A young friend of mine (a former student) was married on Saturday. Loree’s wedding to Andrew was simply splendid.
It began with multiple groups of grandparents processing down the aisle to Moonlight Sonata. Exquisite music. I immediately thought, “Why have I never played this for a wedding before?” When we thanked the pianist after the ceremony, Summer said “I told Loree that I regretted getting married without a bit of Debussy.”
The kiss: what I loved is the look Andrew gave Loree–a full thirty seconds I’d guess–drinking in her smile before the kiss. We got the sense that this remarkable young man is deliberate in all he does.
The knot: the two fathers brought up a large coil of nautical-grade rope. The bride and groom took these two ropes and made a lover’s knot.
After the bride and groom tied the knot the wedding party all tugged on the rope to tighten the knot. It was festive and fun!
A favorite moment was meeting Andrew at the end of the receiving line. Smiling, he extended his hand and was genuinely pleased to meet Curt and me. But when Loree leaned into him and said, “She wrote the words,” Andrew changed into hug mode. Of course the words are not my words, but a quote I wrote in a card.
Here are the words.
to talk and laugh and do each other kindnesses;
read pleasant books together,
pass from lightest jesting to talk of the deepest things and back again;
differ without rancor, as a man might differ with himself,
and when most rarely dissension arose
find our normal agreement all the sweeter for it;
teach each other and learn from each other;
be impatient for the return of the absent,
and welcome them with joy on their homecoming;
these and such like things,
proceeding from our hearts
as we gave affection and received it back,
and shown by face, by voice, by the eyes,
and a thousand other pleasing ways,
kindled a flame which infused our very souls
and of many made us one.
This is what men value in friends.
~ St. Augustine
A Living Pencil 
Ahhhh! Wonderful! I love a good wedding as well, and this one sounds first class!
Beautiful! Weddings are the best thing. The very best.
As you said, it sounds like it was “simply splendid.” Never thought about the “Moonlight Sonata” either. Nice!
Thank you for “the words”. :)For anyone who wants a more specific reference than just “St Augustine” though, the passage is from Augustine’s Confessions, Book IV. In the well known Penguin translation by Pine-Coffin it is on page 79. Augustine’s capacity to feel so deeply is as amazing to me as the profundity and scope of his intellect. Confessions is well worth reading. (There was also a missionary to England called Augustine, but he must not be confused with this Augustine who, delightfully, was bishop of Hippo, now known as Bone, in Algeria.)
Saving that quote and looking forward to a wedding this Saturday, I will remember the nautical rope. What a neat illustration!
I’m not surprised that you are known for writing *the words*! You have a remarkable sense of using the right ones at the right moment.A gift indeed.
I agree with you – reading Confessions (and re-reading) touched (my) life’s issues…a profound read
Thank you for another quote to add to my collection!!! And weddings…well, weddings touch my heart in so many remarkably different ways, all good. There is such hope for new life in a wedding, in the faces and eyes of the bride and groom for each other, that it can’t help but renew all our hopes for the future, for the promises God has made to each of us. Thank you for sharing this.
I also thank you for this! Weddings are such wonderful things! You are one I would turn to write the words any day!
What a great visual for young and old not only about the man & wife binding themselves together, but the job of the friends to strengthen their relationship as well, and not try to pull it apart. Loved this post!