The
Old Fashioned Way: Mock Wedding
by
Mary M. Alward
Years ago,
my aunt’s and uncle’s 10th anniversary was coming
up. They had two young children and so hadn’t planned anything
special to do on this milestone anniversary. Grandma couldn’t
stand to see any special occasion to go by without a celebration,
so she began to plan a special show for my aunt and uncle.
The first
thing my grandmother did was to get all of her children involved,
plus my uncle's brothers and sisters. No one was to say a word
to my aunt and uncle, because grandma wanted the event to be a
surprise. They were all sworn to secrecy, as were her young grandchildren,
me included. We knew by the look we got from Grandma and the tone
of her voice that we’d better not let anything slip.
Grandma made
a huge wedding cake and had my great-aunt decorate it just as
she had the original wedding cake years before. My great-aunt
kept the cake at her house until the day of the party so my aunt
and uncle wouldn’t see it and become suspicious. Everyone
made their specialty dish for a buffet supper. The other event
that was planned was a mock wedding.
Grandma still
had Aunt May’s wedding dress which had been packed away
in a trunk in the attic. It was a blue dress that Grandma had
made herself. There was only one problem. The only person besides
Aunt May that could fit into it was her brother, my uncle Will.
On the day
of the big event, everyone arrived early. Grandma had invited
Aunt May and Uncle Joe to supper. They were to come and spend
the afternoon and then stay for the meal. By 2 o’clock when
the happy couple were to arrive, everything was set up and ready
to go.
Aunt May
and Uncle Joe arrived at approximately 2:10 pm. They were mildly
surprised to see everyone there and a very large amount of food
in Grandma’s kitchen. Aunt May raised her eyebrows and looked
directly at me. I just shrugged and made a beeline out the back
door before she could catch up to me and get me to reveal the
surprise.
At 4 pm,
Grandma gathered everyone in the yard and announced that this
day there was going to be a wedding. Everyone took a seat facing
the rose arbor in Grandma’s backyard.
From the
house, we could hear the strains of the Wedding March drift through
the open window. Someone was playing it on Grandma’s old
piano that was slightly off-key. Then, out came the groom, who
was dressed in a man’s suit. It was my mother, Aunt May’s
older sister. The groom took his place just in front of the arbor.
It wasn’t long until the bridesmaids and best man appeared.
They were the same people that had stood up with my aunt and uncle
on their wedding day.
When the
bride made her appearance, everyone broke into gales of laughter.
It was Uncle Will dressed in Aunt May’s wedding dress. He
took his place beside my mother. Then, the preacher came out of
the house. It was the preacher who had originally married my aunt
and uncle.
The mock
wedding was hilarious. The preacher, who was a family friend,
stumbled over the wedding vows; the bridesmaid bent over in the
middle of the ceremony to adjust her stockings and the groom brought
out a large hoop earring for the ring. It was almost three inches
across and the bride was almost able to fit it over his wrist.
When the preacher said, “if anyone objects, speak now…”,
my grandfather stepped out from the corner of the house, carrying
his shotgun.
What a wonderful
time we had at the mock wedding. When it was over, we all settled
down to enjoy the food that had been prepared for the celebration.
Aunt May and Uncle Joe laughed their heads off at the comical
antics of the bride and groom.
Today, Grandma
and Grandpa have been gone for many years, as has Uncle Will.
However, Aunt May, Uncle Joe and my mother remain with us. As
we gather at other family celebrations, conversation always moves
to that mock wedding that took place in Grandma’s yard so
many years ago.
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