It was the sweetest little wedding, and before she flew back to Italy with her family, my daughter approved a few photos I could show you. They decided not to have professional photographs taken, and although I wonder if she might someday regret that, I have to say that on the day, with the nine children under eight — and eight of those four and under, with one of the Littles being the bride and groom’s daughter, waiting for photographs to be taken would definitely have changed the tenor of the day.
Instead, we were asked to arrive an hour before the ceremony so that we could nibble and chat and let the kids play — and, as Raffi sings, jump their jiggles, shake their sillies, and wiggle their waggles away. Then the Marriage Commissioner arrived, we all found spots on the living-room couches, and these two gave their daughter a legally married Mama and Papa — and some of us teared up more than a bit. . . .
I love the barefoot bride look — she’d have been perfect on a beach as well, but the shoeless style was in deference to house rules, the generously hosting SIL and BIL having moved back into their newly renovated home only weeks before their newborn arrived — he was a month old at the wedding, and has twin sisters not yet two, and an older one who’s four. No one wanted to make more housework for that Mom! (but oh, we all had such pretty toes 😉
The vows over, we noshed on sushi and cupcakes and cheeses and other good things. The kids too quickly spotted the Candy and Popcorn station, but they burned off the excess sugar in the Perfect Backyard Playground where the resident Bouncy Castle had been inflated for the occasion and the Playhouse accommodated any role-playing inspired by the afternoon’s event. . .
I must admit, though, I mostly stayed inside and sipped Prosecco. . .
cuddled the baby when I could. . .
and basked. . . .Wouldn’t you?
There you go. . . .Coming up soon, a few more pics of the wedding guests (just the immediate families of bride and groom) — and even a shot of the Mother of the Bride dress. . . .
Oh, oh, oh… that dress. It. is. perfect. And so is her hair. She looks beautiful. Perfectly chic and casual and relaxed. And…perfect. It must have been a lovely day.
Stu and I did not have professional photos at our wedding, either. It was very small (22 people) and held on our deck and in the back yard with people in and out of the house… and a buffet served in the sunroom. My brother-in-law had a good camera so he made sure he got shots of all the relevant moments. And everyone else who had any photos sent them to us. Like your daughter's our wedding was more of an "official-izing" since we'd been living together for a few years. I think that formal occasions don't suit everyone. And the informal photos we have really suited our day. And actually are really representative of the day. So maybe she will feel the same.
P.S. Gotta say I love the groom's socks!
Thanks, Sue. Nice to have the reassurance that brides don't necessarily regret not having professional photographs. Your wedding sounds very similar in spirit to Rhiannon's. (and yeah, J's socks are a pretty cute sartorial touch. 😉
Congratulations!
The bride looks amazing,happy,with a beautiful dress-they both were gleaming in delight (yes,it would be a fairy tale on the beach….)
And how cute was Frankie in her dress!
It must have been very emotional for you!
Such a lovely wedding! More fun than the formal one….
I had two weddings myself-with the same man :-)-,first civil one and five years later (ha!) in the church
Please,hurry on with the guest photos (and your dress:-))
Dottoressa
Interesting — we'll have to chat about that, perhaps, the two weddings.
I suspect my dress-photo posting will be anticlimactic, but yes, soon.
I am in the middle of a very tedious task and these pictures have just cheered me up. How lovely and simple. No flowers to hold, just a small child. What fun it must have been.
I love that you point out the way that Little Girl subs for flowers! It's true, a much better accessory.
That sounds like the perfect wedding. You must have all had so much fun. I always think the best wedding photos are the impromptu ones not the staged ones. Dress gorgeous as is the bride :). B x
Thanks B. It was perfect indeed.
Beautiful wedding that seem to suit the couple well. I'm all for simple, intimate weddings in which the happy couple are featured with out without formal photos. I've been to too many of my former students weddings that were super fancy and expensive, and bride and groom seemed lost in all the fuss about food and music and whatever. They look relaxed and focused on each other as it should be.
Like you, I can't get over how much some people will spend on weddings — and how stressed they're willing to get. From our perspective, this was the easiest of our four, and at least as enjoyable in its own way as the others (none of which were very extravagant).
Basking – the best part of being a mother-of-the-bride! Especially with little ones providing a floorshow. Your pleasure in the day is contagious . . . I appreciate catching it!
Aw, thanks, Marsha!
Looks like such a beautiful happy family day! My own had only 15 guests (immediate siblings and parents) and I have never regretted the relaxed excitement of that day. The bride looks beautiful and both radiate happiness, which is the most important thing.
Thanks, Belle! I never knew that about your wedding, but it makes sense.
It sounds like the perfect wedding: Family and lots of kids, happiness and tears, food, drink and pretty dresses. Am looking forward to pictures of the MOTB, socks and all…
😉
Congratulations- bride is so lovely (as is her dress)!
Thank you!
That dress is beautiful. Congrats all round.
Thanks!
Absolutely beautiful all round.
😊
They both look wonderful, especially Rhiannon whom I remember from way back. I love the bare feet and the beachy feel. The dress is lovely. It looks as if the ceremony suited them perfectly. Happy times for your family Frances! Brenda
She was in your class, wasn't she? So long ago now. . . Thanks, Brenda
Thank you to Rhiannon for being happy to share her special day with us. She looks stunning … her dress is perfect! I especially love the photo where they're holding hands. All in all it sounds as though you had a wonderful day. One of my daughters best friends is a photographer and chose to take her photos rather than be a bridesmaid …later this year. I'm imaging this will make for happy and relaxed photographs. I often have mixed feelings about more formal ones anyway. Looking forward to seeing your outfit. I'm still struggling somewhat with mine 🙂
I hope you're having a good week … The days following family occasions often feel a little empty, I find …take care.
