It was the Summer of Love, 1967.
"Puff, the Magic Dragon" was at the top of the charts.
Hair was in rehearsal for its October debut.
Hopes for the liberalization of the Catholic Church after the Second Ecumenical Council were running high, as did hopes for many other things.
We scheduled the nuptial Mass for 9 a.m. because Ed said he wanted to wake up, shave, and get married.
Too nervous to swallow any breakfast earlier that morning, I got slightly drunk on the sacramental wine.
Ed wore a dark suit that later served him well at job interviews. I wore a hand-me-down Mexican wedding dress that was a little too short, and my First Communion veil. My little sister, who was flower girl, wore a long pink empire-waist dress I had made. My matron of honor wore the bridesmaid dress that her sister had worn at her wedding.
My father composed the organ music for our walk down the aisle. I did my mother's hair (my own was so short I just ran my fingers through it). A friend was in charge of picture-taking.
It was pretty much a do-it-yourself, proto-hippie wedding--our first act of rebellion against consumerism.
It was a broiling-hot day in Birmingham, Alabama, forty-one--no, forty-four--no, forty-three years ago.
Home Sweet Home
1 week ago
Happy anniversary!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
ReplyDeleteAh, that second council. Quite a bit of buyer's remorse these days amongst the clergy, it seems...
ReplyDeleteHappy anniversary!
We do need pictures of this as the remembrances are bringing back to me the freed, hippie times that allowed one to wear such easy garb.
ReplyDeleteBridgett, not sure how the clergy are feeling these days. The disappointment over the failure of subsequent popes to fulfill the hopes raised by John XXIII eventually turned me away from the Church.
ReplyDeleteDona M, but we live in Vermont! We can wear what we want!
Happy anniversary to both of you!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Indigo!
ReplyDeleteOh do I remember that summer too. It was so hot in Birmingham. I actually had gone the summer before to The Vatican and heard some priests discuss their hope for change. Look what 44 years "of change" has brought us ;-)
ReplyDeletemrb, you went to the VATICAN??? You're full of surprises.
ReplyDeleteSummer of 1966 I went on a travel/study seminar to Europe and the World Methodist Youth Conference. Our first stop was Rome and we had an audience with some Vatican guys in black frocks who explained in detail The Second Ecumenical Council findings. Of course, I was only 19 and much more interested in roaming the streets of Rome than listening to a Priest talk about church politics.
ReplyDeletemrb, the streets of Rome--so different from the streets of Birmingham.
ReplyDeleteHappy Anniversary, Lali and Ed -- a little late.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Dona.
ReplyDelete