I spent a wonderful 6 days with family in Georgia for Carol and Don’s wedding held on Christmas day. Why that day? My mother-in-law eagerly took the mike at the reception to explain the tradition. She and her husband met on Christmas day at church, and got married 2 years later on Christmas day.

The snow started falling at about 8 AM on Christmas and continued until evening.  In Georgia, mind you! We stayed at this restored, historic inn at Cavesprings, Georgia.  An old church and school building on the property were also ours to use, and we did! The minister, who lived an hour away, couldn’t make it through the snow, so he called in on a cell phone which we held up to a microphone to perform the ceremony.  I’ll bet it’s the first marriage like it in the history of Georgia!

Can you imagine being the bride and sewing your own wedding dress – finishing it hours before the wedding? Being the groom and volunteering to be sous chef to your Cordon Bleu trained soon-to-be step daughter – running to the store for forgotten items and cooking and cooking and cleaning for 3 days?  And having the wedding in a small town an hour and a half away?  Having family pour in from all over the country?  Renting an inn with space for about 18 people comfortably and expecting 25?  Having it snow in Georgia for the first time in as long as anyone can remember in December?  Having the minister snowed in?  The photographer not able to make it?  Preparing an entire feast with turkey, ham, potatoes, soup, macaroni and cheese, stuffing, salad, sweet apples, sweet potatoes and moving it along with the wedding party and friends to the wedding site?  Arrive at the inn 12 hours after you planned and getting the church decorated and the sound system set up just in time?  And the flower bouquets you made a day ago froze or dried up and wilted?

The bride and groom took all the setbacks in stride.  The wedding planner improvised and improvised – make new bouquets 10 min before;  best man, you’re now the photographer; nephew, you’re the new best man. Yes, you can fit into your uncle’s black suit! Your new white shirt fits the groom, can he use it?  Minister, we’ll do the ceremony by cell phone. Let’s move these pedestals across the grounds into the church because the arch we rented couldn’t fit in the car with all the food and people.  And borrow some decorations from the inn to spruce them up. And we’ll spend an extra night here so we don’t have to drive back in the dark in the snow.

My son said it was the best wedding he’s ever been to and I agree. It was a joyous, creative, dance in the moment, never to be forgotten, big event.  Not boring. The details were messy, and the spirits were high, and in the end, Don and Carol were married at one of their favorite places and the whole family was part of the wedding, reception, and clean up. Even more important – we created something together, got over the upsets, showed the young adults and children how a positive, peaceful, loving family can work together to solve just about anything.

What if I could live every day like that – rolling with the punches, being grateful for what works, celebrating the light and love of family, improvising and moving on, and laughing and forgiving.  Sounds like good ground to stand on for a new year.