Pure Joy
Written by Ashley Kelmore, Posted in Adventures
Two of my dearest friends got married to each other on Saturday, and it was so wonderful. I got into town on Thursday, and was able to see Richard, who I hadn’t seen since late summer, and Kate and her mother and sister. Kate found those of us traveling solo places to stay at her friend’s home, which was so thoughtful, and fits her so, so well. She’s just that person. She also found a great hotel nearby where everyone else could stay without breaking the bank (considering it was a ‘destination wedding.’) The whole weekend was just great – we all received welcome bags in our rooms, with snacks and brochures of things to do during the weekend, especially since the wedding wasn’t until six Saturday night.
Friday those of us who were in town had a lunch at Kate’s dads, and then went to the Arch. I am a bit mortified to say that I thought it was white and made out of stone – nope. It’s made out of metal. And it looks it. Anyway, you get in and the travel up the arch is inside this Dr. Evil-type pod that allegedly seats five. The view from the top shows just how flat the area is. And it’s quite tiny up inside, but totally worth the $10.
The wedding itself was great. Kate’s been a low-key bride all the way. She’s not anti-tradition, she just didn’t feel the need to do the things that she might not enjoy. She didn’t invite everyone people might think one “has” to invite – she and Richard invited those closest to them, and that was it, so the wedding was very intimate. The ceremony took about seven minutes, because they said vows, exchanged rings, and were done. No readings, no songs. That’s not to say those things are bad, they just didn’t fit Richard and Kate, and I think it’s so great that they chose to do it their way so that they would feel comfortable. Best part? No bouquet toss, because Kate said she always felt it was a bit humiliating. I can see the fun in it, but I also see her point, and appreciate that she didn’t do it just because it’s what you do,
I’m at a loss for words to describe exactly how good a time was had. Everyone – every person I met who was at the wedding – was so fun and kind. Considering all of the time we spent together – lunch, rehearsal dinner, wedding, brunch on Sunday – I didn’t tire of talking to anyone. The people were all genuine, some were sarcastic, some were sweet, but all of them cared about Kate and Richard, and it was a privilege to witness.
