This is going to be a very happy post because it is one of my favorite memories…AJ’s and Angie’s wedding. It occurred 23 years ago today and it was a wonderful experience for me. It began when Angie went looking for a dress. I got to go along. It’s not usually the groom’s mom that does this, but Angie invited me to join her. How exciting.
We went to the Bridal show
in that was held in January 1997. The brides are able to try on dresses and
when I saw Angie in the first one, I cried. I think she was shocked by my
tears, but it’s truly wonderful when your son is in love and you actually love his
intended. Angie did not find a dress there, so our exploration for the perfect
dress continued.
We went to a number of bridal stores and I remember one in particular because we both ended up laughing so hard. Angie tried on this dress that was too small and very tight. She was having a difficult time getting it off. I started laughing and then farted…loudly. I’m sure the entire store heard me. I slid down the wall and ended up on the floor because I was laughing so hard, and Angie couldn’t get the dress off until she stopped laughing. Funny, the things we remember huh.
We eventually did find a dress,
but it needed some altering. I now can’t remember if it needed to be made
smaller or larger, but it was/is a gorgeous dress. The photo I’m inserting here
does not do it justice. Following the wedding, Angie had it cleaned and placed
into one of those boxes that will keep the dress pristine just in case Haley
would like to wear her mother’s dress when she marries.
Their wedding rings are very very special. My mother, AJ’s grandma gave him both her’s and Grandpa’s gold wedding bands. Angie received her parent’s. I had received an absolutely ugly “dinner” ring from my great aunt years before. She had designed the ring and it had 32 diamonds of various size in it. I had used 10 smaller ones to have the anniversary band made as a gift from John on our 30th anniversary. Angie and AJ went to the jeweler in Bothell that had made my ring and they designed beautiful rings for each other using the gold and diamonds gifted to them.
They decided to get married at the Lake Forest Park Presbyterian church and, if my memory serves, the only date available was August 16, three days after mine and John’s 31st anniversary. It’s a beautiful church and very handy to the Lake Forest Park Civic Club where they intended to hold their reception. The photo below is my most favorite photograph from that special day and really exemplifies how they felt.
I believe it was Angie’s
best friend who gave her a wedding shower. I know the photos show it was held
on my deck. Members of both the kids’ families and some of their friends were
in attendance. I must say it was a real blessing to be so included in so many of the bride's activities, to know she loved and valued me too.
The rehearsal was the
night before the wedding and looking at those pictures really takes me back. We
all look so young and Thor was only 17…sheesh, where did all the time go? The
rehearsal dinner was held at a Mexican restaurant. It was a wonderful dinner
with all the members of the wedding party, parents and grandparents in
attendance. Such a very happy time.
Angie made a beautiful bride and AJ was so handsome in his tux. John and Thor also wore tuxes and they were handsome too. When the wedding was complete and they’d been pronounced husband and wife, we adjourned to the Civic Club. It’s on the shore of Lake Washington and it was an absolutely beautiful night. If I remember correctly, I think we made most of the food served and provided beer and wine. AJ’s cousin was the DJ for dancing and played a wide array of music. I still have to smile/laugh when I think of John out there boogying to LA Woman…think he had a glass of wine or a beer in his hand. He’d also taken off his jacket and put a sweatband around his head. John had the best time at his eldest son’s wedding. Angie showed off her garter, so the rest of the women in this photo pulled up their skirts too...except for Grandma who's beside Thor.
The people at the Civic
Club set everything up and I made all the table flower arrangements. Angie
wanted lavender and purple and I talked to the “Dahlia Man” who lived down the
street and sold dahlias from his huge garden. The morning of the wedding I went
and picked up all the purple, white and lavender blooms he had available. As
people left the reception, I encouraged some of them to take one of those table
arrangements with them.
I now cannot remember
where Angie and AJ spent their wedding night. I know they drove away in the
1967 El Camino which had been cleaned and polished…maybe the last time it was
ever driven by a Karlberg. For their honeymoon, they drove to Montana to
Glacier National Park. They had a wonderful time even though AJ was very
disappointed he didn’t see a grizzly bear.
And here they are today, 23 years later, still together, still in love, the parents of a wonderful young woman. It does my heart good to see them all together, to know the promises made then hold true today. And, just think, in two years, it will be their 25th. I think I'll throw them a party, polish up all my silver(plate) for the last time ever and gift it to them. Think maybe I’ll throw in a new jar of silver polish too.
Anyway, HAPPY HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO MY ELDEST SON AND HIS WONDERFUL WIFE.
