As the couple exchange

wedding vows they will be

affirming their love and

making a commitment to each other.

All the spectators are

there to wish them well.

As the time approaches,

I think back to other

family weddings over many years.

My older sisters were

all married in the same church

and as brides they

carried a white Bible 

decorated with tiny roses.

The receptions for their weddings

were all held in

the same church basement,

as there was no large

banquet hall in the local area.

The feast was usually catered

by a group of church members.

Today's wedding reception will

be held in an arena

that will be decorated

with just the right amount

of fall flowers in 

wonderful arrays to give it

dignity yet a touch of glamour.

The table decorations will

be a masterpiece. One of

the table decorations will

be small  pumpkins, used as

containers for flowers that

were collected from family gardens,

surrounded by a large wreath

made from long stalks of wheat.

There will be a few coloured leaves

placed inside the wreath.

Maybe they will use

oak and maple leaves

to show the splendour

of the autumn colours.

The colour of the outfits

that the bridesmaids are

wearing will be

fall colours as well.

The ingenious decorations will

be appreciated by the many guests

attending the festivities.

At each place setting

there will be a special paper napkin

with the bride and groom's name

printed on it and

the date of their wedding.

It will be carefully

folded placed on top

and of a linen napkin.

This will be one

of the souvenirs the guests

will have to commemorate

the special wedding day.

Also at each place

will be a few  after

dinner mints for the guests.

A miniature tree will also be

placed at each persons place.

The intent is for the guests

to take the little tree home

and transplant it to

a special place. In this way,

our environment is also improved

and the tree will become a

living tribute to the young couple.

The groom will carry

her across the threshold

as is customary for

a young couple as they

begin their new life together.

The honeymoon plans will

take them to the west coast of Canada.

They will have a week

of privacy far away

from friends and family.

They will inhabit a condominium

in the town of Whistler,

British Columbia, in the Rocky Mountains.

They will feel as if

they are royalty living

in a mansion in this little bit

of paradise on earth.

Thereafter, they will return home

to Ontario where they will reside.

Their original plan to

spend their honeymoon on

board a yacht in

the Mediterranean Sea was abandoned

when world circumstances dictated that

our country Canada was a safer choice.

Earlier this month, as

I thought about the forthcoming marriage,

and knew that I would be

unable to attend, I decided

to write a message to

the young couple. The intent

was that the message would be

read aloud during the

wedding reception. In the message,

I wished them well and

urged them to cherish

each other every day.