An Unsurpassed Event

An Unsurpassed Event



He designed her engagement ring

With ribbons of silver ivy making up the band

And an opal surrounded by diamonds in the center

It was amazing.to behold.



I planned the actual proposal with him

my daughter had no idea

He found a hard-bound copy

of all the works of Jane Austen

complete with gilded pages.



Her favorite book is Pride and Prejudice;

So he ever so carefully and precisely

cut a rectangle in each page so each matched

the one in back of it.

He started at the title page of Pride and Prejudice,

and when he finished, the ring nestled into the pages perfectly.



Christmas morning was the official proposal date

and I watched my tomboy daughter

turn into a complete girly girl when she opened her gift

and saw that spectacular ring in her favorite book.



As wedding plans were underway

I quickly realized we would be having a true wedding

not only in a church versus a barn

but also a more elaborate wedding than I had anticipated!



When cake testing appointments and

venue appointments were set,

my husband and I sighed as the dollar signs increased.

But we couldn't say no to our only daughter and the love of her life.



My husband was blessed with an unusually large bonus that year,

and suddenly what seemed impossible

became a reality.

The perfect wedding dress was found, a style fit for a Pride and Prejudice bride;

and flowers, a DJ,the venue, fancy appetizers and cake were all reserved.



We decided early on

to allow our daughter and future son-in-law free rein

with choices, and even with the guest list;

after all, the wedding is for them,

not for us.



What an event planning a wedding has become!

I was asked to plan the bridal shower along with one of the bridesmaids

And also to do the makeup for the bridesmaids

the day of the wedding.

I rejoiced that my daughter wanted to involve me so much!.



The bridal shower took place in the Reveille House

a Richmond, Virginia historic place

built in 1784, that somehow survived the burning

of Virginia's capital city in the Civil War.



The furniture echoed a long ago era;

the house even featured a ghost

friendly in nature, observed or heard by many

throughout the years.



Without regard for time the wedding was upon us,

and I turned in my seat to watch my husband of 25 years

escort our breathtakingly beautiful daughter down the aisle

to where her fiancee stood nervously waiting.



My husband took the bride's face in his hands

and drew her towards him;

He kissed her gently on the head

before taking his place next to me on the church pew.



An accomplished pianist played music from Pride and Prejudice

on a grand piano as the final moments passed

before the minister began the ceremony.

And suddenly it was over, and there they stood,

husband and wife.

I felt a hole rip wide in my heart,

As I let her go.



The reception next to celebrate the union

of my daughter and her husband,

was a party to end all parties

with bottomless jars of wine,

and a spectacular assortment of appetizers

as well as a table of candies for favors.



The bride and bridegroom started off the dancing

to a song that had seemed to break my heart the first time

I heard it play; in fact, I had introduced it to my daughter.

...I have loved you for a thousand years...

And I felt my heart breaking for certain this time.



They danced beautifully across the floor.

Soon everyone was dancing and laughing;

family gathered from around the United States

other people meeting for the very first time.



A photo booth complete with props awaited

those who wanted to have extra fun.

Wearing garish hats, glasses, leis and beards,

waiting for the printout of their personal silliness.



Then it was time for the bride and groom to leave.

The rest of us, armed with tiny bottles of soap bubbles,

greeted them as they exited the building with hands held high,

exuberant, off to their next adventure



The rest of us blew the remaining bubbles,

and my husband and I realized that like a brief summer storm,

both exciting and refreshing but somehow disappointing when it ends,

the unsurpassed event of our daughter's wedding was over.



It was time for US to to move on

to our own next adventure.