Wedding Fever

This past year has been a whirlwind of weddings for the friends of our youngest son, James. Over the weekend, we attended that of Tanessa and Braden, two sweet kids who attended our church when we lived in the Panhandle.

What made this wedding unique is that Tanessa (the bride) and James (our son) have been good friends since second grade—through church, school, AND college. They fight like brother and sister and defend and protect each other in the same way. When Tanessa transferred to OU and needed a roommate, James’s girlfriend, Allison, became the logical choice, so the three of them were then best friends. Tanessa even chose Allison to be her maid of honor, and James, a groomsman.

Tanessa and James

Allison’s parents came from California for their first ever trip to the area where James grew up, and we got to be their official tour guides and introduce them to the many people they’d only heard tall tales about.

Of the two hundred or so people at the wedding, we knew probably three-fourths of them and have special memories with each one. Mark and Becky, the kids’ former youth pastor came so Mark could perform the ceremony, and hearing Tim and Margie Ramsey sing together once again was, in itself, worth the trip. Love, love, love those two songbirds and can’t even begin to tell you how much mischief we’ve been into over the years with them.

Also, our former family hairdresser, Kevin, was there (doing hair for the entire bridal party, and I heard it was QUITE the party), and his and Dyan’s children participated in the ceremony by reciting I Corinthians 13—absolutely enchanting.

Most of James’s guy friends from the youth group graduated before him, so by his Senior year of high school, it was just him and a slew of girls. They’ve all stayed in touch and were in the wedding party. Max and I had so much fun catching up with them and their parents and letting Allison’s parents get to know them. It felt a little like a family reunion, only better. We are related by our love of Jesus and each other. Precious memories intertwine our lives, and while we’ve walked through various trials and victories together, this was one of the loveliest of times.

James and the girls (his fiancee Allison 2nd from left)

Jan and Nancy (Allison’s parents) and Max and I are counting down the days until James and Allison’s own fairy tale wedding at Disneyland (less than two months). Lots of these same folks will be there to share in our joy as our kids repeat their vows. My eyes are tearing up already in anticipation.

Love. Honor. Cherish. Don’t you just love a good wedding? Any advice for this soon-to-be mother of the groom?