Afterparty

The marriage had been solemnized on July 13. But it had been in Winnipeg, where the groom hails from and where the bride was moving.


There had been friends from her home town who had been unable to make it to the wedding, and so she and he had decided that they would have a come-and-go reception in Three Hills. The little TH was so honoured that they chose to hold it here.

I had been working in Edmonton earlier in the week, and somehow I found time to stop at one of my very favourite haunts, the Old Strathcona Antique Mall, where I uncovered the china treasure which would list the afternoon's menu. I decided to use my Mum's old teapot for the occasion.


The happy couple arrived exactly at 3 o'clock last Friday, climbing out of the antique car lovingly chauffeured by her brother-in-law for the occasion. 

My faithful friends Brenda, Doreen and Norma once again rose to the occasion and did the lion's share of the work. Doreen decorated the whole dining room with ivory table cloths, the palest of white roses, and beautiful cards, one per table, of a different image from the wedding day itself. Brenda whipped up scones and mango mousse, arranged the vegetable platter and washed the stemware by hand at the end of the afternoon. Norma made perfect egg salad for sandwiches and chopped cheese, meat and pickles. She also kept up with the stream of dishes.

 It was all worth it to see her face as she came through the front door and was greeted by people who love her and are so happy for her and her love.

The big table was laden with food; in the centre was a wedding cake decorated with calla lilies, the flower of her bridal bouquet.



They hadn't had a wedding cake at the reception in Winnipeg, so we thought it would be fun to have one here, to get them to cut the cake:













As they cut the first piece, the sound of a persistent tapping of teacups started to fill the room. They looked at each other, laughed together, and obliged.
And then they fed each other the first morsels:

   















Two of the ladies who mean the most to our bride were there: her dear friend Rebekah, and her elder sister Doris ...

As the party started to wind down we packed up cake for the people who would be helping load her things for the move to Winnipeg. Icing is irresistible at any age!

When they got ready to leave, she pulled on her jacket - she had left her shawls behind in Winnipeg. The slightly unorthodox result was a snapshot of the way this woman can make everything beautiful as she weaves together the rough with the smooth, the everyday with the glamourous. She can pick out what is valuable and what should be cherished, and she does just that. She has learnt to stand up for herself and to make her voice heard. She has learnt to trust her instincts and to pursue that which is exceptional.


She brings to a close this chapter of her life and embarks on a new adventure. Like any adventure, there will be adjustments and a few little bumps on the road. But she goes armed with the love of a very good man, and secure in the knowledge that the One who loves her the most of all has brought the two of them together.


So we wave them off with words from a little book of prayers I gave her some time ago. This is the prayer for July 13, her wedding day:


O God, Who art the unsearchable abyss of peace, the ineffable sea of love, the fountain of blessings and the bestower of affection, Who sendest peace to those that receive it; open to us this day the sea of Thy love, and water us with plenteous streams from the riches of Thy grace. Make us children of quietness, and heirs of peace. Enkindle in us the fire of Thy love; strengthen our weakness by Thy power; bind us closely to Thee and to each other in one firm and indissoluble bond of unity - Amen.
(Syrian Clementine Liturgy, July 13,Great Souls at Prayer, Mrs Mary W. Tileston, ed)

The apron Dad just gave me sports a fitting
motto: "Life is short ... Eat dessert first!"

And the Two Shall Become ... Eight?

Winter wedding at the TH!
(Photo courtesy of the Jepsons)

The call came in one Sunday evening right in the middle of the dinner hour. I understood the gentleman to be asking if I rented out the Tea House rooms. Thinking he was interested in the two suites next door, I quickly gave him my friend Bonnie's number and carried on with my serving.


Later that evening I got a call from my dear Sharon. "Karyn, that was my son Ryan who called earlier, and I think there was some misunderstanding. He is going to get married at the beginning of January and they hoped they could have the wedding in the Tea House!"


I called Ryan back as soon as I could, apologizing profusely. He put me over to Jenna, his fiancee, who said that she had loved the TH from the time she had been in it, on one of their very first dates. It was going to be a tiny wedding ... she would love to get married from the Tea House ... would that be possible?


