As children, we all have attended weddings of couples that were friends or co-workers of our parents. Here is the story on one such Christmas wedding:
The announcement arrived just a few days before Thanksgiving, inviting the entire family, all six of us, to attend a wedding and reception. My mother read the invitation and said, “Who would even think of getting married on Christmas Eve?” But she sent the response card accepting the invitation for herself and her two oldest daughters.
At 5:30 p.m. on Christmas Eve, we headed for the church. A light snow had fallen over Northwest Indiana that day, and the setting sun reflecting off of it, cast a warm glow all around. We arrived at the church to find hundreds of white luminaries lining all the walkways leading to the building. Once inside we found the sanctuary decorated in evergreens, red poinsettias and candles.
The bridesmaids, all six of them, were dressed in deep red velvet halter dresses with matching capes trimmed with white fur, including the hem. They looked like they were floating up the aisle! In lieu of bouquets they carried white muffs with a small sprig of holly attached to the front. The groomsmen wore black tuxedos and wore sprigs of holly for boutonnieres.
The reception was held at a nearby country club, and again, the banquet hall was decorated and ready for Christmas. The centerpieces were very simple branches of fresh evergreen boughs with sprigs of holly arranged in clusters around a trio of red pillar candles. There was a huge Christmas tree in the lobby of the clubhouse as well as a fireplace which only added more ambiance.
The crowning jewel to this event was the bride. Her gown was absolutely gorgeous. It was white with a very full skirt, and not one pearl or sequin. The light played off the satin like it had all been planned. Her veil was shoulder length, with just a hint of glitter peppered throughout to give the illusion of snow. She carried a bouquet that was made with deep, red, roses trimmed, with a thin border of white fur. The bride was truly a vision of loveliness. That wedding made a lasting impression on one little girl.
