Wedding Vows - Millersylvania State Park, Olympia, WA

 

Assemble paper lanterns

Making Naan

The last big hurdle - the culvert on the road into the park collapsed…we got the word that it’s repaired and the wedding is on!  Everyone is on task! Cooks are cooking, decorators are decorating, flower arrangers are arranging.  By Friday night, the hall is decorated, the tables are set, the food is ready.  The groomsmen are furiously making cocktails for all.

Deb was informed last month that she was going to waltz with her son at the wedding.  NO STRESS!  what’s a waltz? My response, “it’s a dance in 3/4 time!” great…what’s 3/4 time?  “It’s three beats to a measure.” Okay, but what are we measuring? Never mind I’ll ask Google!  Confidence returns after mastering the box-step.  “And mom, I want to throw in  a couple of 6 beat spin turns”. Of course, you do!

So much tulle!

The accommodations were rustic, but the wedding was perfect.  Everyone cried on cue.  We celebrated with high tea before the wedding and had the meal that we had prepared following.  By nightfall, the decorations were down, the dishes were washed, the boxes were packed.  Ready for the newly weds to return home, unpack and finally, after six months, relax a little.

Ceremony Area

Head Table

Wedding Bells - Seattle, WA

 So here’s the plan.  Our youngest son gets married in the woods of Washington…

Here’s reality.  The “ideal” wedding location is Millersylvania State Park, south of Olympia. The only dates available are in the middle of March…in Washington…. As the plan matures, each small impediment is overcome.  We decide to head to Seattle five days early and rent a VRBO. My sister-in-law and her signifiant other, join us, along with our eldest who has been tasked with best brother duties including the organization of the bachelor party.

Grooms (center) & best men (brothers)

While my sister-in-law explores Seattle in search of the Old Stove Brewing Company, young men throwing fish, the “gum” wall, the space needle, the aquarium, and of course the “pink door” (don’t ask), we are busy with wedding prep: buying flowers, cutting ferns, photo shoots, rehearsal dinner.  The rest of the wedding party are making the final preparation of the food and packing decorations, sheets and blankets, etc for the two hour trip to the wedding venue.  With careful packing, we get everything into the awaiting vehicles, with enough room for most of the wedding party.

So as a minor side note, with all the can lights in the ceiling turned off, it was pretty dark in the VRBO.  As I left the bathroom at 1:00AM, it was pitch black, I turned to go back to bed, forgetting to go AROUND the cellar stairs.  As I stepped into mid air, I realized my error.  I was a little banged up but fortunately my sister-in-law is an OR nurse, but unfortunately all that was available was a box of bandaids.  By morning I looked like I had been playing doctor with a three year old!