Celebrating My Daughter's Wedding

I have neglected this blog for over a year because I forgot how to log in and was a bit busy with other endeavors. I was about to start a whole new blog today, but the light switch went on in my head and reminded me how to log in! 2011 was an exciting wedding year for me, so I have lots of stories to tell. I will start with the highlight of my career as a celebrant AND my career as a mother - the performance of my daughter's wedding on October 8th.

Many people have asked me how I could perform Vera's wedding without breaking down. I did buy some waterproof mascara for the occasion, just in case, but I never shed a tear. It was just one of the happiest occasions of my life, so all I could do was smile. Plus, Zachary and Vera's wedding came at the end of my fourth season as a celebrant, and with all that experience behind me, I felt composed and confident throughout.

Zach and Vera's wedding posed a bit of a challenge because we had eight bridesmaids and five groomsmen to line up and process. Vera's brother, Peter, was her man-of-honor - partly because he's been her friend longer than anyone else, and partly so the bridesmaids couldn't fight over who would get the honor. We decided to line the women up in size order, which resolved that issue, and then for the processional each woman was flanked by two men. The highlight of the processional was watching Zachary's nephew, Xavier, escort two pretty young women down the aisle. 

I did manage to play the role of MOB as well as Celebrant, by lighting candles with Zachary's mom, Linda, and having my brother read the parent recognitions to me and Mark. It's a good thing, too, because it gave me the opportunity to straighten out Steve's twisted necktie.

Vera and Zachary met when Vera went to Texas to visit her friend, Jackie, in January 2010, where Zach was studying at the music performance program of Texas Christian U. grad school. He and Vera started a long-distance relationship that involved lots of phone calls, letters, and trips, until Zach was able to move to Albany where Vera is still in grad school. Two musically-talented friends from TCU played trumpet and piano for the recessional and processional, and Jackie sang "Long Roads" with her ukulele. 

The ceremony was held in the upstairs chapel in our church, First United Presbyterian. After the ceremony, Vera and Zachary went down the stairs to the sanctuary, while the rest of us went out the side door. Then we all gathered in front of the building so we could blow bubbles at the newlyweds when they came out the front door. 

And here they are - my new son-in-law and my daughter, just after changing her name to Vera Hamilton!