorable if not idyllic wedding ceremony resulted in a marriage that has withstood even the gustiest of circumstances. After all, it isn’t about the day, it’s about the lifetime together.
The opportunities for your next Montana adventure are unlimited and Cherry Creek Guest House is ready to serve as your home away.
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