Rosie
What a great solution, having a friend take the photos. I do think you'll catch a more relaxed vibe that way. What I always mind is the disruption to the day's rhythm of having to wait for the photographs to happen — and with kids in the mix, it would have been really tough.
As I say, my dress-photo is going to be a letdown, I suspect. It's very simple… Good look with yours. What's the plan so far?
The dress is beautiful and the young family look happy. I'm sure that you will miss
little Frankie. I find that less formal weddings are far less stressful and allow the couple more opportunity to mingle.
So much less stressful, you're so right. This way we were able to enjoy the month of having them here instead of having them completely distracted by organising for a bigger, more formal wedding.
Beautiful bride! Congratulations to all!
Thank you!
Oh she looks so lovely (adore that frock!) and what a memorable day for you and the family!
Isn't it a sweet dress? Can you believe she ordered it online? And was a bit anxious about it arriving before their flight? And it didn't even need alteration!
How lovely your daughter and granddaughter look! I'm panting to see the MOB outfit!
ceci
Oh dear, I fear I'm going to disappoint….
that dress is so beautiful. As are the woman and the man and the baby.
so happy for all of them
Isn't it lovely, Alison? And the three of them were so happy and gorgeous that day. Thanks you!
What a lovely wedding and how great it is that you can be married in such a informal location. Makes it all the more relaxed and family focussed which is what a wedding should be in my opinion. All parties looking wonderful too
There's much to love about some church weddings, I'd say, and other more formal settings, but this suited bride and groom so very well, and being able to relax with all the kids instead of shushing them was a real delight. Thank you!
The happiness streaming from them made me tear up, too!
Aw, we're just old softies, right? 😉
Lovely, lovely…
Thank you!
How lovely — beautiful dress and beautiful bride. Congratulations to you all and thank you for sharing.
Ceri in London
Thanks, Ceri, and you're very welcome.
Love the smiles and glow from those happy faces. And the thought of so many littles underfoot. It sounds as if the day suited the family perfectly.
It really did, Elle.
So many weddings are OTT now & seem to lose sight of the real meaning of a marriage , This looks lovely .
Wendy in York
I think so too, Wendy, about the OTT weddings.
Thanks, it was lovely.
Absolutely beautiful and the love just shines from these photos. The dress, needless to say, is gorgeous. I wouldn't regret not having a professional photographer. Ours was a very traditional Scottish wedding with kilts galore, formal speeches, long meal, followed by evening reception of Scottish dancing to which more people came. Plus a bossy photographer whose photos languish in an envelope in a box somewhere in the loft. No way would I do that now or wish it on my daughter if it wasn't what she wanted. But 32 years ago things were different…
So true, right? Some of the absolute "Musts," protocol and dress and etiquette-wise, of several decades ago would just not make sense now. But surely Scottish dancing would still be much fun for those who know how to do it. Lose the bossy photographer though 😉
"I second that emotion", as expressed by Rosie re: being thankful that she was willing to share with us. Her dress so suits her hip, chicness. She is one gorgeous girl. The photo that is ABOVE the caption "and basked…wouldn't you" radiates love to my eye.
And, always and option for parents and grandparent who would like to have something a little more professional to add to their framed photo collection, one could always do a very light touch of some sort of photoshopping: cropping, centering…whatever.
But the happy bride and groom look so fabulous and delighted in these, it makes me happy for them and all your extended family.
Also love, Frances, how you call your children-in-law children-in-love. Such a welcoming, inclusive touch that they probably greatly appreciate, even if they don't let on that they do.
Thanks so much for sharing….now….for your dress????
TA-DA, waiting for the big reveal of that. A. in London
PS every day I am reading so,so much about travel to Croatia in the newspaper; seems to be all the rage, and lucky you get to be a part of it soon. x
Thanks so much, London A. And I do think I may very well play around with cropping one or two of my photos and getting them printed and up on my wall.
Interesting that Croatia is featuring in the Travel section of the paper more and more. We're really looking forward to discovering the country for ourselves.
A. in London again,
I can top the two times married to the same man of Dottoressa's telling. I married my sweetheart three times: once by a humanist in front of close friends' fireplace, then boarded a double decker bus to our reception venue on the Strand in London. A second time the next morning by the registrar's office to satisfy the delightful immigration men and then a third time at a small reception in my hometown in the US for those who couldn't travel here.
At the third one, my sister acted as the Justice of the Peace and recreated our whole original ceremony that we wrote ourselves and was short and sweet.
Love my sweetheart, but three weddings to one man is my limit!
A. in London
Fun! You and Dottoressa will really need to meet up and compare notes — you know she gets to London a few times a year 😉
What a wonderful wedding. Everyone looks so relaxed and happy. Such a lovely dress. I have a particular gripe to share about the professional photographer at one particular wedding who managed to capture the parents of the groom just twice! Ahem!
Thanks, Lucille. We were all very happy. What a shame about your photographs — it's what you pay a professional for, ensuring a visual capture of those moments you can't get back.