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The Family Wedding
The Family Wedding |
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Written by Patricia Patrick, AIFD, CAFA
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 There are two little words that strike fear into my heart whenever a family member speaks them – ‘We’re engaged!’ The next thing that happens after all the hugging, kissing, and congratulations, is the couple asks if I can do the flowers. It really isn’t a question, it’s an expectation and it’s one I dread.
I recently found myself hopping around in a tiny washroom stall of a banquet hall, trying to put on pantyhose and a dress. I had fifteen minutes to spare to get to the church across town to see my husband’s son get married to his long-time girlfriend.
I spent days making centrepieces, church arrangements, bouquets, and body flowers. Then the morning of the wedding was spent doing deliveries and assembling for what started out to be ‘just a simple little service for a few close friends and family.’ I had hoped for a little more time to look decent, but it wasn’t to be since the ‘little’ event had become a gigantic ordeal that consumed all of us for most of the year.
The guest list grew to 200, not the largest wedding on record by any means, but the list of details also grew. What about the money box, what about the arch, can you get pedestals and fabric, will there be twinkle lights on the head table? Shall we have jeweled handles on the bouquet and should they match the flowers or the dresses? Is the three-year-old flower girl going to be too small for a bouquet, and on and on!
 By this time it was raining, and my elegant pink gown looked like a dishrag. Back at the reception hall, I discovered that there was no electrical outlet for the twinkle lights on the head table, the arch had to be reassembled, and the cake was missing.
There were six bridesmaids, plus the flower girl, a flowered arch, elaborate pew markers, six arrangements in the church draped in fabric, a massive 8-tiered cake to decorate, centrepieces with fruit and flowers, and yes, twinkle lights on the head table. I was then told I had to be at the park for a four-hour photo session between ceremony and reception, which never happened and I honestly doubt that I was ever missed.
Despite all the work, it was a lovely wedding. The bridesmaids’ bouquets were hand-tied posies of gerberas in a contrasting colour with a long, jeweled handle. The bride’s bouquet was a very large gerbera posy, using all the colours of the maids’ bouquets.
After the ceremony, the arch had to be disassembled and everything had to be loaded into the truck to be taken to the reception. By this time it was raining, and my elegant pink gown looked like a dishrag. Back at the reception hall, I discovered that there was no electrical outlet for the twinkle lights on the head table, the arch had to be reassembled, and the cake was missing. The reception beginning at 5 p.m., and the cake only arrived at 6:30 p.m., so while everyone was seated for dinner – I was decorating the elaborate cake.
There were small problems, but no one really noticed. The bride’s family was pleased with everything, and the couple thought that it was the best day of their lives. Isn’t that what it’s all about?
 The last picture in my mind that day was of the bride in her full-skirted, white taffeta gown, holding her young daughter in one arm, and a box of pampers in the other – the picture of the modern bride.
Two weeks later my nephew in England announced his engagement. Here we go again. One thing worse than a family wedding is a family wedding out of town!
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