Wedding Meme

When I first found this on Laquet's blog, I intended to run it for our wedding anniversary last month, and then I was in Europe on that day. But at the time when I would normally be writing a journal entry today, I am on the road heading for Santa Barbara...to attend a wedding. (Walt's sister's stepdaughter is being married on Saturday). So I thought I would run it today instead.

BTW, we are staying at Maravilla, where Walt's mother lives, while we are in town this time. Not only does it have no wifi access, it has no telephone in the apartment where we are staying. I will get entries up, either at a cyber cafe or at Tom's house, but I'm not sure when, so I should post irregularly for the next couple of days.

Now here's the wedding meme:

Where/how did you meet?
We have often wondered this ourselves. We met through the Newman Club at UC Berkeley, but we made such a big impression on each other that neither of us can remember when or where we actually met for the first time.

How long have you known each other?
Since about 1961. That's a loooooong time!!!

How long after you met did you start dating?
I was dating Walt's best friend, Dick for awhile and when Dick broke that off, I gradually started dating Walt. I'm not sure how long after we met that was, but at least a couple of years.

How long did you date before you were engaged?
Good lord...I don't remember. At least a year and a half, if not longer. Or so I think. Walt may remember better. I know it was about 4 yrs after we met.

How long have you been married?
Forty-four years.

When is your anniversary?
June 26

How many people came to your wedding reception?
Seems to me it was about 120 or something like that.

Where was your wedding?
We were married in the chapel at the old Newman Hall in Berkeley (it has since been torn down and a parking lot stands there now). Our reception was at the Brazilian Room in Tilden Park, prophetic, since we were to have such a close connection to Brasil years later!

What did you serve for your meal?
Oh, it was the standard wedding buffet, with salad, cold cuts, cheeses, rolls, fruit basket and stuff like that.

How many people were in your bridal party?
Four bridesmaids, four groomsmen, flower girl, ring bearer.

Bridesmaids: Walt's sister, my friend Joyce, Jeri's godmother Jeri, my sister
Groomsmen: Walt's brother, our friend Dick, Dave Matula, Pat's husband, Rich

Are you still friends with them all?
Not all. We've lost contact with Dave Matula. My sister is dead but I am still in contact with the other women, Joyce only by Christmas card.

Did you or your spouse cry during the ceremony?
Nope. But I don't think the deaf guy attending his very first Catholic high mass (Mozart's Missa Brevis, with a string ensemble) was too happy! (His comment when it was over -- "It certainly was long!")

Any funny moments?
We didn't know it at the time, but when we saw the movies later, there was someone who had been in the park -- this was a public place, not a private place -- who decided to come in and get some champagne. You see her walking out of the building with two glasses of champagne in her hand and then see the camera man and try to shrink out of sight and hurry off down the hill.

Any big disasters?
Not even any small disasters.

Where did you go on your honeymoon?
We drove up Highway 395 to Canada. We spent some time in a cottage in Jasper and some time camping in Banff.

How long were you gone?
Two weeks, I think.

What is your song?
"Puff the Magic Dragon" (we chose it because we realized we didn't have a song and that song was playing at the moment)

What did you dance your first dance to?
I can't remember

Describe your wedding dress?

The veil is the same one Jeri wore last year.

What kind of flowers did you have at your wedding?
I asked the florist for white roses and was very disappointed when the bouquet showed up and it was a big white orchid. I don't like orchids. But it was a small thing.