THE WEDDING chapter 89

PREPARATIONS

Preparations for the wedding were a big deal. Aren’t they always? We were trying to do nearly everything ourselves. Mom made the fruitcake and a few friends came to help her and Della wrap all those tiny cake pieces in clear plastic and tie each end with pretty little red ribbon. I was learning a Canadian tradition. We were going to take these little gifts around to each guest and thank them for coming as we gave them fruitcake.

I designed the invitation while at college and Della and he mom mailed them all out. We had worked on the design together over several visits back to Red Deer. The design was representative of the cross in the chapel at Canadian Bible College. The raised portion where I placed our initials came from the top of the pulpit that stood in front of a choir rail.

We also had a lot of decorating to do. Della and I made everything. We hung red and white streamers on the back wall of the reception and pinned little white paper roses on the, Mom made all those roses. We made paper posts with heart shaped supports to pin on the front of the head table. There was a chicken wire shaped heart that hung behind us and the holes were stuffed with pink and white tissue and a satin banner wrapped across it. We were dinking around the church basement for a couple of days putting that all together. The space was small and it was going to be crowded. I have no memory of how many we invited, but over three hundred signed the guest book. Della was the special girl of that church and all that attention was for her. She deserved it. I was there for the ride.

Then on the Monday before the wedding, we moved my car to the neighbors’ garage so it would be protected from damage, real or imagined. At least there would be no writing on it or tin cans tied to the back. That would have been the least of our problems from what we had heard.

The morning of the wedding, Doug took our luggage and checked us into the downtown hotel and got the key so all we would have to do was arrive. We were sure people would expect us to leave town. I was glad I could trust Doug. The cost of that very nice room was $11.15 including tax. Those were the days.

THE WEDDING

PLATFORM: Mrs. Klassen, Ron, Joan, Connie
L-R: Ralph, Shirley, Jean, Merla Rev. Rose, Rev. Klassen, Clyde, Doug, Leroy and Garth.
FRONT: Della and uncle Dave UNSEEN: flower girl Karen, ring bearer Lorne.

I felt most sorry for Mrs. Klassen the day of the wedding. She had to play the organ an extra 30 minutes because someone was not ready and the women were not at the church on time. It was not Della. Of course, I was fuming. I don’t know where this frustration came from, but punctuality was huge on my list of important things in life. Doug, Garth, Rev. Rose were doing all they could to keep me calm. Leroy was laughing. Bless his little pea pickin’ heart.

When we finally got going, it went off without a hitch. The little flower girl and ring bearer stole the show.

For my American friends, there is a tradition that the wedding registry is signed as part of the wedding. Even that went smoothly as we left the platform with our maid of honor and best man to make everything legal. We then went to the photographer’s studio for formal pictures. Our wedding was right at the crossroads of the coming wave of color photos.  We could have them, but we could not afford them. All the color one we have came from snapshots.

The ladies of the church prepared and served the sit down meal. That meant the world to us. Della and I were paying for everything and appreciated all the help we would get. I believe someone from the church or family made the tiered wedding cake as well.

The reception room was jammed packed. You could hardly move. It was an ordeal for Della in her wedding dress to work her way around the tables with those little pieces of fruitcake that I suggested we place in a basket for people to pick up as they leave. I was sure almost no one would really eat that cake. They had already had the real wedding cake. Canadians! Go figure. Anyway, I was out voted. We hand delivered them out guests.

While not on our guest list, Dan Martin had showed up and he was busy getting guys together to block our exit from Red Deer. Basically there were only three roads out of town: South toward Calgary, North toward Edmonton and west toward Rocky Mountain House. He decided we would go south. They also had to figure out how we would leave the church. My car was not there and there were several other options. The number one suspect was my best man and his car. All eyes were on Doug and his car.

NEXT: Escape to our honeymoon.

Garth Comba (best friend three years at CBC), Merl Heck (best friend since grade two), Della, Clyde Doug Hollands (roommate first year CBC), Leroy Lyon (brother of bride). FRONT: Shirley Yadon (roommate at CBC), Karen Lyon (niece), Lorne Sorenson (nephew) 

The girls look terrific. Della carried
red roses on a white Bible with streamers
or rose buds.

I doubt I have ever had a better smile.