Wedding Guests

Wedding guests, that seems to be our title for the month of October! Tim and I have a pretty packed schedule, with three weddings on the calendar this month alone. From last weekend’s wedding in New Hampshire to this weekend’s beach wedding, love is definitely in the air!

This weekend, we were invited to witness my friend Carol’s son and his wife renew their vows in a beautiful beachfront ceremony. The young couple had married at a courthouse last year, and now it was time for an official celebration with family and friends.

Truth be told, I adored their courthouse wedding photos. There was something so lovely about the simplicity of it all, with the focus entirely on the two of them and their love for one another, without all the pomp and circumstance. But their beach wedding was every bit as special, and Mother Nature certainly showed up for the occasion! We were treated to a spectacular fall day, complete with warm sunshine, blue skies, and a beautiful ocean backdrop. It couldn’t have been more perfect.

The bride’s family had flown all the way from China to attend, making this their first visit to the United States. The celebration beautifully blended two cultures, beginning with a traditional Chinese tea ceremony followed by a Western wedding ceremony. The officiant thoughtfully delivered the words in both English and Mandarin, making sure everyone could share in the meaning of the moment.

It’s pretty amazing when you think about how these two found one another, growing up on opposite sides of the planet. Different countries, different cultures, different beginnings, and somehow, their paths crossed. It just goes to show you that love seems to always find its way.

Their vows were incredibly sweet, and watching them gaze into one another’s eyes, full of hope, excitement, and anticipation for whatever the future holds, was truly inspiring. There’s something wonderful about witnessing two young people choosing each other, promising to build a life together, and stepping into the next chapter with so much love and possibility ahead of them.

And I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention the flower girl, who managed to steal the show without even trying! As she made her way down the aisle, she tossed rose petals over her shoulder almost as an afterthought, as if scattering petals was just another ordinary task on her very important agenda. She was absolutely adorable, and I’m pretty sure she had no idea just how much she was entertaining everyone!

My friend Carol looked stunning, too. She was all fancied up, with her hair and makeup done, beaming with happiness and pride for her son and new daughter-in-law. She embraced her role as mother of the groom beautifully and was absolutely rocking it! It was so special to watch a friend celebrate such a meaningful milestone in her family’s life.

As for Tim and me, we’re embracing our role as wedding guests and enjoying every minute of this season of love. Three weddings in one month means plenty of opportunities to celebrate love, family, friendship, and all the different ways people choose to begin their lives together.

So, here’s to beautiful weather, happy tears, adorable flower girls, and couples who remind us that love can cross oceans and bring the most unexpected people together. October is keeping us busy, but if this weekend was any indication, we have plenty more love to celebrate. Now, if you’ll excuse us, we have another wedding guest appearance to prepare for!

“Life is a flower of which love is the honey.” — Victor Hugo