If we had a wedding program...

it would have looked something like this:

Seating Music

Songs from In the Heart of the Moon by Ali Farka Touré and Toumani Diabate

Prelude

"Djembe" from African Suite by the L.A. Guitar Quartet

Jean Simoneau and Michael Simoneau
Bill Sewell and Ruth Robertson
Jeanine Sewell and Mike Sewell
Catherine Belida and Kevin Simoneau
Michaela Goss
Meredith Carey
Julie Simoneau
Shannon O'Neilll

Processional

"The Throne Room/Finale" from Star Wars Episode IV by John Williams

Elizabeth accompanied by Dennis Simoneau and Jim Belida


Greeting

Karin Drowne, Officiant

First Reading

“He Wishes for Cloths of Heaven” by William Butler Yeats read by Meg Macumber.

Vows inspired by those from Inuit culture

You are my friend and my partner
My feet dance because of you
My belly laughs because of you
My heart shall beat because of you
My eyes see because of you
My mind thinks because of you
And I shall love because of you

Second Reading

Excerpt from Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston read by Yael Sherman

Exchange of Rings

Andy: "Elizabeth, you are my life, my love, my best friend, and with this ring I wed thee; may it be a reminder of my love and the committment I have made here today."

Elizabeth: "This ring is round and hath no end, so is my love unto my friend."

Signing of the Ketubah

The Ketubah is an ancient part of the Jewish wedding ceremony. It is the official contract between bride and groom, whose marriage officially starts the moment it is signed. Elizabeth and Andy have selected a Ketubah that is inscribed with a secular passage and which reflects their interest in Celtic art and culture.

Declaration of Marriage and the Introduction of the Newlyweds

Karin Drowne

Recessional

"The Raiders March" from Raiders of the Lost Ark by John Williams

Now I am Mrs. Llama!

Everyone told me that the wedding would be wonderful, but I didn't believe them. To me, the idea of the bride having fun on her own wedding day seemed as plausible as the exhibit paintings enjoying the museum. But it was fun. Exhausting and a little stressful, but fun. And now I have a husband.



The guests really loved the ceremony, or so they said. Everyone laughed and clapped when the "Throne Room/Finale" from Star Wars Episode IV came on. And my mother, who was expecting to hear something by Handel, who felt that Star Wars was inappropriate for a processional teared up a little. People told me later that as soon as I stepped off the porch the sun sort of burst out of the clouds and that during the ceremony there was a little white butterfly. My family said it was Nana. Andy said it was a cabbage moth, but being Irish and enjoying cabbage, it still could have been Nana. The rings, which Andy originally left in Ohio, continued to be problematic. Mike (Andy's brother and best man) couldn't find mine; he thought it fell into his suit but it was actually in the velvet bag he had in his hand. Then I couldn't figure out on which hand to put Andy's ring. He had help in the form of my engagement ring, but I was clueless. Even when I got the correct hand, I could figure out which finger:



During the reception, I wore my "Domestic Diva" apron, which made people laugh. I kept it on through the cake cutting. My cousin's idiot husband claimed that I was making a mockery of the apron and the concept of domesticity. I ignored him. Later I found out that he tried to play "Piggies" with Yael's toes. Now I think that I should have just clocked him.




Speaking of, my brother got sucker punched the night before the wedding. I felt terrible. His face was swollen on one side and he had a large cut on his arm. He said he probably wouldn't eat much so he was just going to drink all day, which he did. It was fun to remind the photographer to get his good side. As usual, Kevin made repeated Godfather references: "We're not taking the picture without Michael." Really, it's cute and ever so appropriate given that both the processional and recessional pieces were from Star Wars and Raiders of the Lost Ark.

I will be so happy next week to attend Yael and John's wedding as a guest. As much as I enjoyed the festivities, it's hard to be "on" all day. And I never felt as though I could spend more than 15 minutes with each group of friends and family. Now we are in Bar Harbor, which we discovered last night is the perfect Honeymoon location for us. After a lovely dinner (and I will talk more about that later) I had a dish of white russian flavored ice-cream called, "The Dude."

In Your Kitchen, Scrambling Your Eggs

I really wanted to make a LOLCat reference up there, but I could not bring myself to knowingly and willingly put bad grammar and spelling into my blog.

My stepfather, Jim, makes the best scrambled eggs, ones that I have not been able to replicate. UNTIL NOW. I thought perhaps that yesterday was a fluke, that I "accidentally" made eggs that were the right combination of moist and fluffy. But then I made them again today. Of course, I am at my parents' house in Massachusetts so it could be that they have a magic stove, but I highly doubt that. Jim is too frugal to pay the extra money for the magic feature of the Magic Chef brand stove and oven.

There are 13 until Andy and I get married and there is still a lot to do:

1. Call the florist by Wednesday
2. Contact the guests who have not replied to see if they are coming or not
3. Plan the ceremony
A. Music
B. Words
4. Plan the reception
A. Order of events
B. Seating arrangements
C. Final count to Caterer by the 18th.
5. Final dress fitting
6. Meet with photographer on Tuesday
7. Obtain the marriage license
8. Gifts
A. Bridesmaids
B. Parents