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Published on January 7, 2020 Wedding mixups capped off by a chainsaw and dolphin Did you ever have one of those days that you meticulously planned for – and NOTHING went as planned? Well, New Year’s Eve 1986, the afternoon Roy and I were married, was like that. We were married then because it was a date Roy could remember. But the last day of 1986 goes down in history for much different reasons. After Roy popped the question, we organized the wedding in three months. We booked a wedding chapel, ordered the invitations, and arranged for wedding attire. The reception should have been at the chapel, but since they had an evening wedding planned there, we held it at our new home. I ordered and paid for a cake to feed 40 people, decorated with rambling pink roses, two months in advance. I called the store three days before the wedding to confirm the cake would be ready. They could not find my order. After a panic attack, I remembered I still had my receipt. Luckily, after giving the baker the date on the receipt and my check number - and after 2 hours of searching, they found the order. On a bulletin board – where they would not forget it. They would have the cake for me. Panic over. The day finally arrived. I had to pick up the wedding cake and take it to Mom’s house on the way to having my hair done. My family was slated to go early and set up the reception. When I got to the bakery, I showed them my receipt, and they pulled out one small box and then a bigger box. Then they gave me instructions on how to set the tiers of the cake up on the cake plates. I was about to leave when they told me to wait - and brought out yet another huge box. This was way more cake than I ordered; it would feed at least100 people. I asked them to check the order, and they insisted it was my ticket. I was out the door - already running late. After delivering the cake to Mom, I made a mad dash for my hairdresser. I had an appointment, but as it turned out, my hairdresser called in sick. ARG! One of the other ladies in the shop stepped up because she “always wanted to do a bride’s hair”. It was already 11 a.m., and the wedding was in Deer Park across town at 2 p.m. So, she started working. She put it up one way – then took it down. Put it up a second way – took it down again. I pulled out the veil, and she put it up a third way. I thanked her, paid her and flew out the door. When I got to the chapel, everything was beginning to fall into place. But my hair was still not right. All I can say is thank God for my future sister-in-law, who fixed it. The friends who photographed and filmed the wedding and the group of family and friends gathered to witness the event were there. It was beautiful. When the minister told Roy he could kiss the bride, we faced each other, and I glanced over Roy’s shoulder and saw his 17-year-old-son - and best man - break into laughter. It was all I could do to refrain from laughing through Roy’s kiss. Then on to the house and reception. It was great fun, and we froze a LOT of cake. The daylight was waning as Roy tossed the garter, and I threw the bouquet before finally leaving for Hotel Galvez. We had booked a honeymoon suite at the Galvez as I had always wanted to stay there. I figured that we had the tuxedo for the long weekend, and I would only wear this dress once, so we wore them to the hotel. It was beginning to turn dark as we got to the hotel, and New Year’s Eve revelers were already in full party mode. As we made our entrance as bride and groom into the grand hotel, a hush fell over the lobby. Then, the revelers, as one, stood and gave us a standing ovation. At long last, we made it to the honeymoon suite. Everything to set up a romantic evening. We waited up to ring in the new year. Then just as we were settling in, it began: the scream of a chainsaw, and it was close. We thought some drunk might be cutting down palm trees outside. We looked but didn’t see anything. But the chain saw continued. We called the front desk, and we were assured that everything was O.K. The noise ceased for a while. We settled in for a second time, only to be awakened by the raucous sound of a chainsaw again – or was it a motorcycle? We again looked out and seeing nothing again called the front desk and were again assured nothing was amiss. Again, the sound ceased. For the third time, the chainsaw started again. It was apparent that we were not getting any sleep that night – and not for the right reasons. The sound was frightening. It went on for a couple of hours this time before it finally ceased. It was early New Year’s Day, and since we were up, we got dressed and headed downstairs for the hotel’s famous New Year’s Day brunch buffet. As we passed through the lobby headed for the buffet, we couldn’t help but notice the ice sculpture of a dolphin – the centerpiece of the buffet table. We stopped at the front desk again to complain about the chainsaw, and they finally told us what it was. The kitchen crew was running late creating the ice sculpture. At least we got free brunch tickets – and a memorable wedding night. (Write Jan in care of The Bulletin. Email: john.bulletin@gmail.com. Snail mail: The Bulletin, PO Box 2426, Angleton TX, 77516.) |