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| so cute! |
One
day in September of 2009 Mike and I went for a drive to the city of
Gainesville, and we took a walk around the city square. Mike had a
plan, and he already knew what was on the square – a to scale
replica of our solar system! On the far corner is the sun; a little ways into the square is a tiny Mercury; then there is Venus, and at the
opposite far corner is earth. The other planets are outside of the
city square at corresponding distances from the square's sun – with
Pluto, which was still a planet back then, somewhere in the middle of
Lake Lanier. What a neat concept!
 |
| the sun on the square |
And
then Mike asked me if we should get married at the sun! He is so
awesome!
We
were already engaged – the date and details of an actual wedding,
however, had eluded us for months. But one certainly can't beat a
proposal like that – let's get married at the sun!
We decided the
ceremony would be on the anniversary of our first date – October
23rd – less than a month away.
Plans
were thrown together. Someone was found to perform the ceremony.
Anyone who wanted to attend was welcome. Mike's sister from Alabama
and his sister from Florida said they would be there! Our children
and my Mom also said they would not miss it!
We
found a bar just off of the square and arranged to have a small
reception there after the vows were exchanged.
The
bar was called the Monkey Barrel.
They
serve beer and pizza.
Sitting
on the bar was a really gross anatomically correct ape.
Mike
returned to the Monkey Barrel a few days before the wedding to make
contingency plans in case it was raining – could we do the ceremony
inside?
Inside
the bar, in front of the windows was a raised platform, a kind of
stage, where bands could set up and perform. That would do just fine
for a wedding ceremony.
If
it was raining on the big day.
And
rain it did!
 |
| we did it! |
On
the corner, by the sun, on the afternoon of October 23, 2009, I was
standing, right on time, in a beautiful dress, waiting for guests to
arrive. Instead of a groom waiting next to me, I was all alone. Rain
was pouring down, and I held an umbrella and watched each car as it
passed by the square. If I recognized people in the car as friends or
family coming for the wedding – I walked up and told them the
ceremony would be at the Monkey Barrel and pointed to it.
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| cake the next day |
Such
a different picture of a bride on her wedding day than anyone could
have ever thought up!
But
I was oh so happy! Just a few steps away, people were gathering –
to be a part of our wedding celebration.
Vows were exchanged, and everyone ordered pizza.
Amidst the revelry and what appeared to be bottomless shots of
tequila, Mike's sister, Martha, whispered in my ear, “You got
married in a bar! Daddy would be so pleased! Welcome to the family.”
How
cool is that!
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20151023 Monkey Business
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