This is a picture of Mary-Katherine on her wedding day, 15 years ago. The gentlemen are her uncle and her grandfather. As I write, she is in Rio,avec husband, on her own anniversary party. Down at the Copa Cabana. Cha-Cha-Cha.
And a grand wedding it was. 
Our family measures weddings by our weddings. (It is okay if you measure weddings by your weddings.) But ours were " tens".
Before I comment further, I chose this lower photo over others because the aura is over my head. I did not want this to go unnoticed.
What is a ten? For me, there is the importance of a pretense at some sort of religion if not the real deal. Dewey eyes and beautiful gowns alone don't make it. A pretty dress is nice, but that is not the essence. My preference is for a little formal ceremony to deviate from the daily, making it very special. I like when the community wants to uphold the marriage with the couple. We had that.
The place alone does not make it either. But it helps. You are looking at the picture and thinking, "this reception was taking place in a cow pasture." You would be right. But we liked it that way.
Something awful has to happen to balance the day. In this case my father asked a woman why she was so fat. That was bad.
Someone has to make a fool of himself by feeling up some one else's wife. Bad, bad, bad, but to be expected. But I hate it when some man pees in the trees.
The weather should be good, or strikingly bad. It was the best day of the summer. The food should be simple,but good. The caterers grilled legs of lamb, and the rest must have been okay as I don't remember it one way or another. However, the cake melted. But it made for an endearing imperfection.
Multi-generational guests keep the wedding being a continuum and a feast of life, and not just a party. The old people can stand around saying, I remember her at three. When the bride, years later, has forgotten some of her friends, she can remember Mr. So and So attended. This is important.
I like the look on the bride's face. And Mary-Katherine was deliriously happy. Ditto her sisters at their weddings.
After, I like crawling in bed with my husband, unbelievably. . . times square. . . exhausted, but knowing a job well done. That's what makes a ten for me.
You notice that there is no mention of the grooms here, We love, love, love the grooms. Thank you for making this all possible. However, if you have girls, you know the wedding is about the bride.
Mary-Katherine is a blonde Margaret. They have the exact face.
Posted by: Katie | August 26, 2006 at 04:34 PM
Groom here. We are having a great time. More from my wife later.
Posted by: Randy & M-K | August 27, 2006 at 05:43 AM
We really had a fabulous time by ourselves. Rio is a beautiful, beautiful city, reminiscent of European cities and San Francisco. We did not ride up the Sugar Loaf this time - once was enough for both of us. But we did go to the Christ the Redeemer statue on Friday evening at twilight and saw the lights of the city coming on. It is a scary, windy road getting up there but well worth it. Photos to follow. Our hotel is a destination of the rich and famous. I did not see anyone I recognized as being famous but there were plenty of rich people, some honeymooners, some posers (us), and a cute older couple or two. My husband had roses, strawberries & cream, and champagne waiting in the room, in addition to a surprise gift and a love note on his corporate stationery. La di da!I gave him a card and the aforementioned collection of music. It was almost too much of a good thing!
Posted by: Mary-Katherine | August 29, 2006 at 04:41 AM
Katie,
You are right except that Marg's nose is tilted just a smidge more than mine. You would never have thought we looked alike when we were kids though, thereby proving we are always works in progress.
Posted by: Mary-Katherine | August 29, 2006 at 04:42 AM
Mary Katherine, I do hope you will do a guest blog with pictures on Rio. Callie will help you get the pictures in. As I will likely never get to Rio, I would love a review. I hope you have some good pictures of the Copa.
Posted by: radish | August 29, 2006 at 11:52 AM
Mary Katherine, I do hope you will do a guest blog with pictures on Rio. Callie will help you get the pictures in. As I will likely never get to Rio, I would love a review. I hope you have some good pictures of the Copa.
Posted by: radish | August 29, 2006 at 11:53 AM