The Wedding Day of Meg & Ed has arrived. The now 12 residents of the Zinfandel Estate Air BnB are up and churning this morning. The hot air balloons were again rising to the sky, Mark was manning the cook station and rolling out sausages, bacon, toast and scrambled eggs for the masses. Everyone then gathered by the pool catching some rays and relaxing before the rush. One slight mishap to the morning. Mark‘s iPad hit the deck causing the screen to shatter. It still is workable, and will be going to the Apple Store for screen replacement when we return to Omaha (it is only 4 months old but, stuff happens!)
With the exception of Glenda and Jeff, the rest of our crew are part of the wedding party and so our presence for pictures is required promptly at 2:00 PM. Due to its location midway between Los Angeles and San Diego, and its plethora of wineries and craft breweries, traffic in the Temecula area is reputedly very heavy on the weekends; we were cautioned to allow 45 minutes from our location to the Monserate Winery venue. Darcy set up a hair and makeup station in the monstrous Master Suite bathroom, and began the process of enhancing the natural beauty of the ladies.
Avery provided make-up expertise. Jake, Chris, Avery and Spenser were acting as best man and groom attendants, so the men climbed into their matching suits while Avery hopped into her contrasting pantsuit. Deb, Abby, Darcy and Glenda trotted out their specific outfits and shoes, while Mark and Jeff suited up in suits, white shirts and neckwear. Ed had specified no neckties for the bridal party as this was laid back California, but since neither of those two guys were in the bridal party, they were too traditional to let it go. Besides, Mark had not had on a necktie prior to wedding week for over 5 years, since retirement. He was itching to get back into uniform!
Shoes for the women became a bit of a problem. Deb and Abby brought some beautiful heels for the event, Deb‘s being silver strapped high heeled sandals, and Abby‘s being custom made glittering Rainbow colored pumps she had ordered from an Etsy Shop all the way from the U.K. Being smart women, they also packed flat sandals, flip-flops, or slip on tennis shoes.
Glenda‘s sandals literally disintegrated while walking to their car. This necessitated an emergency stop at the DSW store on the way to the venue. Once at Monserate, it quickly became apparent that the silver strap heels would not work on the gravel pathways, out came the sparkly sandals for Deb. Abby utilized her rainbow pumps for the photo ops, then bagged them in favor of her flip-flops. Avery held on to her heeled shoes through the photos and ceremony, then back into her slip-on tennies for the balance of the evening.
The great “first look“ for Ed to see the dress started promptly at 2:15 PM. Ed was stationed across the lake with his back to the venue. Meg, with her bridesmaid attendants bearing her train, walked her out, placed her in position. The photographer set up her shots, and then Ed was given the signal to turn around. As he was easily 100 yards away from the rest of us, we couldn‘t see the look on his face, but later reports were vivid! We then spent almost an hour and one-half with all the permutations of possible photos, considering all the different family combinations, multiple parental units and siblings, it was a grueling process but was very organized as Meg & Ed had obviously had a long interview with the photographer. She had all the required combinations on her phone so nothing was missed.
We finished the photo session around 3:30 PM and had some time to kill. As none of our crew had eaten since breakfast, we jumped into our vehicles for the quick drive to another part of the venue, open to the public, and enjoyed a glass of wine and some plates of nachos smothered in bbq beef, beans and cheese from the parked food truck. We were back to the wedding party staging area by 4:30 and then it was waiting time. The guests were all seated and we of the wedding party came out of hiding and took the back walk along the gravel road to position ourselves behind the grapevines at the rear of the seating area. Promptly at 5:00, and a signal from the wedding planner, Matt, Meg‘s bother and the one-day registered officiant, led the procession. Ed and all the attendants and then the four sets of parents followed. The guitarist struck up his designated entry song, and Meg, resplendent in the most beautiful wedding dress that looked like it right off the pages of Vogue, came down through the grape vines, on the arm of her beaming father Larry Morman.
The ceremony itself was not long, but the individual vows they had prepared to deliver to each other had the entire gathering in tears. The microphone set up was perfect so that everyone could hear each and every word. Meg particularly had everyone in tears as she started her vows by thanking Ed’s children, standing next to him, for welcoming her onto their family. One of the most moving statements we have ever heard. We are tearing up just writing about it.
Following the ceremony, we walked further around the lake to the set up bar for cocktails and more wine, in the meantime, the wedding party moved over to the dinner area for some more post ceremony photos and then rejoined the cocktail part. At 6:30 we walked the balance of the way around the lake to the dining and dancing area. The record album display with a series of covers listing our assigned tables was a fitting touch. After all were seated, Meg and Ed entered the area. Meg stood on the dance floor in the middle of the seated guests, Ed stepped over to a set up chair, microphone, and his Epiphone Guitar, which Mark had given Ed years before. (Mark had purchased the guitar in Charlottesville, Virginia in 1966 while in college.) Ed played the opening guitar solo to Paul Simon‘s Kathy‘s Song. Then the DJ announced the traditional dance between the bride and groom as this Simon & Garfunkel classic recording of the song played over the sound system. A wonderfully appropriate song and a moving dance.
Next up were the Father/Bride dance followed by the Groom/Mother Dance. For the Mother dance, Ed had picked a Beatles song. He first danced with Cholly, his birth mother, and then midway through the song, called up his step mother Deb to finish the song.
There were again a lot of moist eyes following this display. As all were seated Larry Morman gave extensive comments to the Bride & Groom, best man Jake gave a very nice and concise toast to the celebrants, and two of Meg‘s college roommates, provided some comments about Meg and the bond of their friendship as well as their hope and pride for the couple.
Tables were then called to the food line: a wonderful risotto, baked cod, roast tenderloin, steamed broccolini and a vegetarian eggplant dish. The bar was open throughout, and cake was eventually served. The crowd quickly gravitated to the dance floor following the meal, and at some point virtually everyone was on the dance floor. The party ended promptly at 10:00 and the entire crowd drifted home to their hotels and bed. A long and wonderful day of celebration that was orchestrated perfectly and left a glow among all who were in attendance. A tremendous start to what will be a long and very happy marriage. Congratulations to Mr. & Mrs. Edwin Busk Covert III.
