Love and marriage
On 3/6/9, at 6:42, I became Beloved’s wife.
And so, hopefully, you will all understand my temporary absence. I have been running around these past couple of weeks, organising my wedding, which turned out to be the most beautiful day of my life.
So very different, second time around. It was wonderfully small - our children, our parents, our siblings. Warm, intimate, and filled with love, my tears started to flow as soon as I walked into the living room of the Inn, and continued until the end of the night.
This was a wedding that was entirely about us: two people who love each other profoundly, and who have chosen to make a lifelong commitment. We did everything ourselves: from the flowers, to the menu cards, to the calligraphy on the place cards. There was nothing about this night that could have been more personal, or more reflective of who we are.
We gave members of our family prayers and blessings to read, we were married by our friend, The Judge, and over dinner, invited people to speak if they felt moved to do so, just as in a Quaker wedding ceremony. One by one the people we love stood up and talked not only of the happiness they felt at the two of us coming together, but at the happiness they all felt, at the way our entire families have come together, to create this extraordinary extended family that feels as if we were all made for one another: mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, sons and daughters alike.
And this time around, I loved everything about my wedding. From the man who is now my husband, who is the most special man I have ever known, to my dress which I picked up on the final day of a bridal sample sale in the city, which was then rebuilt by my friend Piroska, into the most elegant, beautiful gown in which I felt like an angel; to the flowers which The Chestnut and I slaved over for two days solid.
I spoke, this time. I couldn’t not. So filled with happiness and joy. I borrowed from Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s How do I Love Thee? Let me Count the Ways, and spoke of the many, many reasons why I love my husband.
And I spoke of how I always knew this sort of relationship, this sort of love existed.
I just never thought it would happen to me.
I will leave you with the Irish Wedding Blessing that my mother-in-law read, because it has always been my favorite, and I wish all of you reading this the same love and joy I have found in my life these past few years.
May the road rise to meet you.
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon the fields.
May the light of friendship guide your paths together.
May the laughter of children grace the halls of your home.
May the joy of living for one another trip a smile from your lips, a twinkle from your eye.
And when eternity beckons,
at the end of a life heaped high with love,
May the good Lord embrace you
with the arms that have nurtured you
the whole length of your joy-filled days.
May the gracious God hold you both in the palm of His hands.
And today, may the Spirit of Love find a dwelling place in your hearts.
March 8th, 2009 at 10:41 am
Congratulations, Jane! It is wonderful to see a couple that married for all the right reasons and thank you for sharing this with us.
March 8th, 2009 at 11:48 am
Congratulations to both of you! I absolutely adore the elegant gown, but even prettier than the dress, is your happy smile. You look great together. Sweet words. Great photos! I’m so, so happy for you.
March 8th, 2009 at 12:14 pm
Congratulations! That is fabulous! So happy for you!
March 8th, 2009 at 1:17 pm
Congrats to you both! You look so beautiful! Someday,I hope to be as happy, again, as you 2 look
March 8th, 2009 at 2:23 pm
How wonderful! You two make a beautiful couple. I wish you both all the happiness in the world. You look amazing Jane. Simply stunning. Congrats to you both.
March 8th, 2009 at 3:28 pm
Congratulations to you both!! You look beautiful and so happy together. Wishing you all the love in the world. xx
March 8th, 2009 at 3:30 pm
Congratulations Jane, You are a stunning bride and make a gorgeous couple! you are very blessed!
March 8th, 2009 at 3:36 pm
Congratulations! What a beautiful family you all make together, wishing you all the happiness in the world. Jane, your dress is stunning and you look radiant, thank you for sharing your wonderful news. xx
March 8th, 2009 at 4:20 pm
CongratuBLOODYlations!!! You look soooooo happy and even though you did it all yourselves, you don’t sound at all stressed. I am so glad it went well. Love the Quaker-like ’stand and speak if you want to’ style ceremony.
You look stunning the both of you.
Honeymoon?
Was it the Mayflower?
March 8th, 2009 at 5:30 pm
Best wishes to a beautiful couple, and family.
March 8th, 2009 at 6:04 pm
I missed your posts so much Jane, but this one was well worth the wait. Congratulations to all of you. My husband and I haven’t been to a first wedding in a few years now, everyone is getting remarried and they are such joyous occasions. You look radiant and Beloved is so dashing. I cried reading the post- weddings just do that to me!
March 8th, 2009 at 7:08 pm
Hi Love!
Congrads! We are sooo happy for you both and the new family! You deserve (and got) the BEST!
Love You
Steve and Rob
March 8th, 2009 at 8:48 pm
Congratulations, Jane! yay! So happy for you both
March 8th, 2009 at 9:46 pm
I have to say Congratulations, and that I was so surprised to hear your news considering I myself have been out of the loop from my own wedding, the DAY AFTER yours! What a coincidence! So again, congratulations. Your pictures looked beautiful and I send the best of wishes.
