Monday Morning Musings
In the United States, the 4th of July is a national holiday. It’s the commemoration of the day Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence and ordered that it be printed. (Congress actually declared independence on July 2, 1776, and the delegates signed the official document at a later date.) Typically, Americans celebrate the holiday with barbecues or picnics, parades, and fireworks.
This year we celebrated with a wedding.
Our beautiful, kind, and amazing younger daughter married a handsome, strong, and amazing young man. I guess that makes them the amazing couple.
Fortune or Mother Nature smiled on them, and the rain held off for the lovely outdoor ceremony. As their officiate explained, they traced the genesis of their relationship to their casting (by him) in Albright College’s stirring and affecting production of Tennessee William’s play, A Streetcar Named Desire—she was Blanche; he was Stanley. (During the production, the future bride-to-be going out of her way to assure me that this man, “just a friend”—cast opposite her as Stanley–was really nothing like the him.) The sparks that ignited onstage, continued to smolder offstage. Friendship deepened to love. The wedding vows this couple wrote, each making promises to the other, were funny, poignant, and heartfelt. It was as if they were letting the rest of us—people who love them both—in on a private, tender moment. And we were fortunate to be there to share it with them.
After the wedding
With my daughter ( the bride) and my mom
In a swirl of rainbow colors and whimsy, they were married. As Americans have learned, we are stronger together. Together this young couple can now strive for “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness”—together. They can stand united against whatever fate may bring. They can take Thomas Jefferson’s immortal words to heart: “we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.”
From now on, the nation will celebrate on their anniversary. There will be fireworks and parades. Neither will ever have an excuse to forget their wedding anniversary. But, as my husband noted, this day is only the beginning. In his closing words from his toast to them, he said,
“My greatest wish for the two of you is that through the years your love for each other will so deepen and grow that years from now you will look back on this day, your wedding day, as the day you loved each other the least.”
But perhaps each year they should throw a party or have a barbecue so we can celebrate with them.
We’ll bring our crowns.
We got crowned!
(Our youngest child was married.)
Next Monday: Rainbow Challah for a Rainbow Wedding
Yesterday and today: Merril's historical musings 
I enjoy how you wed the photos I saw on Facebook yesterday with lively text today. Ah, and they met on the set of “A Streetcar Named Desire.” Now there’s a story to tell the grand-children.
And the crowning glory at the end – what a blessed event!
Thank you, Marian. Besides the director (theater professor) who married them, there were also other people involved in Streetcar who were there–cast members, the set designer, etc. It was such a beautiful–and fun–wedding.
And now you are officially empty nesters too!
But my family has also grown!
We celebrated the wedding from Cincinnati by attending the Cincinnati Pops concert & fireworks. Cheers to your family on the grand day!
Thanks for celebrating with us, Frank. 🙂 It was a grand day indeed!
Now that’s an exciting and emotional holiday! Loved the crowning. My youngest has decided he never wants to get married. He’s almost thirty and has never had a girlfriend. The Asperger syndrome may have something to do with his decision.
My daughter wanted to have some Jewish customs. The groom stepped on and broke a glass at the end of the ceremony, and they decided the crowning thing would be fun at the reception. It was a wonderful day!
Huge Congratulations on such a fantastic day Merril and my congratulations to the happy couple too.. What a brilliant date to have tied the knot.
xxx Massive Hugs xxx
Thank you, David. It was a beautiful, wonderful day. Hugs back to you!
Congratulations! You now have 3 daughters and a son! 🙂 Your daughter looked gorgeous! And I love your husband’s toast! 😀
Thank you, Rachel. I agree she looked gorgeous. 🙂 I am very fortunate!
Congratulations! Beautiful words and photos.
Thank you so much!
What a a lovely wedding day for all, Merril. Congratulations, and many happy anniveraries to come for the happy couple. Great clincher by your husband in the toast! Beautiful. You look lovely in your mother-of-the-bride dress, too, my friend. The three-generation women-of-the-day photo will be cherished in your family for at least three generations to come, too. Thank you for sharing this special celebration of the Fourth with us.
What a lovely comment, Mark. Thank you so much! I appreciate the compliment, too. 🙂
The photographs by the actual photographer will be much better than the ones
I posted.
Yes the official photog shots will be better in the official photog sense, Merril. Put those in the book and cherish them forever. But your home-loved, hand-held shots here are terrific in the sense of family snapshots pulled out of the bottom kitchen drawer every year for that familiar jolt of pleasure.
Beautiful! Lovely wedding and lovelier daughter! And you, too! Mazel tov, Merril. What a sweet summer for you.
Thanks so much, Luanne! It was a beautiful wedding, and I have to agree that she is very lovely! 🙂
She’s stunning, actually.
Thank you! 🙂
I love your husband’s toast, Merril. And your crowns. May your coronation, the country’s birthday party, and your daughter’s anniversary continue to make July 4 the day you remember: “we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.”
Thanks so much for your comment, Shirley. I certainly hope so!
How beautiful! Your daughter looked absolutely stunning with a real movie star quality and so glamorous in that dress! I had to enlarge the photos and have a real sticky beak. For me, those historical cultural touches really add such significance and meaning o a wedding or special event. We had my grandfather’s Bible at our wedding, which had been a gift from his Grandfather. I think it was published in the 1880s and had text in German with English titles on the illustrations and it might have been printed in USA. xx Rowena
You’re so sweet, Rowena. Thank you!
“Sticky beak!” 🙂
Was your grandfather or his grandfather German? That’s cool to have had that old bible at your wedding.