After years together and months of planning, our daughter Margot and Hadley were married this weekend. I cannot write about anything else this week. It has been so all consuming and filled with so much love and so many special moments. We are beaming in the afterglow of the best wedding ever.
I left South Carolina on Tuesday morning to drive to Asheville to meet Katie and Libby (big sister and niece). We met at the brides’ house and had pizza and talked about the plans for the coming weekend. So many moving parts. Printing needed to be done, last minute details taken care of, food and wine and drinks that were coordinated. Guests arriving and events were planned. About 12 months ago I rented a house on VRBO for us to stay in for this weekend. My brother and his wife and sister and her husband were to join John and me and Katie and her two children. The house is fabulous. Six bedrooms and four bathrooms plus living space and decks. Lots of space. The house is called TreeTops and it literally is in the tree tops. We look down into the valley on both sides of the property. The morning of the wedding we came out and got in the car and the fog was below us. But I get ahead of myself.
Wednesday we took possession of the house and were consumed with figuring out where everyone would sleep. So concerned that all would feel welcome and special and that they had what they needed to feel comfortable for three or four days together. We went to the market and filled up the fridge with fruit and yogurt and eggs and milk and butter and don’t forget the wine. We knew we wouldn’t be eating too many meals here but we wanted something for breakfast at least and some snacks for those times when we were here together. People started to filter in. John arrived on Wednesday afternoon and my sister and her husband arrived on Thursday. Grandson Jack arrived Thursday night. My brother and his wife arrived on Friday. We had gatherings Wednesday here when the brides and their wedding party joined us for hamburgers and salad at Treetops. It was a first weekend event and wonderful. Thursday kept us going by running around doing last minute errands and honestly trying to learn our way around the roads of Asheville. Now I actually believe I know my way around. The roads all have many different route numbers and names associated with them which tends to make things a little confusing. We’ve got this! We had a welcome dinner at Margot and Hadley’s Thursday night. The weather was iffy, it was a little cold and it decided to rain but thankfully stopped just when we needed it to. This group can eat. We had a wonderful low-country shrimp and orzo casserole and a caprese chicken lasagna served with a huge summer garden salad. Their house is small but it accommodated at least 30 people very well. People were able to go outside which allowed for a better flow in the house.
Friday brought a day that was filled with clouds and cool wind. The rehearsal was out at the venue that was by the French Broad River. It was very cool down there. We were all in down jackets and just praying the sun would come out. There was rain in the forecast and we knew the river might crest at some point. Just hoped we wouldn’t have to wear our rubber boots for the wedding. We rehearsed and realized that a sound system was needed because the river was too loud and what if the train went by just in the middle of the ceremony. Only those in the front row would be able to hear anything.
We had a wonderful luncheon after the rehearsal and then a break from the festivities before a fabulous rehearsal and welcome dinner at All Souls Pizza. It was supposed to be a drop in kind of event but everyone arrived at the same time so we had 70 people all arriving for pizza at once. All the pizzas are custom made with home ground flour and fresh local vegetables for the toppings. Unlike any pizza I have ever had before. The staff were amazing and handled all the food and drinks so easily. We brought the fire pit and had a lovely fire going, so yes, we were outside. It was warm enough. You just never know at the end of April in the North Carolina mountains.
What can I say about Saturday? I was woken up by a text from Katie at 6:40 saying they had forgotten Jack’s socks. They were to be at Margot’s for 6AM to get hair, makeup and dressed. Almost immediately after, I received a phone call saying not only were the socks forgotten but his suit was left behind too. Since I was awake, I said I would grab the forgottens and head to Margot’s. As I was collecting the left behind items, my sister, who was sleeping under the ping pong table (don’t ask) said she would go with me. So in our jammies at 7AM we left to go into town with the missing items. So wonderful. We got to see the brides getting ready and the mayhem and fun that goes along with that. The brides were at different houses. Each with her own hair dresser. Libby, our wonderful granddaughter, was in charge of makeup and she is GOOD! I asked her how she learned and she said on You Tube!!!! Everyone was in a good mood and things were bustling along. We ended up going up to the other house to see the other bride as she got ready because she had forgotten a couple of items too. So imagine, my sister and I, in our jammies, going from one house to the other, with cups of coffee and the forgotten items and just loving every minute of it.
We got home in just enough time to shower and dress ourselves before we had to get out to the wedding. The wedding was set for 10AM, down by the river. The sky was bluebird blue, no clouds and the temperature was warming up nicely. The venue folks had a fire going in the pavilion and the caterers were setting up for the wedding breakfast. It was so much fun to watch everyone arrive. We were offered Mimosas and Bloody Caesars (Canadian Bloody Mary’s) if you wanted one before the ceremony and obviously afterwards too. There were no bugs, a few geese on the river which had calmed down significantly from the day before, and believe it or not, the occasionally trout leaping over the rapids upstream. It was a scene from a River Runs Through It.
The girls arrived in separate cars and met down by the river. They walked together where they met their respective parents. In true H&M fashion, they did a rock, scissors, paper shootout to decide who would go first down the aisle. It was classic. Hadley went first with her parents and John and I followed with Margot. I cannot begin to describe the setting. The sun shining, sparkling off the river, the soothing sounds of the water flowing over the rocks, the birds singing, a gently breeze blowing in the trees (to keep the bugs away) and the warmth and love of so many friends and family there to witness the most beautiful wedding ever. Our officiant asked us to put our hands in our laps and to breathe in deeply and breathe out deeply and absorb the moment. Such great words. People around me took pictures, I did not. I just was totally absorbed in the moment and loved the whole thing. The I Do’s were said, their dog Brewer had his say and we were off. Just as we got to the reception site, what should happen but the massive train that we knew could possibly come by, came by. The engineer tooted his horn at the brides and we all watched as the train with a hundred cars rolled by. It was perfect!!! Pictures were taken around the campfire and then food and beverage were devoured.
Post wedding we had a scavenger hunt through downtown Asheville. A wonderful, very complicated touch to a fabulous weekend. What a great way for out of town guests to get to see the town of Asheville. The amount of work that went into that Scavenger Hunt was amazing. Our good friend Sue Fisher had a lot to do with it. The clues were clever and not easy to figure out. Pretty much everyone participated. Afterall, it was a gorgeous day, who wants to be inside. The nighttime reception was another fabulous event with delicious, family style chicken dinner, a wonderful band with lots of dancing and a superb speech by our daughter Katie. All in all it was a day to remember for a very long time.
Wishing my daughter and daughter-in-law much happiness in their new adventure.
Love Louise