Our Wedding Reception

Posted in Love Letters | 8 comments

 Ice, Spark Plugs, Water, and Cannonballs?

As Jimmy, our chauffeur and Bestman drove Frank and me up to the Wedding Reception at the Oasis Hotel. We noticed that they had put our names on their lighted marque in front of the hotel saying, “Frank and Nancy Wedding Reception.”  It was so special! It would be the first and last time we ever had our names in lights, but that made it even more special.

Jimmy pulled the car up to the front door entrance then Frank and Jimmy helped me to get out of the vehicle without the “hoop thangy”  exposing me to all of the guests who were waiting for our arrival.  The lobby was full of people as we made our way through it saying hello then going to the winding metal staircase that led upstairs to the large Wedding Reception Room.

The photographer was there and ushered us to the table that held the Wedding cake and punch.  It was so beautiful with the cake sat on one end of a long table covered with a linen tablecloth, and the crystal punch bowl full of punch sat on the opposite end.  In the center of the table sat a sterling silver candelabra holding five tall white candles not yet lit.

Wedding Receptions

Cutting Our Wedding Cake

The photographer took pictures of  Frank and me cutting the Wedding cake, feeding it to each other, and drinking punch from our two stemmed glasses with intertwined arms which actually was the only cake and punch we had. My little brother Mark, who was in a wheelchair from the motorcycle injury, was already in the room along with the Hostesses and our Parents.

Being the big sister, I served Mark a piece of the Wedding cake and a glass of punch before Frank and I  went to the door where the guests would enter the room.  We stood there with our Grandmothers standing on either side of us shaking hands, hugging, and greeting the guests as they went to be served cake and punch.  Soon the room was full of people and laughter.

Wedding Receptions

Sister Serving Mark Cake and Punch

The strangest thing though, I do not remember seeing the two of the “Three Musketeers” or Frank’s other buddies from the Batchelor Party.  Maybe I just missed them as they went through the greeting line?

Soon all of the guests had been greeted then served punch and cake.

Wedding Receptions

Greeting Guests with Our Grandmothers

My best friend and Maid of Honor, