A Wedding

Last Saturday, December 12, Dan and Alex were married in a 2020 ceremony via Google Meets. They were in their Catskills cabin next to their Christmas tree. Their witnesses, neighbors Jan and Fran, were on their porch with a computer. I don't know where the very capable wedding officient Alice was. We were on Jeff and Susan's deck where they had a TV set up surrounded by festive poinsettias. Laura and her gang were in Gladwyne. Alex's family were in Queens. It was lovely. The officient spoke about the permanence of their vows and of their love lasing through the years. They exchanged rings--improvised twine because they didn't yet have their gold bands. We had champagne and cupcakes. Jim and I both gave short toasts.

And then we went to buy groceries and went home to reheated turkey chili as if it were an ordinary Saturday! Dan and Alex can look forward to the closing on their house on December 21--and maybe a celebration there in 2021 when this pandemic is under control.

I took great delight in one little vignette. Alex's mom Martha asked who proposed--Dan or Alex? They said that it was a conversation. Alex and Dan said that I had asked in an email when they said they were buying a house if they were secretly married. I had said that we were happy they were committed to each other in buying a house together. After I had done that, I had regrets for my boldness! But at the time, Alex responded with a happy face saying that they were committed to each other but not secretly married. They said that got the conversation going! So I have no regrets for my outspokenness.

It was fun to post the photos on Facebook and to receive dozens of congratulations from friends from all parts of our lives--and of Dan's life--from North Carolina and Indiana and Michigan. A wedding in the midst of a pandemic is still a time of celebration and great joy.