Twenty-five years ago, the Lockhart ladies were delighted to wake up to what promised to be a beautiful day. And it was!
The Friday before Labor Day, aka the day of the open house we threw in honor of Mike & Kerry, Scott & Karen, visiting from Australia for my wedding. It also stood in for the rehearsal dinner that the groom's family normally throws, except my groom's mother was still recovering from a broken hip & no one saw John enjoying the task of tackling a mega party. An open house two days before the Big Event made much more sense!
The open house was the first of seven parties that happened that long, leisurely weekend. Like the others, it was laid back, devoid of stress, filled with friends and - my heart still swells with love & amazement - FAMILY.
Lots of family, literally from the four corners of the world. Peter was SURE that Whitney would never be able to spare the time from studies at Barnard, but there she was - my soon-to-be maid of honor. He was SURE that Reynolds would never be able to spare the time from studies & sports at St. Andrews, but there he was, at the ready to be one of John's ushers. The family from Down Under & from Newcastle, from N.J. & NV, from Missouri & Florida. The wedding turned out to be the one & only Reynolds family reunion!
That Friday night twenty-five years ago kicked off so many smiles, so much laughter, so much just plain old-fashioned FUN!
How appropriate the my life right now touches on Little Women - am publicity head for Bryn Athyn Community Theater's fall production. The image of Meg & John standing hand in hand in front of Mr. March, who married the pair, was at the heart of our wedding. (It helped that I had stewardship, at that time, of Tasha Tudor's original chapter heading artwork showing that very scene.) My hope was for a wedding that, while perhaps not the least bit fashionable would still be memorable for all the love & lovely times. Everything was kept as simple as possible, which allowed all of us to enjoy the unforgettable moments unfolding around us, my guide always being, "Will John enjoy this?" - if the answer was even possible "No," then it was immediately tossed.
That was our rule of thumb in planning the open house - lots of good but basic food that didn't need a lot of fussing. Beer & wine. Lovely weather that kept the house comfortable in spite of the capacity crowd. And John was all smiles, all night.
Looking over the pictures of that evening, am still all smiles. Mom & Whitney & Pam. Louis & Freya with Mike & Kerry. The Pendletons with Scott & Karen. Mim & Peter. Peddicords & Actons, neighbors & friends from far away. No Ripleys, who were doing something with David over in N.J. - how they were missed!
Staying focused on John's comfort instead of anything else ended up opening a way for love & connection & utter joy to be part of every moment & memory. And the magic officially started on this day ~ the Friday before Labor Day ~ twenty-five glorious years ago.
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