Wedding, The Relaxed Version

Amster and The Firefighter surprised their children by getting married this afternoon. 

It was perfect.  Totally and completely appropriate for the least pretentious couple I know.  They were surrounded by those who loved them, by those who share their lives, by those they see every day. Several dozen of us gathered in the courtyard as the judge conducted a simple, short, thoughtful ceremony and Ms. Attorney-At-Law took photographs.  

There was prosecco and sparkling cider and chocolate cake with whipped chocolate frosting and ice cream on the side.  The wedding party wore blue; the kids wore nicer-than-usual school clothes, the guests dropped in for thirty minutes or so in the middle of the work day. 

The planning occupied pieces of one week.  I spent some of it writing my toast. 

I went to three stores, one of them twice.  There was one phone call to a vendor. The bride's dress was purchased on-line; as Matron of Honor I wore the fancy knit outfit I bought for TBG's 10th Anniversary at Goldman Sachs.  (Note: Investing in elegant attire is not always a bad idea.  This outfit has saved many a "what shall I wear" moment in the past three decades.)

No one spent more time on it than was necessary. The 99 Cents Only store provided the decor and paper goods, my closets the lacy tablecloths, big blue vases, and fancy plastic champagne flutes. (Note: Investing in elegant plastic ware is not always a bad idea.  These glasses have toasted weddings and birthdays and graduations and nothing at all over those same three decades.)

I got up early this morning, loaded The Schnozz with a cooler and bubble wrapped vases, picked up the cake and ice cream  and all the blue and white flowers in the grocery store, and drove to another store to get more.  I hope no one else on Tucson's northwest side needs blue or white flowers today.  I laid the tablecloths and put out the flutes and arranged the flowers and twisted the strands of hearts and wedding bells through the cacti (only stabbing myself once) and the railing of the stairway and I was done.

It took two hours.

I showered and changed at Amster's, after purchasing two glass flutes with embossed hearts and a cake knife and server for the bride and groom.  I know she said no presents, but it feels tacky to take back the vases for the flowers......

I toasted love and friendship and parenthood and admiration and competence and lists and bacon.  The kids really liked that I included bacon.  Everyone clapped and blew bubbles as hands were shaken and shoulders were clasped and cake was devoured and then it was over.  

My car was packed up and I was on my way home an hour after they said I DO.

No stress, no bother, no muss.... except for the boys shoving their faces into the wedding cake...because they'd seen brides and grooms do it and.... well, they are 8 and 10 and their mom just married a fire chief.  It doesn't get better than that.