Journey best part of marriage

Two weddings in one summer is a record for me.

I think I can nearly count all the weddings I’ve been to in my life on one hand. So two sets of out-of-town nuptials in a couple of months has me thinking I could be a wedding planner.

Both weddings, one my nephew’s and the other a co-worker’s, were outdoors, both were fairly simple as weddings go, and they each fit the linkrespective couples perfectly.

Nephew’s wedding had been long awaited by family and was a relaxing good time. At least it was relaxing to those of us who were just spectators. There were a few “Nervous Nellies” in attendance but they had good reason.

The only downside was the 100-degree temperature as the ceremony started. I remember being pretty sweaty on my wedding day, but this time the groom had a good excuse for mopping his brow.

At the co-worker’s wedding this past weekend in Ruidoso the weather was perfect. Nice cool shady lawn and no breeze to rearrange the decorations. In fact the weather was so good that the bride and all her bridesmaids forgot to wear their shoes as they made their way down a pine cone lined path to the altar. I guess I should have suspected it no more than she wears shoes around the office.

Both grooms got hitched in new blue jeans and boots.

The food at both receptions was fantastic and it didn’t take long to get to it because both ceremonies were short and sweet.

Things have changed a lot since I got married 31 summers ago. I would have been OK with an outdoor wedding, but my wife and others planning the event saw a church as a more fitting location.

A barefoot bride would have suited me just fine but my bride were heels and pantyhose every day.

Barbecue at the reception would have been great but fancy sandwiches, mixed nuts and mints were probably more elegant.

Lord knows the idea of wearing blue jeans instead of a tuxedo would have really appealed to me. I’m just glad that someone decided a Western tux with string tie and boots fit the look of the wedding.

We flipped tradition with them on our honeymoon though. Both couples this summer took off to the tropics and a traditional beach honeymoon. My wife and I motored to Colorado and took a whitewater rafting trip and a trip up Pikes Peak in a freak June blizzard.

My blessings are on both couples as they embark on their marriage journeys. Three decades later some days will still be like you’re newlyweds and others will seem like you’ve known each other forever, and were always meant for each other. Being together for the journey is the best part of all.

Karl Terry writes for Clovis Media Inc. Contact him at: [email protected]