"Absolutely!" I exclaimed. "When? How many people? How do you want it set up? Ambiance? Food?"


"About 25 people, and just leave it looking like the Tea House," was the response. "It's going to be very casual, very low-key. Maybe just a short ceremony followed by desserts ...


"Oh - did I mention that we have six kids between us?"


Kids in the TH - and for a wedding, no less! How could my joy be any greater? Those of you who know me know that if I could figure out a way to do it, the whole TH would be based around kids and it would be one tea party after another. This wedding was going to be a great party!


"We're going to have to feed those kids something beside desserts," I laughed. And with that the very trusting bride-to-be, who didn't know me nor I her, left it all up to us. The only request for the day was fresh berry tarts, a particular favourite of the groom.


I gathered my women about me - Brenda, Doreen and Tiffany. I sort of had an idea of how I wanted it to look, and I knew that these three women could transform my tentative vision into reality. 


We had no idea of what to expect for the evening; we just wanted it to be beautiful and magical, especially for the six children whose lives would be bound together irrevocably from this day forward.


Doreen set to work creating the floral arrangements. Brenda came to rescue me in the kitchen. And Tiffany showed up to put the final touches on everything.


Here, primarily in pictures, is the story of the day from the point of view of Nilgiris:

Heart in the entrance-way mirror

They would exchange vows
in front of the fireplace ...

What had been my cardinal Christmas
tree was transformed by Doreen
into a white and gold "wedding tree"
festooned with ribbons, where
butterflies and doves could lightly rest
(see anyone looking pleased with himself
at the ring-side seat he scored?!) 

The simple beauty of Doreen's arrangement
for the registry table spoke to me 
of faith, of hope, of love.
It symbolised courage, a willingness
to become vulnerable again, to say
"Your people will be my people ..."

Trying to retain the "TH feel," I placed the
comfy chairs on the perimeter and
set the other chairs in the space they made

There would be other children present, but I
wanted The Six to feel important; we arranged
chairs for them on their own side ...

The set-up for the ceremony was complete!

The beverage table ...

... and the food table. We wanted it all ready for 
6 pm because the ceremony was going
to be short and everyone would be hungry
after the drive out from Calgary ...

The officiant, Cliff Pedersen,
had been Ryan's pastor when
Ryan was a child

Ryan was the first to arrive.
As soon as we caught a glimpse
of him in dress uniform, we
had to add one more thing ...

 ...As the first guests entered, we
quickly rolled out a white runner
to mark an "aisle" up which his bride
would come to meet him.
"It will make it more special for her,"
he said tenderly

The Six were some of the first people to be seated

Everyone was in his or her place by 6:00 p.m.

... and anxious for the first glimpse of the bride

Here comes the bride!
One of the most beautiful I've ever seen ...
(Photo courtesy of the Jepsons)

Jenna's exquisite elder daughter
held her mother's bouquet ...

Husband and wife!

"The Lord bless you and keep you

The Lord make His face to shine upon you

and be gracious unto you

The Lord lift up His countenance upon you

and give you peace."

Both Dads taking pictures

(Photo courtesy of the Jepsons)

We had read on the "wedding website" that
there were going to be crafts and games,
so we set up a kids' area ...

... which was filled with activity and great joy ...

... but there was still space for a very little girl
needing a little quiet time by herself ... 

Fresh berry tarts,
made especially for the groom!

First dance, to Van Morrison ...

As I observed the activity and listened to the happiness, two images caught the corner of my eye, and my heart: two couples who have already been there, who have faced adversity, who have known both joy and sorrow, and who would rather be with each other than with anyone else in the room.









This kind of love is what I wish for our beautiful couple and their vibrant family. The love between them is palpable. Their commitment to each other, to their children, and to God is deep.




With that kind of impetus spurring them forward, this was not a celebration of two becoming eight but, rather, of eight becoming one.

(Photo courtesy of the Jepsons)