Quite a Nice Little Saturday

I’d like to start this post by apologizing for not taking more pictures of this momentous day. My Dad got married, and one of best friends got married…and I’m only posting a handful of pictures. All I have to say for myself is that it was a conscious decision to be present in the day instead of a watchful observer through a camera lens. There were photographers at every event, so hopefully I’ll be able to post some more real shots soon.

At 10:30 AM the Bryant and Clark families joined forces “til death do us part.” Konie has four children (2 boys-Justin and Jared, 2 girls-Jessica and Jenna) just like we do, and we are now officially BIGGER THAN THE BRADY BUNCH 🙂 Both families have lost a parent, and are a loving tight-knit group…It’s going to be a trip figuring out just how we are all going to mesh…when you consider that our IMMEDIATE family (with spouses included but not even beginning to count grand-children) will now be 18-members strong. I think we’re going to have to special order a dining-room table 🙂

It was an intimate ceremony–just Dad, Konie, and their children, in the backyard of one of Konie’s closest friends. I don’t think I realized, until the ceremony started, what in particular I had been so anxious about concerning this moment. However, as Dad and Konie turned to face each other, I realized what it had been–Mom and Dad renewed their vows three (seemingly very short) years ago. That was a very intense experience for me and still vivid enough that I could almost palpate it. I was terrified that watching Dad and Konie would feel like an eery twilight zone–the same but different, and I was fearful of how bad that was going to hurt, and what my reaction would be (there in front of my new family).

The Lord spared me that grief. As I watched Dad and Konie pledge themselves to each other, I realized that this was not deja–vu, because Konie is not my Mom. This was not a re-do, this was a “new flight,” as Dr. Fain so beautifully said. The only time I even got a lump in my throat was when Dad and Konie recited “in sickness and in health.” Even then, the lump wasn’t grief for my Mom as much as a prayer that this time Dad wouldn’t have to know so much sickness…I’m ready for them both to enjoy a little more of the “and in health,” part of marrigae. I don’t know any two people who deserve that more than they do.

So, there are no pictures of the ceremony, or of the beautiful and delicious brunch we shared as a new, very large, family 🙂 I did get a couple shots of Dad and Konie after we went back to her house to wish them off on their honeymoon:
Justin (Konie’s oldest son) grabbed a bag of Kettlecorn from the pantry, so that we’d have something to throw. (And yes I’m going to tease you by only showing our new family’s backs. I just don’t have any good group shots, and I want to do them all justice.)The girls were present, and brought a nice element of comic relief to the morning:And while I didn’t cry at all throughout the potentially-super-emotional morning , I have burst into tears about eight times at the sight of this picture Taylor snapped of me telling Dad goodbye…

whew..it’s still gettin‘ me!

SO, I left, while the rest of my sisters joined the Bryant children in a “now that the grown-ups are gone let’s see if we cant get to know one another” time that I hate I missed, BUT I rushed off to join Lindsay!!!!

With her dark chestnut hair, sparkling blue eyes, and cute little grin, Lindsay made a classically beautiful bride. Absolutely stunning!

This picture cracks me up for some reason. That vision of Southern elegance in the middle of a smattering of bridesmaids, is B, Lindsay’s grandmother. Just typing her name has added a drawl and a lilt to my thoughts. We all (the bridesmaids) got dressed and pampered and pictured at B’s house before the ceremony. Everything about B and our little party was p.e.r.f.e.c.t. I don’t believe she knows how to do things any other way 🙂 I love the South, and I love elegance, but when I saw that there were decorative sterling fork holders, to contain the monogrammed, silver forks…I realized I was dealing on a whole new level.Lindsay’s dress was made for her from a combination of her grandmother’s (B, mind you) and mother’s dresses, and was so simplistically beautiful! Then that veil. That VEIL! Oh my goodness, it was gorgeous!!! Solid lace that had been worn by three generations of women in Lindsay’s family. I wanted it bad y’all. Do you think it would be weird to wear a veil with my Easter dress?? 🙂 They don’t even make lace like that anymore and don’t think this picture does it an iota of justice.

My favorite part of Lindsay’s wedding was being close enough to see the way that she and Jon Mark rubbed their fingers over each other’s hands all through the ceremony. It was like they were both saying, “I’m here. It’s just me and you and God. And forever has never looked so exciting.”

I’m not going to touch the reception, because with pink roses and green orchids covering the Birmingham Country Club…I think it may have been the nicest reception I’ve ever attended. I need pictures to take you there with me, and since my neighbor Bryan did the photographs, I can hardly WAIT to see the beauty he must have captured.

Whew! It’s all over!!!