Sweet. Simple. Wedding.
How wonderful to see those three words in the same sentence.
Although I’ve already posted a couple times about my niece, Hannah’s, recent wedding, I would like to write about it one more time—I would like to write about the joy of getting to attend a simple wedding in rural Wisconsin, a wedding where the church is wrapped up in the embrace of rolling hills and farmland and where most of the guests arrive in pick ups.
It was a wedding where no high dollar photographers were flown in from Los Angeles with their accompanying fourteen assistants in tow. (Of course, one photographer did fly in from Manteo, NC, but that’s beside the point.)
While various non-flown-in photographers got shots of their favorite groupings of wedding personnel, the whole casual atmosphere was musicalized by a couple teenagers who sat and noodled around on piano and guitar, serenading us with songs both old and new.
During the picture taking, and the guitar and piano playing, various wedding guests sat and in the pews and chatted . . .
. . . after having joined the other guests for a delicious meal in the church basement fellowship hall.
There were no high priced caterers brought in from the nearest big city; this wedding feast was served by friends and neighbors in the church and community.
The decorating was largely handled by the mothers of the bride and groom and it was amazing to me how very perfectly their styles meshed. They both love all things natural and simple and their love of those elements showed up on in every corner and every tabletop.
As a practical part of the décor, Ruth wrote out conversational questions and put them on every table to give the guests a little something extra to talk about.
I especially loved the fact that this church had enough of these quaint, sweet plate and cups to serve 150 wedding guests. Howe delightful is that?
The cake (four layers of different flavors) was made and decorated by sister, Ruth, and her mother-in-law, Janice.
The two moms even joined their decorating gifts together to further enhance the built in beauty that God arranges for our viewing pleasure every single day.
As I was happily strolling along taking pictures of all the décor (both God made and mom-made) I happened across this young man and young lady. They were keeping very busy setting rocks on the ledge of the church. The young man beamed at me and said, “We’re picking up rocks and setting them on the wall..” The young lady said in a womanly sort of tone, “We are picking up rocks and we are decorating with them!”
I had to laugh. Perfect example of the difference between boys and girls. He was picking up rocks. She was decorating.
The day was brisk and cool and sun splashed and the church and the tree and the sky conspired to make a beautiful backdrop for the union of hearts and lives that were taking place inside.
Because in the end, it wasn’t about the beauty and the china and the flowers and the guestbook, it was about the wedding. It was about a young woman taking her father’s arm and walking down an aisle toward her husband, her heart, her future.
And something else I loved about it all?
After the wedding was over and the newly married had couple had come back up the aisle, you know what they did?
They turned right back around and walked back to the front of the church!
I had been standing in the foyer taking pictures and when I saw them head back down the aisle together I was momentarily startled. And momentarily semi-panicked.
I thought, “Oh no! What are they doing? Are they so addled with love that they have forgotten that they have already gotten married and now they’re heading to the front to do it all over again?”
But as it turns out, they had a plan. A great plan!
Hannah and Karl stood in front of the congregation and first of all thanked everyone for coming and sharing their special day with them. (Karl even got a little choked up which made me get choked up, too.) They then explained that they would dismiss the guests row by row and greet each person as they left the sanctuary to go to the basement for the reception. That would keep the small lobby from getting too congested with a receiving line.
So that’s what they did! It was a very sweet and personal way to get to greet each guest and the two of them were so poised and gracious and charming as they handed out hugs and hellos. I couldn’t believe that that lovely, grown up bride was the little girl I had known back when she was a toddler and all of us were a whole lot younger.
So very grown up. So very lovely. Heading into a new future, a new life.
I am so happy for them both.
And so thankful for the joy of getting to attend a wedding both simple and sweet.
Where is this little church located? I am from the LaCrosse area and don’t ever remember seeing this church anywhere. Although there are lots of different little churches scattered along the countryside in the area!
Cheryl,
It’s in Colfax, a little Lutheran church just outside the little town.
glorious! I especially liked the Table Talk cards… what a clever way to get to know people in a new way (or for the first time).
Mrs.
Yes, I thought that was a very creative way to break the ice if you’re sitting at a table of people who are strangers. Ruth has always been good at creative ways to do things!
