Good news: the first package of our wedding photos arrived today!! The cameraman we hired showed up at about 8:45 this morning, and Jack and I stopped what we were doing, sat down right where we were on the lawn, and thumbed through them. We have like four copies of each:
1) a shot of Jack shaking hands with Gray. My brother was a bit nervous at the rehearsal dinner, and in this picture he still has the little notecard for his speech tucked in the front pocket of his suit. Neither of them apparently care to take off their caps.
2) Pastor Brown waving at the camera with the Harvest Goddess statue behind him. The Mayor and Dad are looking at the camera in the back, too.
3) Popuri doing last-minute arrangements for our flower girl May's basket. They both look cute, except Popuri was grumpy about the fact that I picked light blue for the color of the bridesmaids' dresses. May is nearly buried in lace and ribbons here, white and light blue. Kind of like the cake.
4) Jeff, Cliff, Harris, Kai, Gray, and Rick making fun of each other and arm wrestling in their suits. Jack told me later that they were doing the very same thing at the bachelor party the night before in the bar, and that Cliff and Kai had been laughing the loudest from all that liquor. What he doesn't want to admit very easily is that Karen had to step in before the two of them nearly knocked all the tables over.
5) Jack giving high-fives to Kent and Stu. Both boys would each carry one of our rings on a velvet pillow. Their wedding gifts to us were a certificate for a free potion at their grandfather's shop and a charcoal drawing of me and Jack on the farm, with the sun coming up behind us.
6) When I arrived, showing up on Cliffgard's back. I had both my legs draped over one side, something I learned when I was about ten, and in this shot the ends of my dress are fanned out from when Cliff reared back.
7) May, looking cute scattering the flower petals, remembering the graceful little twirl in the middle. It told me that she is a lot sweeter, and more ladylike, and less of a blunder, than I was at that age. It was precocious because she was still blushing, and I remember Popuri standing to the side, simulating the twirl with a dreamy look on her face.
8) Walking down the aisle holding onto Dad's arm. He kept his eyes on me, and they reflect a proud feeling, but at the same time I know he was thinking about how much I looked like Mom. And he looks maybe about ten years younger when he slicks his hair like that. I told him I was proud of him too.
9) Me and Jack up at the altar, exchanging rings with Kent and Stu at the bottom of the stairs. They give each other a thumbs-up, while Jack and I are gazing at each other in a way everyone thinks is romantic. We were laughing this morning because I said it looks like we were making sure we were each marrying the right person.
10) The kiss, outside. Jack looks so hot you could burst into flames if you touch him. (And he looked like that in the picture, too ) We look like the advertisement Maria drew two years ago for Florist Lillia's special anniversary arrangement, which I haven't seen because Dad never had to buy it for anyone. Anyway, Jack looks as close to a Prince Charming as it is possible to be, and I look taller and more slender, and very much unlike myself.
11) Maria catching the bouquet and blushing like there's no tomorrow. Popuri gripped onto her shoulders and cheered on with romantic nothings about her and Harris.
12) Me and Jack, dancing together in the square and laughing because no one else notices that we're stepping on my dress and each other's feet.
13) Me and Dad, dancing together. He had a bewildered look on his face, with his auburn mustache pointed up a bit because the only thing he could think about was trying not to cry.
14) A big picture of all six bachelors punching hard on Jack's arms, and me posing with my bridesmaids. Even for a picture on a wedding day it's hard to keep them all quiet at once, with Kai yanking at Karen's hair, Maria and Harris staring at each other uncomfortably and such. But I guess I wouldn't have it any other way.
15) As one big family: me, Dad, Gray, and Jack raising our glasses at a tiny table at the reception. Jack says he gets the feeling that someday soon we will take another picture with more members of the family. I'm not exactly sure what he meant, yet.
I still haven't picked a favorite photo, and the next package is supposed to arrive within the next two weeks, which gives me time to save enough money for a few frames I can get Saibara to make for me.
Ann