While celebrating my birthday last year Dwight dropped a bomb, “I’ve been thinking we should get married.” Twenty two and half years ago we met at friends’ Thanksgiving dinner. We have entertained the idea, usually individually of “getting married.” Neither of us seemed to be in the same space with this ceremonial event. I took a month or more to mull over his wish. After deciding where we wanted this to take place (the Mono County Courthouse in downtown Bridgeport) ofwe sent out a “surprise” announcement in June with said building gracing the front to family and a few chosen friends.
I pulled out my herbal and wedding resoures: Betsy Williams’ Planning Your Herbal Wedding and Kathleen Gips’ Flora’s Dictionary: the Victorian’s Language of Herbs and Flowers, and to get into the spirit of “wedding” I reread, Lavender Lies, the China Bayles’ (one of my favorite protagonists right up there with Marcia Muller’s Sharon McClone) novel in which Susan Wittig Albert tells the tale of China and McQuaid’s not so smooth wedding. Then I began gathering herbs for drying to make herbal sachets to decorate the dining table and for mementos for all to take home. The glittery cards stamped with “celebration of love” on the front, inside appeared
Dwight & Cathie
November 24, 2010
Bridgeport, CA
and on the back the following information:
Bay - Unending love
Calendula - Joy
Red rose petals - I love you
Rosemary - Loyalty
Wild marjoram - Joy & happiness
Yarrow - Health
Rosemary plants were repotted for transport to the Walker River Lodge. And I tried my hand at candying flowers to decorate our celebratory cake, which was fun once I mastered the concept of painting with egg whites.
I had great fun on the phone with Renee of the Sweetwater Outpost in Bridgeport procuring fresh flowers. Renee is a sweetheart who got into our event with her whole BE-ing for which we are grateful. Anne, who I have seen fuss over her fresh flowers endlessly, helped me put all the flowers and herbs into the vases.
Two of these bouquets went to the upstairs apartment to greet Leigh and Steven, Katie and Mike, and Anne had her very own bouquet. All of these were accompanied with a lovely shimmering card with:
Welcome to Dwight & Cathie’s herbal
celebration of BE-ing together 23 years
November 24, 2010
Bridgeport, California
Flowers & meaning:
Aster - Patience
Bay - Unending love
Calendula - Joy
Elder - Compassion
Johnny Jump Up - Happy thoughts
Red rose petals - I love you
Rosemary - Loyalty
Wild marjoram - Joy & happiness
Yarrow - Health
Colors & meaning:
Blue - Pure love
Lavender - Pure love
Anne and I had a hilarious time with the concept of “ring bearer” She took it on as only she can.
And of course Renee joined in the great fun and comic relief.
On THE DAY, clear and sunny, we all enjoyed breakfast together at my very most favorite breakfast spot in the world, the Hays Street Cafe. In our apartment dinner followed, too soon for most, and enjoyed by all in their “Sunday Best”.
Dinner preparation was a community project. Leigh prepared the roasted veggies that she is dishing onto her plate below.
Katie seemed to think it great fun that we were having a progressive wedding as we moved to the Courthouse. She graciously undertook the task of putting frosting and the candied flowers on the cake.
Steven was the official photographer although in the end we have some 500+ photographs from all four cameras present. The photos included in this blog are a collection of what Dwight and I deem the best of the 500+.
For the ceremony Rose waited in the car
Over the past years when we have gone to Bridgeport for several weeks over Thanksgiving to celebrate our anniversary of meeting, the weather has varied from high 50’s during the day with abundant sunshine to overcast to blowing wind. In the past we have not experienced snow before Thanksgiving. Snow was happening before, during and after Thanksgiving this year. So instead of our ceremony taking place on the front steps of the Mono County Courthouse, it happened inside half way up the flight of stairs
in front of pictures of the courthouse before it was painted white.
The above sign was noted during the witness signing. The locals relate that "Hap's" wife is "Miz Hap".
In spite of the cold, pictures were taken outside
before we transported the celebration to the upstairs apartment for champagne
and cake
along with MIke’s violin music.
So there you have a quick rendition with pictures of Dwight and Cathie’s Herbal Celebration of BE-ing Together for 23 Years, aka Wedding.
Wedding comments and/or stories would be greatly appreciated.
KEEP LAUGHING
Cathie, Your wedding looks like it was wonderful, congratulations to you both. I remember you wanting to do herbal bouquets, etc for Dewitt's and my wedding. Of course, when we changed venue to the Grand Canyon, that was no longer possible. Thanks so much for sharing the photos - love the sentiments and meanings of the flowers.
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