I hate weddings … usually.

Journaling

I hate weddings. I find them pretentious, selfish, hurtful, miserable events that are generally just an excuse to show off.

But I loved everything about my wedding to Jim. We wed on a Monday at the lakehouse of a family friend with less than 25 people in attendance. I did my own hair and makeup in a room filled with sunlight and a half-dozen fascinated, giggling little girls. I wore a simple, elegant dress I hadn’t spent a fortune on, V was my only attendant, Jim’s best friend performed the ceremony, we served brisket for lunch, our wedding cake was from Baskin Robbins, and we spent the afternoon tubing on the lake with family. Now, that’s not to say everything was sunshine and roses; the three kids struggled when Kevin pronounced us “man and wife”, as it seemingly hit them in that moment that their parents really were never ever ever getting back together, and my Aunt Nancy whisked them out of the room so they could grieve together in peace, yet out of our sight in our moment of overwhelming joy. Tough stuff … but that’s what real life is made of. And that’s what I’ll remember about our wedding day, not that it was some perfect fairy tale, but that it was filled with love and laughs, of tears and grief, of joy and celebration, and above all else, it was a day of authenticity. And that was important to me. (24 August 2021)

Credits

Created for the Sweet Shoppe August Summer Shadowbox #16 – Option #2 (Scrap a photo that is at least 10 years old).

Supplies used include:

• Half Pack 299 – Cindy Schneider
• Now and Forever – Jocee Designs
• Woodland Wedding – LJS Designs
• Homestead Wedding – Meagans Creations

Fonts used: Bridge Head Basic & Benfield