Wet and Wonderful Wedding

This past weekend Roger and I attended the wedding of Mark's best friend (who was also Mark's best man).  I had my hair done the day before and as is the custom, the hairdresser and I chatted throughout the procedure.  In this case, the topic was the weather and the wedding.  The forecast was ominous -- rain.  My beautician told me that rain on one's wedding day was a good luck sign.  I had never heard such a saying but then, all the weddings I've attended have had good weather.

The day of the wedding it did indeed rain.  All day, off and on.  There were moments when the wind would blow the clouds revealing sun but they were short in duration.  There were longer periods of overcast skies without rain but eventually, rain would fall once again.  As we drove to the wedding site, we were in an overcast spell with no rain but off in the distance to the west, we could see darker clouds.  In our area, weather travels west to east.  It looked ominous.

We arrived without rain but the world was damp and dripping.  Some guests carried umbrellas (I was one) and others could be seen glancing at the sky with worried expressions.  The caterers dried off the white chairs as we waited to be seated and the string quartet, safely positioned under the eaves near the building and doorway, played on.  Once seated, the groomsmen swiftly appeared.  The bridesmaids carefully navigated their way down the rose petal strewn aisle, almost walking tiptoe as heels sank dangerously deep in the saturated ground.  At once the bridal entrance music began and Monica escorted by her proud father joined Jason, Craig, friend and wedding officiant, and the wedding party.  Overhead the clouds grew darker yet.  The wind picked up.  White petals from the apple trees framing the wedding party blew in profusion.  Wedding vows were quickly shared with Monica urging haste.  Thunder spoke to the need.  The kiss was given; the couple pronounced married and the wedding party quickly departed with guests fast on their heels.  A bucket sized drop splashed on my cheek as I raised my umbrella.  And just as the last guest entered the reception area, a torrential downpour opened up, the hardest rain of the day.

So, in my mind, the saying about rain being good luck on a wedding day has already shown itself to be true.  Monica had her outdoor wedding.  It will be a wedding remembered far longer and in more detail than some of the weddings I've attended.  The bride impressed me more than some, too.  She not only looked lovely and serenely happy, she also managed to take the weather with grace and good humor.  She showed herself to be someone I'd like to be with in a crisis-- calm, collected, and clearly focused on what's most important. 

The reception was wonderful.  Since the outside seating couldn't be used, extra tables were set up.  Guests enjoyed an open bar and an abundance of tasty treats, kept well stocked and at the appropriate temperatures.  The wedding toasts by the best man, Mark, and the maid of honor, Katie, Monica's sister, prompted good-natured laughter from the audience but also reflected the love and affection felt for the couple.  Friends and family left, not with spirits dampened by the weather, but with full stomachs and hearts lifted with love and respect for the couple. 

Yesterday, the first day of the couple's honeymoon was lovely and the forecast for the duration of their trip is the same.  I'd say good fortune is shining on them now and the prognosis for the future is good.  Wouldn't you?