And Her Married Life Has Begun . . .

"I don't want to look strange or fixed up today," she said. "I don't want a fashionable wedding, but only those about me whom I love, and to them I wish to look and be my familiar self." . . . ~Little Women, Ch. 25

Last Friday, THE Man & I gave away a piece of our hearts ~ We gave our oldest darling daughter away in marriage. 

One of our girls' life-long friends always said that she would like to get married in the rain, well, if she were still in this area & could have attended the wedding, she would have thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a blustery, chilly, RAINY ~ but other-wise beautiful ~ fall day for an outdoor wedding on a farm. And it was lovely & heart-felt. 

 Farm gazebo & barn where the reception was.

Our two girls ~ all grown up & lovely young women. They are my heart.

At rehearsal, the night before, it was cold & windy & we were still hoping to be able to be seated during the ceremony while the wedding party would be under the gazebo.

Our pastor officiated the ceremony & kept everyone in line during the rehearsal. He & his wife are dear family friends. Pastor Tom dedicated DD#1 to the Lord as an infant, baptized her in a creek when she was 11 years old & now has officiated at her wedding. What a special man.

Well, it may have been dry under the gazebo, but it wasn't otherwise, so we (& everyone else) had to watch the wedding under the cover of a large awning about 20 feet away. Thank goodness for wireless mics or so that we could hear the ceremony.

 THE Man, walking our baby into her future . . .

. . . and, there, he gave her away.

 Mr. & Mrs. "J"!

I am SO proud of my darling daughter ~ other than baking the wedding cupcakes, she MADE EVERY decoration that was there ~ from her bouquet, attendants' bouquets, the men's boutonniers, the isle decorations, the table center-pieces & favours, the cupcake tiers, wedding party's gifts . . . EVERYTHING. She worked very hard & it really paid off. It was all gorgeous.

 Life-long friends who are more like family.

 New family ~ DD#1's new Mother-in-Love.

 And let's not forget that we finally have a SON! :-)

"They stood watching her, with faces full of love and hope and tender pride, as she walked away, leaning on her husband's arm, with her hands full of flowers, and the [October moonlight] brightening her happy face, ~ and so [J's] married life began." ~Modified from Little Women ~ Ch. 25

Blessings from Ohio . . . Kim<><