Here's one picture from the wedding. After I get more uploaded on Picasa I'll post a link.
Saturday morning, Ben and I met with some of Ben's for breakfast. Then it was off to the house to load up the girls and their "stuff" and head to the church. Ben and I went back to the hotel where I posted my blog and checked out of the hotel. We went the church where the women were all getting primped, pampered and preened for the wedding (self included!)
About two the photographer came. I thought it was funny, but totally typical, that the photographer wanted the guys to not get dressed up until he had some "before" shots of them horsing around, playing basketball in the gym. Then the guys dressed and had their pictures made. All this in about 30 minutes while the girls were STILL getting ready after 4 hours! :-)
We had the "before wedding" bridesmaid's pictures and some with the family and Jan's bridal pictures which she had not been able to schedule before.
People started arriving for the wedding and I was out in the foyer greeting people (at least the ones I knew) :-) and shuttling a few back for a sneak peek at Jan.
Precisely at 4 the procession began. Let me explain that Doug's mother passed away when he was in high school and her four best friends "adopted" him so we had a lot of mothers in the wedding party. The pedestal on the right had a picture of his mother and during the mothers' processional, the best man walked down the aisle and laid a white rose by her picture. On the left was a candle and each mother laid a small rock on the pedestal as she entered. As Doug and Jan wrote in the wedding program "God is our rock and our foundation and our parents are representatives of that foundation here on earth. They have been our rocks when we needed them, and they push us into God who is our ultimate Rock."
The bridal party entered to "Falling in Love at the Coffee Shop" which if you know Doug and Jan's story makes sense. :-) Ben says that Jan was just fine until she heard that music and then she said "Uh oh" (meaning, "I'm going to cry!") And cry she did as she walked down the aisle on Ben's arm - emotion and happiness overflowed and spilled out.
After giving her away to Doug, Ben prayed for them. Doug and Jan's minister then pronounced a blessing over them and gave them communion after which we all joined in signing "Revelation Song". Then the minister from our home church did the marriage vows. No more tears! Only smiles, grins, sometimes a laugh, as well as the solemnity of the vows prevailed. Personally I loved it when the time came for Doug to say "I do", he looked Jan directly in the eye and emphatically said "I.....DO!"
When they kissed to seal the deal, Doug bent Jan over backwards! Surely the photographer got that one!
They exited to "I'm a Believer" and the wedding party danced down the aisle.
The reception was beyond fabulous. Food was out of this world - plentiful and delicious!
Doug and Jan entered and introduced at Mr. and Mrs. Doug Jefferson and the dancing began. I have never seen a bride and groom so THOROUGHLY enjoy themselves! They can really "cut a rug". And the 40 year old wedding dress was up to the task (fortunately!) :-)
The crowd was given small bottles of bubbles to sendi the happy couple off to their honeymoon. Doug swept Jan off her feet and carried her to the Carriage, i.e. pickup truck! :-)
They arrived safely in Orlando and are having a great time.
We cleaned up the reception and headed home. I washed off my makeup. My manicure is beginning to chip off but the memories will always remain.
