Modern Day Weddings

 Weddings are so different these days than when Jack and I tied the knot. (or noose as Jack might joke...I think he's joking?...hmm) Anyway, my son's step-daughter, Samantha, got married yesterday afternoon. Yep, on a Friday and on 9/11.  It was a really beautiful afternoon and evening. The setting was great. It was outdoors and thankfully the event Gods knew it wasn't me planning the festivities or else it would have rained, or been 95de with 95% humidity, or maybe even a tornado...just ask my son Phil about his reception here at the Pines. ( a story for another time) The ceremony was lovely and the reception fun.  What's the difference from then to now?  When we got married we were really young..21yrs old.  We were poor as church mice but my parents paid for the wedding so it was really nice.  All the gifts we received were so needed since we hadn't set up housekeeping before we were married. I so loved my avocado green crock pot! Living together before hand would not have gone over good with our folks. Especially my Dad! Jack was still in school. I just finished my schooling so I could work while he finished his. We had help from his folks to afford the first and last month rent and some furniture.  We had a budget of $25 a week for groceries.  We did OK. Plus I wasn't expecting a baby.  I'm not judging here, just stating facts. Things were different back 46 years ago.  Samantha and her sweet hubby just bought a new house. They have lived together for a while and she's a  respiratory therapist and he's a police officer. They work hard and are an awesome couple. I'm very happy for them.  I'm thinking they were smarter than us. Not struggling in the same way we did with Jack in school and living with a small income and some of the other things that many people go through in life. I'm sure Sam and Ryan will have their own unique challenges since the world today, even with all it's conveniences and opportunities, is a different place than 46 years ago. Of course we knew couples in our day who did live together first. They did have outdoor weddings. I mean, we lived through the 60's and early 70's with flower children! And of course children came "prematurely" after the wedding.  So maybe things really aren't that much different. I just wish them a wonderful, loving and long life together.  I wish them to learn through trials and how to compromise. I wish them all the happiness Jack and I have had over these years.  I won't be here in 46 years to see how it goes but I'm putting my faith in them to make it a wonderful life. And congrats on their surprise announcement at the reception. They are expecting their first child! I guess that will make us step Great Yaya and Pawpaw...time marches on.  Congrats Samantha and Ryan!

Beautiful setting.  A small wedding. This was not the original plan but thanks to Covid they had to choose a different venue.  It was a good choice!

The happy couple, Samantha and Ryan.

My son Jack and my daughter-in-law and mother of the bride, Evelyn.

My Granddaughter Summer and her fiance, Brett. They're getting married next summer.

My Granddaughter, Driana, (Summer's sister) and her fiance, Jonathan. They are getting married next summer too! When did these kiddos grow up? I must have blinked!

Good luck to all the cute couples...I hope you have as much fun and as many years as we have!