30/06/2023
WE MADE IT! It happened in Belwood. It was December of 1972 - almost everything went wrong!!!
The Bride - It was the day before and the plan was to make all the food for our wedding throughout the day. We gathered up all needed items and began preparing food for the Wedding Day. Stopping only for the rehearsal dinner. We finished bowls and bowls of food at 6 am on the day of the wedding.
The Groom - Being a dairy farmer, farm life that day was normal but a few friends stopped by the barn to say "Hello." and wish Larry luck for the Wedding Day. The rehearsal was after all the chores were done. And my mother-in-law to be was an incredible cook and very organized. Everything was perfect.
The Bride - We had to be in Fergus by 8:30 AM to have my hair done for the wedding. After spending time making this puffed up hair-do, I was so disappointed that it didn't look like me that I sat down and went tat by tat to find the real me. With curlers in, I was on my way to being me for my wedding day.
The rest of the day was filled with wedding day activities. Photos were done at home prior to the service. Our wedding was at 7 PM. Of course, we ended up running a little late. And then, at about 6:50PM, 10 minutes before starting time - I fainted.
The Groom - Meanwhile, Larry was at the church preparing for this special moment. The Minister advised Larry of the situation and that the wedding was going to be late. Now Larry tells this part of the story a little differently than I do,.....I finally started walking down the aisle, our eyes met and apparently I stopped... Larry's thought was, "Oh no she's going to leave me!" ......."Oh, my hair!" It was the 70's. The guys had their hair down to their shoulders. Not Larry. I had finally convinced him to grow his hair to touch his ears.....well, after the rehearsal, Larry's Mom gave him a brush-cut!
The Bride - I made it down the aisle. The guys didn't have their boutonnieres on. Where were the flowers? Apparently, they went to the wrong place but eventually arrived at the church.
The wedding was happening. Tape recorders were the thing. Therefore, my parents had one right beside them. There is a little hiccup on the tape…. It was at the part where I was asked, “Karen, do you take Larry to be your husband……..Karen, do you take Larry to be your husband.” After the ceremony, the photographer, my Dad’s friend, took photos at the church.
The Meal – The flowers had arrived for the guys just as we started the meal. Everyone seemed to be content. Speeches were too long but touching. Then… we found out why Larry’s grandparents were not at the wedding. Remember the friends stopping by to see Larry – nope, they were looking for his Uncle Bert who was non-verbal and MISSING! We think that someone picked him up thinking he was a hitchhiker. Unfortunately, they probably realized that Bert couldn’t speak and pushed him out of the car in downtown Guelph. Luckily, someone from Belwood saw this happening and contacted the family. Bert was home.
Time to Party – We came out of the church and headed over to the Belwood Hall. There had been a bit of snow covering on the ground. It turned out to be the first snow storm of the season.
The Hall – Belwood Hall was cold inside. We had to keep our winter coats on for the furnace wouldn’t turn on. Everyone was sitting around unsure of what to do. The record players were humming with music that was being provided by my Dad’s friend. Jazz music. The Blues. I just married a country boy. Thankfully, Larry’s Aunt Louise started tickling the ivories and a dance broke out. Movement was good. And the furnace repair man arrived at 11:50 PM. We had to be out at 12AM.
Party Over – Guests started leaving to the surprise of 6 inches of snow. It took time to warm up the cars so some of the guests came back in while waiting.
I became a Wedding Officiant in 2012 and I tell all my couples not to be worried about anything going wrong for everything went wrong at my wedding.
It is now 2022, Larry and I happily celebrated our 50th Anniversary.