Beautiful. I planned my wedding in 2 days and spent $700. There was no fancy photographer or reception hall. No big meal. The wedding was created my many wonderful people coming together on short notice to marry of a solider and his war bride. We were young, nervous kids facing the reality of the Iraqi war. I have no great photos, but what is more important I have the memory of that day. Of being walked down the aisle by three other young soldiers. Of marrying my best friend. Its been almost 11 years since that day and I don’t regret for one moment having a small, intimate and low budget wedding. Today we are more in love than ever and created two beautiful little girls. He is still a soldier and I’m still an Army wife. We have been blessed. I hope many great blessings come to your niece and her husband. I also hope that in 11 years she will remember the little moments from that day and the people who made it so very special. Weddings and their costs have become insane. Marriage is not about starting life with the fanciest and most expensive wedding. Its about marrying your best friend, your soul mate, your lover. Its about committing to each other in front of those you love and those who support you.
Rachel,
I loved reading your story and I loved being reminded that thousands of dollars and months of planning don’t make a wedding any more wonderful than something simple and inexpensive. And I especially loved the idea of you being walked down the aisle by three young soldiers. I’m sure that brought tears to many eyes.
Blessings to you and your husband both for your service to our country–it’s not just the soldier who serves,it’s his wife who serves right along with him.
What a sweet, sweet story; thanks so much for sharing it with me and the Smithellaneous family!
How lovely. It is a lovely wedding in a lovely place. Pot luck would not work out in many communities for many families. One has to know a lot of people who are willing and able to bring the food.
But this brought back some sweet memories. I had my wedding way out in the country, where it was quite a trip for most people with reception in a church hall. Had to hire someone to provide the food because pot luck could not have worked well in that situation, but oh what a simple, but wonderful spread that was. My wedding was very pretty, and not at all the big to dos we now attend for the children of our friends. But the food was just delectable, the decor and location just lovely. People who were there still remember it as such and so the pictures prove too. The investment of a very good professional photographer was another expense I’m glad we paid, as we have wonderful photos of the event with him covering all the high points as well as what guests got on a more adhoc basis. So the food and the photos were things that we felt worth every penny.
You are lucky to have a naturally beautiful backdrop for Sarah’s wedding some day, living where you do. Cant wait to see those photos!
Cath,
I love reading wedding stories and yours sounds so wonderful, complete with good food and good friends to make the day special. And yes, when Sarah gets married (hopefully it will be in this area!) we will have plenty of opportunities for lovely photos!
of course, beautiful beyond words, a most wonderful day, with incredible people all around us; and our dear Lord Jesus there in the midst of two or three gathered in His name… there is Love.
Mother of the bride . . .
There was love. Most certainly.
This post made my heart happy and brought a smile to my face. It was really nice to see the beautiful scenery, so different from the snow covered winter wonderland I see when I look out my window.
Jenna,
Always nice to send some sunshine your way to alleviate the snowyness of the scene outside your window. Although every once in a great while, I do miss the Wisconsin snows of my childhood; there’s something so very cozy about them.
So lovely! We recently went to a wedding where the reception was served buffet style. To many groans the bride announced that we had to sing for our supper! Each table of eight had to come up with lyrics about the bride and groom and stand and sing their lyrics together to any tune they wished before they were sent to the buffet. I have to admit I did silently groan myself, but it ended up being such fun! Our table sang to the tune of “Blueberry Hill”. People are so much more creative than they think, and the songs were very entertaining (some very funny, some very touching)! Someone at each table wrote out the lyrics and music used for the bride and groom to keep.
Best wishes to your lovely niece and her groom!
Holly,
What a great idea! That story brings back memories from a log time ago when we went to a Valentine banquet and were required to write a little ditty to our spouses. There I was, a songwriter veteran of many, many years and I got so stuck and befuddled by having to churn out something on the spot that I never came up with anything at all. And this dear older lady across the table from me came up with a masterpiece. I was impressed by her success and humbled by my own inability to produce anything. 🙂 It sounds like your song experience was a rousing success!
That is just beautiful! I have been to weddings where the bride and groom greet the guests at the pews and I have always loved that idea – so thoughtful and personal. The decorations were fantastic. What a fun, loving, peaceful, graceful and simply elegant day. So glad you were there to share. Love the last photo.
Mary,
I had never seen that done at a wedding and thought it was lovely. And I was so very, very honored and blessed to have been able to make that trip. If Noah had been born on his actual due date, I wouldn’t have been able to go so I will be forever thankful to Noah for his exquisite sense of timing. 🙂