Some families come ready made.  On Friday we officiated a simple elopement-style wedding at our chapel for Sondra and Al.  Included in the package deal were two little ones, a 4-year-old boy and his red-headed sister  who is, well, terribly 2!  She responded to every question or comment with an emphatic, "No!"  Due to this restless little native, we skipped the unity candles for a short and sweet ceremony. As soon as she was back in her mother's arms, all was well with the world.

Flower girls have been known to steal the show. This little princess struck a pose prior to one of our August weddings.

A farm wedding, in this case a working farm and also B&B, makes a picturesque backdrop for a wedding. While capturing an image of the bride and groom and their large wedding party, we caught a weather vane in the background, while a llama watched from just outside camera range. Chickens were walking about, and the inside of the barn had been transformed into a sparkly fairy-like place for the reception. The flower girl clearly loved posing for pictures. Congrats to Rachael and Jesse!

Some have a whirlwind courtship, and others have a whirlwind wedding. Two weddings booked with me last week, each with only two days’ notice. One young couple, Katelyn and Shane with a darling 4-year-old boy, Charlie, opted for our chapel setting. The guest list was pushing 20, which is our capacity, including a number of small children.  I expected a bit of a zoo, though I love kids and, in fact, have 5 grandkids of my own.  I was pleasantly surprised at how well-supervised and well-behaved they all were. 

The other couple, Sonia and Terry, was fortunate to have close friends who hosted their wedding at their lovely West Linn home, which boasts a gorgeous view of the Willamette River flowing just beyond their backyard.  That wedding was so typical of life—the sun broke through the clouds and “smiled” on us just as we began.  Moments later, the neighbor started up his noisy lawn mower.  It was a small demonstration of the vows about accepting the good with the bad. 

Best wishes to both of our last week’s whirlwind couplesand Sonia and Terry, for a lifetime of happiness!