It seems like a dream, really.
Every time I think about their wedding, I see a floating white veil, shimmering summer green grass, and smiles so bright they could light up a city.
I see my daughter, excited and nervous, too, but with a confidence that speaks volumes: she is more than ready to marry this man. She is radiant. She glows, she floats, she beams. She sees herself in the mirror and knows she is beautiful.
She laughs, cries, prays with her bridesmaids; they wait on her hand and foot. This is her day.
On this day, I don't think about the little girl she was in cowboy boots and a ruffled dress. I enjoy every single moment, immersed only in the day. I can't keep my eyes off her, to be honest: the wave of her hair around her face, her brown eyes like some exquisite piece of art, her smooth skin, her beautiful smile. Her wedding dress is perfect, and for just one second, I let myself glimpse her in a white Cinderella dress, age three or four—just for one second.
My princess.
I zip her up. I put the flowers in her hair. She gives me a delicate mother/daughter necklace, with a card that makes me cry.
She meets her father, taps him on the shoulder. He turns and breaks into a smile as he sees his girl transformed into a bride. She gives him a gift she used to give to him when she was a little girl: handkerchiefs she embroidered with tiny hearts. He cries.
And so the day progresses, from moment to moment...
The details, so tailored to fit their personalities, who they are as individuals and as a couple.
The first look between Laurel and Hunter.
The incredibly fun wedding party. What fabulous bridesmaids and groomsmen!
And then the ceremony. Walking down the aisle with a son on either side, seeing chairs filled with friends and family who love us. My mother, the flower girl, and Laurel's cousin (the second to youngest grandchild), the ringbearer. And then the walk down the aisle, my daughter and my husband.
The readings by their brothers. Poems read by Laurel's brothers: "I Carry Your Heart With Me" by e.e. cummings and "Coming Home" by Mary Oliver. Scripture read by Hunter's brother: 1 Peter 4:8-11, "Above all, love each other deeply..."
The ceremony was truly a perfect blend of smiles and tears, laughter and solemnity. Their precious vows that they had written (seriously, the best I've ever heard), their shared communion, a few jokes, and lots of blessings: what a joyful celebration!
Ah, and the reception. What a party! The food, the drinks, the music, the toasts, the cake, the dancing: everything about the evening was wrapped in happiness, tied up with joy. So much dancing! The June evening was clear and just warm enough, the lights twinkled, we soaked in the love of tables filled with our friends, our families, and their joy in our joy.
It sounds idyllic, I know. I could go into all the details—the months of planning and all that entailed— but the end result was the most magical day without, for me, one single moment of stress. I will say that I'm so thankful for our wedding planner, Megan. She made all the difference between a stressful event and one in which all the parents could just sit back and revel in every moment.
The wedding was glorious, it's true. But a hundredfold more than the candlelight and the flowers, the tender toasts and the exuberant dancing, are the vows these two made to each other, before all of us, as they committed their lives to each other and their marriage to God. Their trust in each other and their faith in Christ is tangible and strong, and they are clearly excited to grow together in every way.
I think of the words of Hannah from 1 Samuel 27: "I prayed for this child..." Of course I covered my girl in prayer since before she was born, but I also prayed for her future husband through the years: that he would be having a happy childhood, that he would be kind and generous and compassionate, gentle and funny and Spirit-filled. The rest of the verse goes like this: "the Lord has granted me what I asked of him." Hunter is all of that and more, and I love to watch them embracing this life together.
Our family of 5 is now a family of 6, and I couldn't be happier.
And we got some pretty amazing in-laws, too!
If you read all the way to the bottom of this, THANKS FOR SHARING this special day with me!
