On February 23rd, Rebecca and Richie were married in Pittsburgh, PA. After a beautiful, simple ceremony at Ingomar United Methodist Church, the wedding party hopped on a party bus and headed downtown (stopping at the liquor store and grocery store on the way). Their celebration was held at the Pittsburgh Zoo Aquarium, winning the prize for the most original reception site. At the beautiful, new aquarium, we wandered among tanks of exotic fish, coral reefs, penguins, an octopus, sharks, and all variety of other marine life. Being surrounded by sea life had a dream-like affect on everyone; people were so calm and happy, they practically floated around all evening as well. Congratulations Rebecca and Richie!
On June 14th, Polly (aka Rosemary) and Aaron were married Above the Clouds in Sonoma, California. Above the Clouds is a bed and breakfast set in the foothills of the Sonoma Wine Country, only a mile from Polly and Aaron's oh-so-sweet cabin in the woods. This wedding celebration set a new standard for a "Hawaiian Luau". With the help of family and many friends, Above the Clouds was transformed into a full-fledged Hawaiian hideaway. Gideon and I enjoyed our time in Sonoma so much, we just might have to make a habit of visiting every year! Congratulations Polly and Aaron!
Finally, Myra and Tim said "I do" on August 31st, back in Pittsburgh, PA. They were married at Hampton Presbyterian Church. A dreamy reception was held at Armstrong Farms in Saxonburg, PA. A day blessed with perfect weather set the tone for a perfect celebration. The classy celebration turned into a full-out party that continued on until the next morning, as probably a third of the guests camped out on the farm. Dancing, lots of wine and beer, excellent food, a bonfire and tents... now that's a good time. Congratulations Myra and Tim!
As my cousin Kim said, "Your family throws the best weddings! They're all so different and quirky!" Don't I know it!
On July 14th, Gideon and I celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary. So, here's some advice from an old married fart... I've learned a few things over the years.
- Talk, talk, talk about it! And if you can't, get someone to help you talk about it!
- Make each other feel special... not just every once in a while. In fact, schedule special days for each other once a week. It's a good habit.
- Give yourself a good amount of time to just be married (as in no kids). Only the two of you can decide what "a good amount of time" means.
- Do not allow pride to play a part in your marriage. If you need help, ask for it. If you're no good at something, admit it. If you can't figure it out, don't pretend you can.
- Get real and stay real. Being real can be a real pain, but it's how you build a lasting, solid foundation.
- Don't ever think that other couples "have it all together"...all marriages get messy sometimes. Just keep working on it and cleaning up as you go.
- Don't ever underestimate the power of love.
