By Reid
What are some of the most memorable days of your life? Many of you married folks would probably say your wedding day was a pretty big one. Unfortunately, for many folks, those days that hold such significance can also create some of the most stressful situations as some pour their lives into making those days play out exactly how they want them. Well, a couple of our guests this past week decided to make their wedding day as stress free as possible, and it was truly beautiful. I had the pleasure of driving this love-struck couple out to the Homestead cabin by one-horse opened sleigh, where they were married right there on the porch, with only a pastor and her husband, myself, and Ben, the draft horse, as witnesses. The ceremony took no longer than 15 minutes, vows and rings were exchanged, and under the endless blue-bird sky of that pristine winter day, the new couple was pronounced to all the world. Funny how so many of us are so steeped in tradition and the way it “should be” that we feel surprised by this story. I was stunned as well when I heard (the day before) that I would be participating in a wedding! “Aren’t those things supposed to take months to plan?” I thought. Well, they don’t have to. What an honor it was to be reminded, standing on the porch that day, watching this man and this women confessing their undying and eternal love for each other, that a marriage celebration is not about a party, a guest list, a cake, or a string quartet giving life to Pachelbel’s cannon, but that a marriage celebration is a moment in time to stop, still your heart, and revel in the miracle of two souls becoming one – even if the only living things witnessing that miracle is a sleigh driver, and his horse.
Steph’s notes: Congratulations to Richard and Monica on starting their lives as husband and wife together here at Vista Verde! We wish you all the best! In addition to their wedding, we also got to wish Andy and Amy on their engagement. It was quite a romantic Valentine’s weekend here at Vista Verde!