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This evening
Topic Started: Sep 10 2011, 07:19 PM (292 Views)
Dewey
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HOLY CARP!!!
I officiated a wedding for Sara and her new husband, Paul. I remember the first time I met Sara; she was a young architecture student who replied to a job posting we'd posted at the university. Sara came in and dutifully showed me her portfolio of student projects. I'd seen the same projects countless times from other potential student interns, and I noticed that in general, she showed real blooming talent as a designer. There was one project, though, that stuck out: a "Corn Research Facility," a completely abstract, non-realistic design project sited on a piece of land near the university. It seemed to be a perennial favorite of a particular instructor. I think that every employee I ever had from Ohio State showed me their version of the Corn Research Facility. What stuck out about Sara's was that it was simply awful. Dreadful. The rest of her work was very good, but this project was just so bad that I began to doubt my instincts to offer her a job.

Luckily, I decided to take the risk. Sara became one of my best employees. She was an extremely talented person (she later went on to intern with the noted Iraqi-English architect Zaha Hadid), and became our star designer. She also came to become, to me, a near-third-daughter, as I watched her graduate and really develop in the profession. She became a very highly valued employee, but more than that, she became a respected peer. Most importantly, she became a friend.

It was one of the worst days in my professional life when Sara told me she'd taken another job, but I certainly couldn't blame her. There was really nothing left for me to offer her as she needed to continue to develop professionally.

She still lives here in the Columbus area. We've kept in touch over the years - not nearly enough - and I was so pleased to get her wedding announcement a while back. I was even more pleased when , a couple weeks later, she asked if I would be willing to officiate their wedding. I told her that I'd practically travel halfway around the world to be able to do that for her.

The wedding was held here, at the Franklin Park Conservatory:

Posted Image

Inside the Palm House of the complex:

Posted Image

Posted Image


The wedding looked a lot like this one:

Posted Image

The actual configuration was unusual; the wedding party was actually in a narrow spot between two round terraces (one of which houses the fountain you see in the one picture; its twin is the same size but more open), with the guests seated in the terraces and facing in to the center. This meant that while on side of the seated guests could see Sara processing down that grand staircase, I couldn't from my vantage point until she got to the bottom and turned back almost 180 degrees to process into the narrow spot between the terraces.

When she came around the corner, she was absolutely beautiful. For the first time in any wedding that I've officiated, I welled up. She was stunning.

The ceremony went well, as did the reception afterward. I got to catch up on a number of my former employees. It felt very good. But mostly, it felt so very good to have been given the gift of being part of Sara's special day.

It's been a very good day.
"By nature, i prefer brevity." - John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, p. 685.

"Never waste your time trying to explain yourself to people who are committed to misunderstanding you." - Anonymous

"Oh sure, every once in a while a turd floated by, but other than that it was just fine." - Joe A., 2011

I'll answer your other comments later, but my primary priority for the rest of the evening is to get drunk." - Klaus, 12/31/14
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RosemaryTwo
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HOLY CARP!!!
Wonderful.
"Perhaps the thing to do is just to let stupid run its course." Aqua
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John D'Oh
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MAMIL
:)
What do you mean "we", have you got a mouse in your pocket?
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Mikhailoh
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If you want trouble, find yourself a redhead
Lovely.
Once in his life, every man is entitled to fall madly in love with a gorgeous redhead - Lucille Ball
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Aqua Letifer
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ZOOOOOM!
:smile:
I cite irreconcilable differences.
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jon-nyc
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Cheers
Lovely indeed. Great story.
In my defense, I was left unsupervised.
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apple
one of the angels
I hope you charged her. lovely story.
it behooves me to behold
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Jolly
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Geaux Tigers!
apple
Sep 11 2011, 02:51 AM
I hope you charged her. lovely story.
Preachers never charge for weddings.

It is considered a FATHOMLESS BREACH of etiquette not to pay one, however.

At least down here....
The main obstacle to a stable and just world order is the United States.- George Soros
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Dewey
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HOLY CARP!!!
Preachers do not charge members of their congregations or members of their immediate family for marriages. They do typically charge non-members, and I do routinely. Of course, I did not charge Sara and Paul; doing their service was my gift to them, as well as their gift to me. The only charge I gave them was as part of the Charge and Blessing at the end of the service:

"Paul, Sara, As God’s own, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, and patience, forgiving each other as the Lord has forgiven you, and crown all these things with love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.

The Lord bless you and keep you.
The Lord be kind and gracious to you.
The Lord look upon you with favor, and give you peace. Amen."
"By nature, i prefer brevity." - John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, p. 685.

"Never waste your time trying to explain yourself to people who are committed to misunderstanding you." - Anonymous

"Oh sure, every once in a while a turd floated by, but other than that it was just fine." - Joe A., 2011

I'll answer your other comments later, but my primary priority for the rest of the evening is to get drunk." - Klaus, 12/31/14
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brenda
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..............
It sounds like a lovely service, Dewey. Work and fun can mix well.
“Weeds are flowers, too, once you get to know them.”
~A.A. Milne
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Horace
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HOLY CARP!!!
That's awesome, Dewey.
As a good person, I implore you to do as I, a good person, do. Be good. Do NOT be bad. If you see bad, end bad. End it in yourself, and end it in others. By any means necessary, the good must conquer the bad. Good people know this. Do you know this? Are you good?
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Riley
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HOLY CARP!!!
Very cool. :thumb:

So, while she worked with you, did you ever discuss the one awful project with her?
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Dewey
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HOLY CARP!!!
Oh, yeah Riley, I used to rag her about it all the time. It became one of the great running stories about her. To this day she says it wasn't so bad - but trust me, it reeked. ^_^
"By nature, i prefer brevity." - John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, p. 685.

"Never waste your time trying to explain yourself to people who are committed to misunderstanding you." - Anonymous

"Oh sure, every once in a while a turd floated by, but other than that it was just fine." - Joe A., 2011

I'll answer your other comments later, but my primary priority for the rest of the evening is to get drunk." - Klaus, 12/31/14
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