Friday, Saturday and Sunday constituted the bulk of true 'wedding' activity in the traditional sense. That being said, Friday was pretty relaxed. I got up early and went on a bike ride along the spine of the Leelenau with Mom and Michele and took a swim afterwards. Lots and lots of people arrived over the course of the day, but with Anthony's help we sent them all away on a wine tour at 2pm and had - suddenly - the Inn to ourselves. Just the bridal party and parents and grandparents, out on the lawn under the sun, rehearsing with Pat as an old, old freighter pulled into Suttons Bay. It was one of those moments you couldn't plan. Afterwards, the rehearsal dinner. A white tent spread below the cool warming hut in Bahle (say 'bailey') Park with the smells of Croatian chicken greeted visitors as they walked up the hill. It was a great spread, with good food in a casual atmosphere. There were emotional toasts given and incredibly special gifts received but of equal importance were the connections we saw throughout the tent: Jill and Susan, thick as thieves. Butch and Bill finding things in common. Sosha a seamless fit with Robin and the Webb crowd, all of whom reunited later for a party at the Webb house. When that wound down, Jenelle and I found ourselves alone, in the quiet, at the end of the dock at the Inn, saying goodnight as two individuals one last time.
We were married Saturday. There were a lot - a
lot - of details to attend to and the weather was a source of angst for most of the day, but it was awesome. I spent some time in the morning taking care of a few last minute clerical things while the girls headed to town. Around lunch Anthony & Elizabetta took me over to the Webb house to eat, then preparations began at full steam afterwards. With help from folks young and old we got everything set and ready; it seems like a list should be compiled of people who did little things, but the danger of lists is forgetting someone, so I'll just mention my new cousin Ashley who quietly, efficiently, and completely set up the menu cards and numbers on the tables. A lot of people helped like that and made the whole evening something Jenelle and I couldn't have done otherwise. At nearly four the groomsmen were sequestered at Anthony's herding. It seemed like the next hour evaporated, but the photographer arrived and got started, lots of little contingencies were arranged, and Kevin (I think, in the sense that 'I think Kevin did this' not 'I know who did this and think the person's name is Kevin') put blocks next to the altar vases. The next time I stepped onto the lawn, guests were heading for their seats and the weather was holding; wedding time.
The rest was a blur. I remember Megan Lundin looking right at me as I walked out the door of Anthony's room, like we'd known each other for decades and she wasn't some new arrival. I remember walking with Pat, the girls entering, and then Jenelle and Bill. I remember looking for Caroline because she told us to 'take a look around' and I had trained myself to use her as a trigger to do this. And I remember the service...we'd been told we wouldn't but I think Pat did too good a job and hit too close to our hearts for us not to remember. But then it was over, with a few quick steps up the aisle and hugs among family and bridal party.
The reception really started with a group photograph, which we loved. Everyone was great about it, which we thought was amazing because we can't imagine too many people have done this but it was really special to us. We took bridal party photos and made our marriage official and then it was time for dinner. Anthony and Bre continued the string of great toasts, followed by my thanking guests for sharing the day with us. (Oddly those few seconds are the only ones I truly have no recollection of... if anybody has a transcript I'd be interested.) Pat blessed the meal and we ate, together, under the tent by the lake, the way it was always intended to be. Our new friend Matt did a great job and we actually ate and enjoyed the food, as did everyone else. We cut the cake and stepped onto the dance floor for a moment that 12 hours later would still cause Grandma Irish to choke up. Then the party began and all is a whirlwind of people, pictures, music and dancing. At every turn a friendly face with a hug or a handshake and a hearty smile. We missed lots of people (I was aware of Eric, Paula, and Megan leaving but the moment was lost) and that was as expected. And, ultimately, after an improptu group hug on the dance floor, where Timmy McPhee's blonde head popped up in the middle despite his not starting there, we left too.
We returned Sunday morning in a light rain that stopped exactly on time at 8:30 for a send-off breakfast in the pergola. What we found was an incredible mix of food and craft prepared by Jacqueline, Grandma B, and Match with help from others I suspect. Somehow, in the way that Jacqueline orchestrates things without seeming like she's doing anything, the mood was perfect. Jenelle and I spent most of the time saying goodbyes, wondering when we might next see people but hoping for sooner. People asked about rings and were impressed but not changed - in the few sunny, dewy morning hours we spent it seemed like our being married was not a change at all but rather the way things were meant to be and even had been, which was perfect. Then there was packing. Mark Ehlert, sherpa to the stars, anti-Irish goodbye campaigner, you saved us hours. With more help from guests and volume borrowed from parents and Robin, we somehow found ourselves in the Jimmy with Oliver (returned from a weekend stay with his new favorite uncles, Adelbert and Mike) driving out Pebble Beach Drive and away.
That night was a treat, too, gathered in the living room at Maywood with our parents, eating leftover wedding food and cake. I ate asparagus until I truly couldn't get another stalk into my throat and hoped a guest or two had thought it as good as I did. We drank wedding wine together and Jenelle and I opened gift after generous gift - it seemed almost obscene after the week we'd had, but Moms and Dads calmed us down and assured us that these were things people wanted to do.
Monday, July 30, 2007