They danced.......

Saturday, October 14th was bright and sunny, so the dream did come true. The rehearsal dinner on Friday night was a great success and the official kick-off for a full weekend. That night the bride took the traditional room at the hotel while the groom stayed home with family.
When I was the mother of two brides the role was very clear. They had their wedding day planned down to the last detail. Whereas for this wedding, Conor was making things happen in his usual, casual manner. He had invited "the boys" (wedding party and cousins) over to the house to get dressed and maybe have a toast or two. It was a 3:oo pm wedding and the officiant, good friend Eric, arrived around noon. Conor and Eric reviewed the wedding vows that Conor had written. I typed and printed them out. The three of us then had the first toast with Jameson Irish Whiskey!
Around 1:30 pm the rest of the wedding party arrived in jeans and tee shirts, holding huge, black tuxedo bags and shiny patton leather shoes. Most of these boys were the childhood sleepovers, that I followed around in the morning to make sure they had all their "stuff" .... jackets, boots and retainers. They sat out in the back yard and roared with laughter. They told stories, had sandwiches and finished off the Jameson. They were good to go !!
In a flurry they dressed, helped each other with ties and decided how many buttons the vest would need. My job description as mother of the groom was defined spontaneously. It was perfect.

Sarah arrived with spectacular beauty. Her sister was maid of honor and my two daughters were bridesmaids. I remembered the two wedding days that I had spent with each of my daughters while they dressed and wished I could have been in two places at the same time. But Sarah had her family and friends and it sounded like they created their own memories..

Conor would say "I do" after each of the four vows that he had written and Eric recited to the guests:

Do you vow to take her advice on wardrobe related issues, appearance and general hygiene? I do...

Do you vow to willingly accept her abnormally frigid feet and hands and provide warmth during the winter months? I do...

Do you vow to explain a joke quietly to her when out to dinner with friends? I do..

Do you vow to be a faithful, loving husband, a beacon of strength and continue to admire Sarah's beauty, unwavering kindness and all the magnificent enduring qualities that make her unique?

He said "I do"