precious little girl dressed in a long red dress headed solemnly for the altar, tossing red rose petals onto the aisle runner.
When the organist switched to Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” the guests all stood and turned to look toward the entrance, smiling, expectant, watching for the brides.
“ Are you ready?” Binkie asked, taking my left hand and slipping it through his folded arm and then patting my hand gently. His eyes were shiny wet with tears. Mine were too.
“ I’ve waited my whole life for this moment,” I responded. “I just didn’t know it.”
Aunt Ruby was escorting Melanie down the aisle ahead of us and Binkie waited until they were mid-way to the altar before he began his slow even pace. My nosegay of red roses felt light in my right hand.
At the altar Jon waited, light streaming in from a high window illuminating his golden head. He was smiling broadly, his eyes fastened on my face.
I glanced at the guests and smiled but my eyes always returned to Jon. All of a sudden I felt overwhelmingly happy. This was right. So right.
And then a slight murmur and light laughter came from the congregation and I turned my head slightly to see what had caught their attention. A slight movement behind me made me look back and I laughed out loud.
It was Spunky. Spunky the cat, his white on black patterned fur making him look like he was dressed in a tuxedo. Melanie had tied a red ribbon around his neck. He was following us down the aisle with cat-like grace, ignoring the congregation and the attention he was attracting.
Binkie and I arrived at the altar. He delivered me to Jon and then he and Aunt Ruby took their seats in the front row on the bride’s side. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Spunky rolling in the strewn red rose petals. Had catnip been sprinkled with the rose petals? The scent led him to Aunt Ruby’s feet. She reached down and scooped him up into her lap, where he draped himself languidly across her knees.
I looked at Melanie and arched my eyebrows. She winked at me and grinned. She was glowing with happiness.
Father Andrew began: “Dearly, beloved: We have come together in the presence of God . . .”
I looked at Jon. He looked at me. We had eyes for only each other.
The priest said, “Ashley, will you have this man to be your husband; to live together in the covenant of marriage? Will you love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health; and forsaking all others, be faithful to him as long as you both shall live?”
With a glad and thankful heart, I responded, “I will.”
The priest said to Jon, “Jonathan, will you have this woman to be your wife . . .”
Looking fully into my eyes, his whole being shining through his, Jon responded, “I will.”
Father Andrew repeated the Declaration of Consent with Melanie and Cameron.
Father Andrew then addressed the congregation. “Will all of you witnessing these promises do all in your power to uphold these two couples in their marriage?”
Our guests replied with a resounding and encouraging, “We will.”
Father Andrew said, “The Lord be with you.”
The congregation replied, “And also with you.”
“ Let us pray.”
After the prayer, Willie Hudson mounted the pulpit and read from Genesis.
Then we two couples exchanged our vows. Jon took my right hand in his and said, “In the Name of God, I, Jonathan Alfred Campbell, take you, Ashley Ann Wilkes, to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for . . .”
I took Jon’s right hand in mine and said, “In the Name of God, I Ashley, take you Jonathan, to be my husband . . ."
Willie’s great grandson produced the rings and we slipped our wedding rings on each other’s fingers.
We gave ourselves to each other. Father Andrew ended The Marriage with, “Those whom God has joined together let no one put asunder.”
And the congregation resounded with a loud, “Amen.”
We recited The Lord’s Prayer.
Jon and I, Melanie and Cam, knelt at the
When the organist switched to Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy” the guests all stood and turned to look toward the entrance, smiling, expectant, watching for the brides.
“ Are you ready?” Binkie asked, taking my left hand and slipping it through his folded arm and then patting my hand gently. His eyes were shiny wet with tears. Mine were too.
“ I’ve waited my whole life for this moment,” I responded. “I just didn’t know it.”
Aunt Ruby was escorting Melanie down the aisle ahead of us and Binkie waited until they were mid-way to the altar before he began his slow even pace. My nosegay of red roses felt light in my right hand.
At the altar Jon waited, light streaming in from a high window illuminating his golden head. He was smiling broadly, his eyes fastened on my face.
I glanced at the guests and smiled but my eyes always returned to Jon. All of a sudden I felt overwhelmingly happy. This was right. So right.
And then a slight murmur and light laughter came from the congregation and I turned my head slightly to see what had caught their attention. A slight movement behind me made me look back and I laughed out loud.
It was Spunky. Spunky the cat, his white on black patterned fur making him look like he was dressed in a tuxedo. Melanie had tied a red ribbon around his neck. He was following us down the aisle with cat-like grace, ignoring the congregation and the attention he was attracting.
Binkie and I arrived at the altar. He delivered me to Jon and then he and Aunt Ruby took their seats in the front row on the bride’s side. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Spunky rolling in the strewn red rose petals. Had catnip been sprinkled with the rose petals? The scent led him to Aunt Ruby’s feet. She reached down and scooped him up into her lap, where he draped himself languidly across her knees.
I looked at Melanie and arched my eyebrows. She winked at me and grinned. She was glowing with happiness.
Father Andrew began: “Dearly, beloved: We have come together in the presence of God . . .”
I looked at Jon. He looked at me. We had eyes for only each other.
The priest said, “Ashley, will you have this man to be your husband; to live together in the covenant of marriage? Will you love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, in sickness and in health; and forsaking all others, be faithful to him as long as you both shall live?”
With a glad and thankful heart, I responded, “I will.”
The priest said to Jon, “Jonathan, will you have this woman to be your wife . . .”
Looking fully into my eyes, his whole being shining through his, Jon responded, “I will.”
Father Andrew repeated the Declaration of Consent with Melanie and Cameron.
Father Andrew then addressed the congregation. “Will all of you witnessing these promises do all in your power to uphold these two couples in their marriage?”
Our guests replied with a resounding and encouraging, “We will.”
Father Andrew said, “The Lord be with you.”
The congregation replied, “And also with you.”
“ Let us pray.”
After the prayer, Willie Hudson mounted the pulpit and read from Genesis.
Then we two couples exchanged our vows. Jon took my right hand in his and said, “In the Name of God, I, Jonathan Alfred Campbell, take you, Ashley Ann Wilkes, to be my wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for . . .”
I took Jon’s right hand in mine and said, “In the Name of God, I Ashley, take you Jonathan, to be my husband . . ."
Willie’s great grandson produced the rings and we slipped our wedding rings on each other’s fingers.
We gave ourselves to each other. Father Andrew ended The Marriage with, “Those whom God has joined together let no one put asunder.”
And the congregation resounded with a loud, “Amen.”
We recited The Lord’s Prayer.
Jon and I, Melanie and Cam, knelt at the
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