Monday, May 30, 2005

The Twenty-Minute Wedding

I was inspired by a recent post at Open Book http://chapternext.typepad.com/openbook
to write about my wedding day, July 2, 1964. Would you believe that I worked at the hospital from 9 am to noon on the day I got married? Well, I did. And when I left work, I went to the hair salon to get a "shampoo and set", as it was called back in the day. The ceremony was to be at 6 pm, at the Norfolk Naval Base Catholic Chapel, and my Matron of Honor came to drive me to the church about 5 pm. I was dressed in a white lace chemise dress, which I sewed on my 1940 Singer sewing machine. I also made my pill box hat (a la Jackie Kennedy); covered in matching lace and dotted with seed pearls and a short veil. White peau de soie heels completed the outfit, along with tear-drop pearl earrings. I carried a white prayer book, on which sat a bouquet of blue hydrangeas and coral tea roses, also made by me, and cut from my landlady's yard.

For reasons I won't go into now, none of our parents attended the ceremony. It was planned that way. Suffice it to say, I am now sorry for that decision. My landlady's husband, a very good friend, walked me down the aisle, and our landlady gave a reception for us in her back yard, complete with wedding cake (home made and yummy) and booze.
During the ceremony, I had an out-of-body experience, sort of. I felt as though I was in the balcony, watching the ceremony take place. It was weird, since I was on the altar - and seemed to be watching myself on the altar. The same thing happened to me when I was four, and having my tonsils removed. But I had a good excuse then - I was sedated.
The only other thing I remember from the ceremony, was looking over at my fiancee and seeing a small green bug crawling up his neck. I flicked it off - and he didn't know why I had flicked his neck - but he didn't make a big deal of it, thankfully. There were about 9 people at the wedding, including the Priest. A friend of my fiance offered to be our photographer, and we accepted that offer, much to our later chagrin. We have only a few pics from that day. He was amateur to the maxx, unfortunately.
We all went to my landlady's house for the reception, which was really very nice. Another friend of my husband's had offered to drive us to our honeymoon destination - Virginia Beach. We could go no farther than that, as we both had to be back at work in 4 days. Our chauffeur was a poor driver - and he had been drinking - and we almost "bought the farm"(sorry Angie) before the honeymoon started. We came so close to having a major car wreck that we were both emotional wrecks! The rest of the honeymoon was wonderful, though, unless you count the next morning at breakfast, when 2 girls my hubby had known in college approached our table - not knowing we were honeymooning - and just oozed their exuberance at finding him! I dispatched them immediately, as you might imagine.
The next night, we attended a dinner theater performance of "Carousel". It was the first time I had seen a play live, so I was enthralled. Just today, my husband noted that there is to be a performance of "Carousel" by our local theatre group and offered that we go in honor of our anniversary this summer. I think I upset him when I declined the opportunity; I never did like "Carousel" much.
After 4 days, we returned to Norfolk on a Greyhound bus, and started what has turned out to be a 41 year odyssey together. I wouldn't have it any other way!

35 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi there. Here via Michele. Wow, great post! I played solo violin years ago in Carousel. At 15, YOU'LL NEVER WALK ALONE was pretty deep! Come by and visit if you get a chance. Have a great holiday weekend!

CT said...

I have about 4 friends getting married next moth its crazy!!!

Good Times...

Anonymous said...

Any chance of seeing the bride on her wedding day? Sounds beautiful to me.

Anonymous said...

I can assure everyone that Judy looked better than Audrey Hepburn or Suzy Parker at her wedding. For you youngsters out there Suzy Parker was THE model of the early 1960's and was the highest paid model in history. Judy could have worn a flour sack at her wedding and been a princess. Another thing, Greyhound bus travel was actually sort of fancy back then. Their motto was ,"It's such a pleasure to take the bus and leave the driving to us." I also despised "Carousel". It ranked second to "Brigadoon" as what I call the worst musicals of the era.

Panthergirl said...

I love weddings. That's why I've had three of them! And you combined your wedding with a GREYHOUND, which makes it even more special to me!!!

In all seriousness, congrats on keeping it together for so long. ;)

Natsthename said...

I'm here via Michele...

Carousel isn't BAD! Sure, it's depressing, but that doesn't make it bad. (I like my musical theater with a little reality now and then...death...etc.) But that's just me! (not that musical theater is reality, by any means. I mean, I don't ever recall a big man-eating plant talking to a lowly shopkeep in my own town....)

Natsthename said...

Oh, and the wedding story is lovely! Happy almost Anniversary!

kenju said...

