August 20th 2011- Here comes the Bride

Mac, Carolyn and Kailynn

When we checked weather.com ten days before the wedding it said there would be a chance of rainfall. Thankfully, as the wedding day approached, the skies remained clear and the day couldn't have been more perfect for a wonderful ceremony.

Kailynn before the ceremony

The bridal party made their way down the grassy aisle to the sweet sound of a harp. Kailynn, my granddaughter, made it all the way to the front. "Hi...Hi...Hi..." she kept saying to those sitting along the aisle. We joked later that she thought this was HER day :)

The Ushers giving out the programs

As the guests walked towards their seats they were handed a program. It comprised of 5 cards tied with jute and slid into an airmail envelope. The final page read:

""Remembrance - Elcho Zaire Redding- my hero grandfather, he gave me his middle name, dry humor and vision of the Kingdom's agenda. 
He would have adored you, Katrina."

I must say, when I was helping to 'stuff' the envelopes I cried every time I read what Micah had written. 

Photo display

After the ceremony, people walked through the various rooms and looked at the different displays. There was a "guest book" which consisted of tags which were to be hung on branches. Carnations filled vintage jars...old books stacked on the center of tables....crocheted doilies filled in empty spaces. Instead of the usual slide show, there was a photo display of the bride and groom at various stages of their life. Also, corresponding photo frames encased pictures of parents, grand parents and great grandparents. 

Jam for the guests to remember the day

Each guest was asked to take a bottle of homemade jam...(I had never made jam in my life...the things we do for our kids)...200 jars of blueberry and strawberry jam rested in vintage crates and containers. Each jar had a burlap cover with a tag which read, "Home made with love" written on one side. Katrina insisted on writing each tag herself. On the other side of the tag there was a strawberry stamp if it was strawberry jam and a blueberry stamp if it was blueberry.

After a lovely evening of 'mini' reunions between friends and relatives....laughter...tears and lots of hugs, it was time to bid the bride and groom farewell as they headed off on their honeymoon.