For My Bride

My life changed forever for the better 16 years ago this morning. It was on this date in 1993 that I became the luckiest man on the face of the earth when my Jeannie--in spite of my having screwing up the vows a little (yes, she's still bitter about it; "Why do you think we had a rehearsal?" she says)--took me to be her wedded husband: To have and to hold, in sickness and in health, until death do us part...

We had the best wedding, ever.

I remember sharing a hotel suite with my best man the night before, sitting up till the wee hours too excited to sleep, talking about what it was going to mean to me to have a wife. I remember it was snowing when we woke up, one of those mid-April snow showers where it looks like a blizzard but it doesn't even stick to the ground. By the time we arrived at the church an hour or so prior to the 11 a.m. service, that snow had changed to drizzle. When we left the church it was cloudy and during our reception it turned sunny. I thought it was perfect: an analogy in meteorology to what our life together would be.

I remember the prelude music on the church organ. Jeannie tells me I picked out all the songs, so I must have but the only two I remember are now are "Oh What a Beautiful Morning" from "Oklahoma" ( I know, show tunes, right? Was this a gay wedding, or what?) and The Naval Hymn. With lyrics like, "Lord hear us when we pray to Thee for those in peril on the sea," it might not sound to you like an appropriate song to play at a wedding, but I like the tune so there.

I remember us taking the picture of me trying to escape out the back door of the church being restrained by my groomsmen (required) and I remember taking a gulp of hooch out of a hip flask. But only one (also required). My boys, led by my (still) Best Man Dave took good care of me. Real good care. We'd had fun the day before getting the marriage license and picking up the tuxes and finding out once we arrived at the rehearsal dinner that Old Country Buffet--I know, a bit extravagant but nothing but the best for our family and wedding party--did not accept credit cards and we didn't have enough cash on hand until we pre-opened somebody's generously cash-filled wedding envelope to us. (As I side note, I've never forgotten how good people were to us when we got married. So generous. And whenever I use one of those gifts, such as the Gene and Marie Healy Waffle Iron, I always think of Gene and Marie and, obliquely at least, of our wedding day).

The thing I remember most was standing at the altar with my decked out crew and seeing Jeannie walking down the aisle towards me. She was so beautiful. I don't know how else to say it. She was perfect! So lovely. If there hadn't been a church full of people there and if my knees hadn't been shaking so, there's no telling what I might have done with her right then and there I'll tell you what.

I remember feeling that God was right there in the room with us. Hence, the shaking of the knees and the blown line in the vows while I was placing the ring on her finger. Jeannie's a stickler. Or maybe she didn't want me getting off on a technicality. But, when I forgot to say something I was supposed to have said, she asked Pastor Fox who had come out of retirement to marry us, just another special thing about our special day, "Isn't he supposed to say something here?" Pastor Fox sort of waved her off and we continued and I'm pretty sure it still counted.

Then we had a great brunch reception and had everybody on their way by two o'clock or so and we were off to our riverfront room at the Windsor Hilton and that's all I'm going to tell you because it was our wedding night and, well, you know. It sure was fun, though.

So, now I hear that you don't think I care about our anniversary. Oh, my darling. I am so sorry. The time a couple of years ago when I gave you the impression that I did not attach the appropriate importance to our day was a dreadful mistake. It was my fault. But it's not true.

I will tell the world today what I told that church full of our family and friends 16 years ago this morning: This is the day my life began. I have loved you with my whole heart every single day of these last 16 years and I will love you with my whole heart and with all of my being right up until the day you come to your senses and kill me with a frying pan. You gave me Laura and that is the greatest gift anybody could give anybody else. I love you. I always will. I am the luckiest husband in the world.