Wedding Chair Blues

Okay, I’ll confess; I was so preoccupied that I forgot my one wedding task, to stand up when the bride came down the aisle with her father. My friends tell me they were chortling and trying not to stand up before me.
Actually, I was checking out the hem of her dress which I had painstakingly put in myself one stitch at a time.
Surviving a wedding takes fortitude and it doesn’t hurt to have a sense of humor either.
Good advice is welcome, too, I discovered.
We waved goodbye to the happy couple and I immediately started processing my emotions by way of my keyboard.
As the last rose petal fell over their departure, I turned to DeeDee Turnage for her best advice about weddings to share in this column.
DeeDee encourages bewildered mothers of the bride every weekend at Elwood Gardens, her farm and home which also serves as a destination wedding site right here in East Texas, just south of Frankston.
What, according to DeeDee, makes a wedding special?
Surprisingly, her answer didn’t involve any of the unique, personal touches that are the stuff of her daily life.
“Bringing two families together,” she responded.
So, what does she recommend?
-Choose a venue that is relaxed. It can be traditional, but should not be intimidating.
-Set aside time to get the two families together. Pull out baby pictures. Share memories.
-Incorporate the groom’s family into the planning process. Invite the mother of the groom to go along when choosing the bridal gown or the flowers.
-Remember that dads tend to feel left out of the process. Look for ways to include them. Give them a special job or write them a note.
-Do not let the moms take on too much work, either with the wedding or the rehearsal dinner. Encourage them to delegate.
My thanks to DeeDee for her wisdom, and her friendship.
I think it helps if you look for ways to laugh together. Don’t take the wedding or yourself too seriously.
On that note, I have one more confession; I was so transfixed when my husband did his part, saying in a loud clear voice “her mother and I” that I forgot to do my job.
I forgot to sit back down.
Yes, the crowd stood throughout almost the entire wedding! Too bad we wasted money renting cute little white wedding chairs.
Fortunately, the bride and groom wanted a short service.
Cathy Primer Krafve, aka Checklist Charlie, lives in beautiful East Texas and is in denial about any future weddings for her other children. She can be reached at CaeKrafve2@aol.com or http://checklistcharlie.blogspot.com.