March 8th, 2009 at 10:04 pm
Simply, beautiful! There is nothing like real happiness and true love…i am so glad that you have found them both!!!
March 8th, 2009 at 11:16 pm
CONGRATULATIONS!! Your pictures are wonderful! Thank you for sharing them. You and he simply radiate happiness and love. Best wishes to you for a long life together filled with happiness and laughter.
March 9th, 2009 at 12:21 am
Congratulations! You look so happy!
March 9th, 2009 at 11:15 am
Congratulations! You both look over the moon - may it continue forever! I especially love the expressions of the smalls in the photos - so candid. Looks like it was a beautiful day
P.S. Your dress was amazing xx
March 9th, 2009 at 1:09 pm
All the best to both of you! You both look so happy (and the kids do, too!) it is certainly proof of happy endings. And, I guess, happy beginnings now, too. Wishing you much happiness in your life together.
March 9th, 2009 at 1:40 pm
Congratulations Jane!! I’m so happy for you and your husband!! I did miss your posts everyday… I would check and see nothing… but now I see that is was SOO worth it!! Again Congrats and I wish all the happiness in the world!!
March 9th, 2009 at 2:31 pm
Jane, congratulations! It’s nice to get married when you finally know that it’s not about the wedding, but about the marriage.
March 9th, 2009 at 2:37 pm
Many, many congratulations! You both look so happy. Wishing you a lifetime of joy xxx
March 9th, 2009 at 3:46 pm
Congratulations! You’re right about getting married the second time around. It’s so much easier, nicer and about sharing the love with another.
Congrats again!
March 9th, 2009 at 4:49 pm
Congratulations Jane!! What beautiful photos! Thank you for sharing this extraordinary moment with your readers!
Looking forward to Dune Road!
xoxo
jocelyn
March 9th, 2009 at 5:16 pm
I am so happy for you! What a wonderful family you all make. You can see the love and happiness shining through in the photos. What a beautiful, simple, meaningful wedding, the absolute best kind of all!
March 10th, 2009 at 4:32 am
Congratulations! Beautiful couple and love was glowing out of both of you!
This love story is a reflection of you and everything you have been describing in your novels!
Many many years of happiness!
March 10th, 2009 at 7:22 am
Congrats to both of you! I know that your relationship will only grow stronger as you go along. I’am happy that you both found happiness and love. The photos are beautifull.
Irene
March 10th, 2009 at 10:20 am
Awww Congratulations!!!
March 10th, 2009 at 12:44 pm
Congratulations!! I kept on smiling when I read your post. What a beautiful, simple wedding. The sort of wedding me and my husband wish we had.
Thank you for sharing your happiness with us!
March 11th, 2009 at 6:33 am
Ooh, and by the way: gosh you’re so slim!! :-)))
March 11th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
Hello Jane!! Congratulations to both you and Ian on your marriage. May you live a long, happy and healthy life together with your family. You looked amazing, the wedding looks like it was SO special.
I think your new book idea would be sooo helpful to young women who are planning their weddings. Often it doesn’t turn out to be what they thought it would be. It ends up being more about details than the focus on the two people who love each other enough to pledge their lives to each other.
March 11th, 2009 at 5:59 pm
I got a bit teary-eyed reading this, Jane. Congratulations to you and your family.
P.S. Your dress is very, very elegant and you look as slender as a wand!
March 11th, 2009 at 7:32 pm
Best wishes for a happy, healthy and long life together! Mazel Tof!
Suzanne in CT
March 12th, 2009 at 3:32 pm
Congratulations!
I love the way that he is looking at you in the third picture. There is so much joy in his eyes.
March 14th, 2009 at 1:17 am
Congrats!! I’m so glad your wedding was perfect! You two make the perfect couple! You were so beautiful and you both look so happy!!
Congrats to you both!!
xoxo
March 14th, 2009 at 4:55 am
Jane, you look absolutely stunning… what a gorgeous gorgeous day, sending you all my love and wishing you and your wonderful family happiness forever. love Kathleen x
March 14th, 2009 at 8:15 pm
Congratulations Jane! Wishing you and your new family a lifetime of happiness together! You can actually see the love in the pictures, and you look beautiful.
March 14th, 2009 at 9:48 pm
Many congratulations Jane on your marriage. I hope you and your new hubby will be very happy together.xxxx
March 16th, 2009 at 8:16 am
Many, many congratulations Jane. I am so pleased for you. You look radiant, and ecstatic. Have a wonderful life together.
March 16th, 2009 at 12:42 pm
Congratulations Jane!!! I was on vacation for a while and keeping internet time to a minimum so I missed this. You look gorgeous and HAPPY in your pictures and it really does look like a wedding that was meant to be, as opposed to pressured into being. I wish you all the best, and hope that wedded bliss doesn’t keep you from writing - I am very anxious for Dune Road!