Hill Country Wedding.

We went to our first Texas wedding this weekend...... the youngest son of our friends V & S got married in Austin, at a wonderful little wedding chapel/reception house. The ceremony was outside under decades-old trees, with white paper lanterns hanging from the branches. They had a four-piece orchestra playing music before the wedding and then a surprise band of New Orleans-style musicians came out to jazz up the bridal party's walk down the aisle when the ceremony was over.

Before the newlyweds walked down the aisle together, we all sang "All You Need Is Love"-- with apologies to John, Paul, George, and Ringo. Even with the lyrics right in front of us all on little cards, can anyone do justice to a classic Beatles song like that?

The ceremony itself was very personal and intimate, with H & A saying their own vows and promises to one another... each of them nervous, each trying to hold themselves together and not cry. There was a third group of musicians at the reception.... wonderful music, great singers, a very cohesive, comfortable group that seemed like they had been making music together for years.

It was nice to see V & S and their sons... they've stopped here from time to time, and we've kept in touch via eMail. V sent me a picture of her mother-of-the groom dress, and on one of their visits here, I was able to show her the dress I bought for the wedding. ("Red heels or beige?" -- Red! Definitely the red!)

H & A's wedding was filled with unique and very personal touches... little bottles of jam to take home, vintage hankies at each place setting, mason jars filled with wildflowers on all the tables. After dinner was served (barbecued brisket, scrumptious sweet potatoes, delicious macaroni and cheese, corn & vegetable salad)... they put a microphone in the middle of the dance floor and friends and family were able to go up and give their personal wishes to H & A. Lots of laughs there, as well as some tears.... we were passing tissues around our table, especially when A's grandma got up to speak. ("I am A's 90-year-old grandmother, and A has always been my favorite youngest grandchild.....")

I've always admired V & S..... they have a lovely family, a good circle of friends, and there is a closeness there in V's house that just surrounds you as soon as you walk in their front door. We used to go to V's parties when we lived in the old neighborhood, they came to ours, and we saw a lot of their friends at the wedding. Same friends, same warm greetings, big hugs, bittersweet goodbyes.

It was nice to see everyone at the wedding. Rather than a predictable wedding reception party, there were lots of surprises... little unique touches that made the celebration truly their own.