Manifesting the Perfect DaySidetracked Sisters

Engagement–a few months before

My wedding was going to be intimate, serene, and perfect. I imagined it that way and worked thoughtfully on the details.

Few events in life have as many deep customs, subtle nuances, and crazy rituals, AND opportunities for things to go wrong–like a wedding.

My wedding day, July 7, 2000, began sunny and bright with POSSIBLE showers later in the day. We were celebrating the event at the Heidel House. It was a quaint, secluded resort on the shores of Green Lake in Wisconsin.

Mom, Judy, Michelle, a couple of friends and I arrived early in the morning to set up our dining and reception area with 100s of white candles. As the staff worked in an adjacent room, I jokingly said that we’d better not need that other room because my day would NOT be rainy–I was manifesting a PERFECT day ahead!

Things began to get sketchy–not exactly fall apart–as I walked down the scenic path on my dad’s arm listening to “Pacabel’s Canon in D”. Unexpectedly, my sister (maid-of-honor) walked up to us. The pastor had not shown up. My mom and Aunt Judy went into the resort and began making frantic telephone calls to local churches pleading for help. After an hour of calls, with no help found, the pastor did show up. She claimed that MY directions were poorly explained…

Oh, well…onward, right?

We began again, but now the sun had disappeared and the wind began to pick up. It was particularly noticeable to us on a gazebo at the end of a dock. Big raindrops started to fall. Everyone was looking at me. “Ok, let’s go in.” I announced.

We had to get golf carts to shlup the grandmas inside.

Honeymoon–a few months later

Now came a surprise.

The staff had NOT cleaned or set up the adjoining room. Because…I had told them that we wouldn’t need it!

Oy, vay!

We had our ceremony in the lobby. In front of an unlit fireplace. The photographer turned out to be an amateur. The videographer kept flipping to night mode so that our video repeatedly and seemingly randomly switched from a bright and colorful celebration to a black and green horror movie.

You can only shake your head and smile.

We ate and drank and danced the night away. I danced the Egyptian and later got a bit crazy and spun-crashed into a table. It was time to head back to our room for the night anyway…

The next day we all feasted at the Grey Rock Mansion next door for brunch. Yum!

Oh yeah, did you notice that this post has no wedding pictures?

I had my makeup done by a woman who used iridescent purple eyeshadow that glowed in the camera flash. I looked like a cousin to Mimi from “The Drew Cary Show”.

In addition, as I mentioned earlier, the photographer was an amateur. He took all our photos around a piano (random at best) and next to a metal railing in a cement-walled stairwell (reminiscent of High School Prom photos).