I am working on how to get photos into the blog; Angie sent me a page of notes on it - and maybe I can figure it out one of these days. Thanks for asking.....

Babette said...

Michele sent me...Congratulations on your anniversary and your odyssey! You wrote a hilarious account of what is obviously a very romantic relationship! Our local theater is presently performing "Music Man" and "Goodnight My Someone" is a favorite of mine. I look forward to reading on down your blog...

Shannin said...

Here via Michele's M&G.

Great post -- I love hearing wedding day stories since no two are the same....

Anonymous said...

What a lovely story and truly interesting day. I cannot believe you WORKED on the morning of your wedding day. Can you imagine any of today's brides doing the same? Um, not.

My parents' anniversiary is June 30, 1962. I bet you knew them, I can't see how you didn't. Especially with everything else in common!!

41 years is a real inspiration. Congratulations!

Anonymous said...

Hello, Michele sent me today.

I'm a sucker for wedding stories and would love to see your wedding pictures. Congratulations on 41 years!

phoenix said...

Congratulations Kenju! 41 years - wow.

OldHorsetailSnake said...

Piecework, patchwork wedding and honeymoon -- genuinely romantic! Congratulations, Judy. Thanks for a wonderful story.

poopie said...

41 years..now that's an accomplishment. Mine WOULD'VE been 26 this year, only it didn't take. Maybe the next one will be 41 years. Hmm..that'll put me at about 91 to celebrate the anniversary :)

Tammy said...

What a wonderful story! And how really wonderful to hear that y'all are still together...I was born around that time, and so many of my friends parents (and my own) divorced. It's great to hear a better ending!

Michele sent me!

Anonymous said...

hi.michele sent me :)

Moogie said...

Michele sent me and I'm so glad.

It sounds like, despite everything, it was a wonderful day. 41 years. Wow. We just passed our 17th and I thought that was a long time. :)

congrats!

Anonymous said...

This one is beautiful- what a pleasure to read. And how clever are you two to keep it going all these years? All the best and thanks for a wonderful post.

SuburbaMom said...

Congratulations on 41 years together. I love to hear stories about how people meet and wedding stories. Thanks for sharing. I look forward to more explanation... why didn't your parents attend??

chanceofbooks said...

Hello! Michele sent me :) Congrats on 41 years :)

Anonymous said...

What a great post,interesting story and these are the things that make each of our lives unique. Thanks for sharing.

Dawn said...

I just posted a picture of the dress I want to wear on my wedding day. I am getting married on November 1st and I can't wait.

I am here via Michele

Anonymous said...

Michele sent me. Thank you for sharing a wonderful time in your life. Love your Blog and will return often.
Maria

Anonymous said...

Forty one years! I am most impressed! Congratulations!

Michele sent me.

annie said...

Wow! 41 years. That is such a great accomplishment!

Pirate Princess said...

Thanks for visiting my blog - I am all amazed at your 41 years - that is wonderful! Congratulations!

guppyman said...

41 years is nothing to sneeze at.... congrats on that.

Here via michelle, so Howdy!

Cylithria Dubois said...

Kenju I love this story!! Thanks for coming to my blog and wishing me well. I've been sitting here reading your blog and I adore it!! Your daughter sounds wonderful, your grandchildren sound precious and your hubby of 41 years sounds like a dream come true. You are a special lady and I love what you blog about!! I'm blogrolling you so I can always find my way back here!! Thanks again for visiting me and Have a great day!!!

Jamie Dawn said...

What a wonderful story of love and marriage longevity.
My hubby and I have been married 21 years.
I could see your wedding dress, hat, and bouquet, and you looked stunning in my mind's eye.
I wonder what the out-of-body thing was all about?
Strange things can't be explained sometimes.

Anonymous said...

I tried so hard at my second body...not to leave my body! The bug was a nice touch in the story.

Anonymous said...

I'm not really anonymous. I'm colleen. The comment section didn't give me a box to fill out.

Doris said...

Congratulations on all these years of happiness and thank you for sharing.

Star said...

Happy Anniversaru you two lovebirds! Our wedding and "honrymoon" was just as simple, and we have been married 34 tears. I just wen to a wedding that probably cost as much as a college education. I wonder how long that on wil last?

OldLady Of The Hills said...

I had not seen this one Judy...This is a wonderful story, too. I have often thought that it might be just perfect to get married without all of the family...And then, maybe have a second wedding with ALL the "Usual Suspects" as well as all the other things that we expect a wdding to have....I know one couple that did that...(I performed both ceremony's) and the reason they did the "private" one first was so they would be able to enjoy the Public one just that much more...!