The Wedding

A DIY wedding makes for a weary bride.

Our road to happily-ever-after suffered twists and turns and more than one bump.On our first date Sweet & Sensitive told me he was recently divorced. I had dated men whose definition of "recently separated" was since breakfast. A little short on trust, Monday morning found me at the County Courthouse checking out his definition. Records confirmed his divorce had been filed the day we met, but separated for over a year.
By December I knew I could get old with S&S. It took a year to convince him of the same. Fear of a rebound romance caused him to second-guess his feelings. I wasn't willing to wait at home while he dated around. Arguments and breakups, albeit short ones ensued. In January of 1984 he decided he'd rather marry me than risk losing me. Not very romantic, but it's worked out for us.We set the wedding for July 14.
We entered into our partnership with loads of debt. He made rent, alimony, car, and child support payments in addition, to credit card debts from the first marriage. I made house and car payments, but received a whopping $125 a month for child support. We each paid our children's health insurance and medical bills. There was little money leftover for a wedding.
Since it was our second wedding we wanted to keep it small and informal. His parents' home was a venue we could afford.

My mother and I made all the flower arrangements and decorated the home.
 I made the cake ahead of time, froze it, and my sister frosted and
 assembled it the morning of the wedding. 

I designed my dress and Mom made it for me.

She made Baby's dress and Baby Boy's ring bearer pillow

Dr.Lavon Brown of First Baptist Church, Norman,
 graciously consented to marry us.

Even a small wedding has it's share of drama. During the wedding vows Ralph seemed distracted and amused. I did not find his inattention humorous.

He seemed to be laughing at something behind Dr. Brown.

After the kiss, he showed me how the cake had slowly
 thawed and fallen over in the July heat.

He righted the cake. We cut it and every morsel was consumed by our guests, along with everything else on the buffet table. 

Randall and Priscella Thetford, the Baptists
Roland and Carol Stussi, the Lutherans
came together for this mixed marriage.

We became a family and added one more the next year.