It was a late November chilly day on an old Plantation in Southern Georgia that became not only one of the most stressful days of my life, but also one of the most memorable days of my life.  Looking back, I can add, also one of the funniest wedding stories ever!

You see, our daughter, Amy, was getting married.  She was the last one to leave home and, of course, it had to be a big deal destination wedding!  Amy and I had worked for months managing every last detail.  This was actually extremely enjoyable considering we both loved planning and executing events of all kinds, including weddings.

But I will spare you all those details and fast-forward to the day of.  I was not only the mother of the bride, but I was also managing all the décor as well as the day-of coordinating.  (There will be another Blog to tell you just how much I don’t recommend that to any mother of the bride!)

So, we had finally made it to the time for the Ceremony.  It was in a beautiful garden setting and all the guests were arriving and being escorted to their seats.  I was standing off to the side out of sight when my husband approached me with a concerned look.  At this point it is important that you know he was the Officiant for the Ceremony.  He whispered to me that his tuxedo pants had a problem – the clasp that allows the waist to be adjusted and secured had broken.  He said he needed some safety pins and fast.  It was just moments away from his entrance with the Groom and Groomsmen.  I quickly located just a few safety pins and returned to solve the problem.  Quickly I worked the pins through the waistband and was able to cinch his pants comfortably around his waist.

It was just in time for him to make his entrance and for me to be escorted to my front row seat.  The Bridesmaids in their formal dresses made their way down the aisle as the music filled the air.  Then the moment we had worked so hard for – the time Amy began her procession down the aisle.  It was absolutely storybook!

The music stopped and Dale began the ceremony.  About two minutes in he heard  pop and felt his pants loosen.  He had lost a pin.  He continued on delivering this beautifully crafted ceremony message  from the iPad he held.  He had worked for weeks word-smithing every part of the Ceremony to perfection for our girl.  Then another pop and the pants loosened again.  Time for the prayer – a third pop!  He knew there was only one more pin holding him together.  He immediately without any sudden moves went to Plan B.  He carefully turned and laid the iPad down on the table nearby and put both hands in his pants pockets.  He reared back in a John Wayne style, and began to conduct the Ceremony off the cuff to be best of his remembrance.  It came time for him to lead the Bride & Groom in Communion and share the elements of bread and wine with them.  In the most natural way, he asked the Groom as his first official act to serve his wife Communion.  No one was aware that his hands were too busy holding up his pants to serve Communion himself.  The Groom did just as he was instructed.  We moved into the Family Prayer with the parents joining the couple, and Dale’s hands never left his pockets.  Then the Kiss and the Introduction of the Bride and Groom for the first time.  The music rang out and the wedding participants and guests all made their way out to the reception.