December 9, 1994.
I remember 2 things from that day, the day before my wedding, 15 years ago…
I remember sitting under a table at The Old Spaghetti Factory… crying. No, weeping. Not from cold feet, but from overwhelming stress. Wedding planning and a college senior who turned in all her papers and took all her finals A WEEK EARLY. Yes, sobbing under a table over there at the Riverside Old Spaghetti Factory.
I also remember our Best Man making hand puppets out of the bread at the rehearsal dinner. The only laughing I did all that day, I’m sure.
Come to think of it, I never did have a bachelorette party… That’s OK, I have BlogHer ‘08 & ‘09… and perhaps ‘10? *prays*.
December 10, 1994… I got married.
I remember the cake-maker-person didn’t add the basket weave design to the top of one of the cakes.
I remember us getting in kind-of trouble for having a money dance. We were married on campus at our Baptist college… where only the Devil himself was more evil than dancing. The big joke on campus was “Why can’t Baptists have sex standing up? Because it might lead to dancing!!!” Yup.
The money we received from that dance was all the money we had for our honeymoon… to the exotic locale of San Francisco :)
My husband’s precious father married us.
I covered my mouth when my groom got the “You may kiss the bride”. I was embarrassed. My sweet daddy had never seen me kiss a boy before. *blushes*
The fire place in the reception room didn’t work.
Instead of a gift table, we had a Christmas tree for guests to put the presents under.
It was arguably the most beautiful the A.J. Staples Room had EVER looked – before or since… Trees decked with white Christmas lights and burgundy bows… garland… a wonderland, as far as I am concerned.
I don’t remember our budget, but it was small compared to many. A couple thousand? Dress, food, fees, cake, flowers… I’m amazed at what we did. We were young… 22 and 23. I was still one semester from graduation. My groom had just graduated the semester before.
SO young. Just. Starting. Out.
“They” said the first year would be hard. “They” didn’t marry my husband. Sure, there were “things”… and there ARE “things”, but… yeah… that was probably our best year. Our poorest year too. Go figure.
——-
In these 15 years…
I still don’t have a wedding album…
I have many of the same towels.
I have 9 china place settings I’ve used less times than the number of years I’ve been married.
After 15 years, I need new everyday plates.
And new pots and pans.
And a knife set.
I have 3 kids.
And corresponding stretch marks.
I am not the mom I thought I’d be. Nor wife.
I was way better at both roles before I became them.
I have learned to identify “small things” and let go of them.
Were I to have another rehearsal dinner, I would not be found crying under a table.
I would be found drinking at the bar. I didn’t drink then.
But I do now.
In 15 more years???
I cannot imagine, but I have my hopes… like, plastic surgery. Kidding.
**********
Keep up on the ridiculous, the insightful, the always digressive…
Get Jenny On The Spot by RSS or EMAIL
Follow JOTS on Twitter, join the Facebook Fan Page and/or Networked Blogs!
Thanks for sharing such an important time in your life. Brings memories back of my life and it feels so sweet. :)
That was wonderful. Happy Anniversary, and many more happy years to come!
My husband and I celebrate our 5th anniversary next week; a Christmas wedding too, and I may be biased, but I think they’re the most beautiful by far (and no one sweats off all their makeup). I am amazed how much things have changed already; I can’t wait to see what the future holds.
Congrats! Happy anniversary! Celebrating our 10th on Saturday! San fransisco is a great honeymoon spot! We enjoyed Jerry rices last game as a 49r. Stayed in a motel 6 in Oakland by Jack London square. $44 bucks a night! Woohoo! All that matters in life is that you keep trying everyday. You love and feel loved. And enjoy the ride.
we were married on the 13th! and this will only be our 1st year! Ha, we have a lot of catching up to do!!! :)
Congrats!!!!!!!!!!
Love, beauty and blessings to you and Paul on this anniversary, and I am anxiously waiting for the next 15 year of what JOTS brings :)
Lovely sentiments and thanks for sharing such fond memories. Congratulations on 15 years, and may the next 15 be filled with many blessings!
Congratulations, Jenny. 15 years… What an accomplishment, and an inspiration. NOT easy to do!! I love what you wrote. SO many people need to hear what you have to say… and learn from what you do. Good words, my Friend.
Wanna get new towels and dishes? Have a “weddiversary” party! (We’re contemplating one for our 15, maybe 20, for an excuse to go dancing with all our friends. Think they’ll bring gifts?)
Wow, that’s awesome! I have few regrets from my own wedding. One was that I spent more on my dress than I did on my first car. I wanted to elope but our families would’ve killed us, but I wanted to get married in jeans and my Vans. And we didn’t hire a photographer, we just had my Uncle Jerry take pictures. And it looks like my Uncle Jerry took my pictures, you know what I mean? Alas, however, I had so much fun with our wedding party and we partied all week long…as far as a bunch of kids going to a Baptist Theological College could. Congratulations Jenny!!
Congrats Jenny! I didn’t get married until I was (gulp) 37 years old so I had all kinds of opinions by then about what our day would be like. It was perfect. No crying.
Oh the baptists and the dancing…and the dry weddings. I shall toast you at Happy Hour. Congrats!
I didn’t know you all then, but this gave me a glimpse of your story. This was precious, -J-. Happy Anniversary!
Oh, Jeanie I also fondly remember your wedding day. Only the thing I remember the most about it all was that your guests were paying more attention to you than me! I mean, how rude! After all, me in my size 4 burgandy velvet dress with my hair all up in what used to be called a “rat ball”. Maybe I should have worn white. Maybe that would have turned some heads. Anyway, it was a great day even tho you got more looks. I love you sis. happy anniversary.
So beautifully shared! Happy, happy 15th anniversary! Reading this reminded me a lot of my own wedding 15 years ago. I hope you two had a truly special day together.
Happy Happy Anniversary. I enjoyed your story, especially because I have gotten to know you now, and didn’t then. It was a little window into the JennyofThen. I will probably be posting about ours in a month (we will actually be flying home that day- woohoo we know how to celebrate:). It will be only 14 for us, but lots of disasters at our wedding.
The saying goes, “Bad Wedding= Good Marriage”.
It’s the Law.
A Christmas wedding sounds lovely. Thanks for sharing your sweet story and congrats on 15 years!
Happy A. Jenny! I seem to recall a bridal shower with some toilet paper dresses and a lame comment I made about how my husband expects me to serve him! The gall, lol.
That is of course, if memory serves, I have been known to mix things up, old age and all that.
Congrats on 15 years! Cheers to you and your hubby.