MY BEST FRIEND'S WEDDING
BY VICKIE TAYLOR MURRAY
"I was thinking perhaps an English fourteenth century wedding. What do you think Vickie?" My long time friend Brenda Joyce said, as she motioned for the young waiter to bring us another bottle of red bordeaux.
"You mean A Camelot Wedding? Like King Author and Guinevier? I answered in response.
"Exactly!"
"That's a wonderful idea!"
"Wonderful? You mean ROMANTIC!" My very much in love friend beamed with excitement.
"Will this theme wedding you have in mind go along with the gown your aunt Anita insists you wear?"
"I think so. I'll wear a crown instead of a veil. What'd think?" she asked, reaching for the bottle of wine and nervously pouring us another glass.
"I think it's a terrific idea, but..." I paused to take a sip of my drink.
"But what?" Brenda returned nervously.
"Well, ah, what about..." I stuttered, attempting to choose my words carefully. "I was just curious how you intend to talk Bill into wearing a pair of tights, a cape and a tunic?" I laughed at the thought.
"You just help me find the proper wedding coordinator and I'll worry about Bill," she teasingly returned.
"A wedding coordinator?" I said with insult. "Have you forgotten who your best friend happens to be?"
"But, it such a difficult task!" Brenda objected, nervously reaching for her wine glass.
"Okay! It's settled." I insisted sharply! " We'll use my restaurant, and my brother Joe and my father will take care of all the food and etc... Let's make some notes and we'll get the general stuff out of the way and then we'll work on the menu."
"Oh, God! I can't let you and your family do all that work!" She objected again.
"Nonsense! That's the business my family and I are in- that's is to say the food and beverage industry, this theme wedding of yours... well, that's a different story, but... hey, how hard can it be!" I responded playfully, HAVING NO IDEA! ...
Half-tipsy and three bottles of red bordeaux later, here's what we came up with, and I might add, at about half the cost of hiring a wedding coordinator. Of course, I realize not everyone is as lucky as my friend Brenda to have a friend like myself, who just happens to own their own Restaurant and Bar- AND happens to have a father and a brother that are both CHEF's! But even so, a lot of things on a theme wedding of ANY nature can be done without the assistance, or the expensive, of a wedding coordinator... Especially, if one's funds are limited...
Instead of hiring a calligrapher to make scroll-type invitations using Old English writing- and having them roll the pieces of parchment paper into tubes and sealing them with a wax seal, and then stamping each seal with the couples initials- We used a computer, light weight construction paper, and then rolled the pieces of papers in a scroll shape, using different colored ribbons to tie around each invitation. We, used stickers with the couples initials to seal the scrolled invitations.
Since Brenda's aunt wanted her to use her old wedding gown- which was a close fitting gown with a scoop neckline and long, tight fitting sleeves, and full skirt just below the hipline- We had a friend of ours attach a long train at the shoulders of the gown and add a silver coteharide. In place of a veil Brenda wore a crown that we glued lots of colored crystals, gemstones and beads to... The affect was really wonderful... She decided to carry the traditional bridal bouquet in place of the traditional white bible of that time period.
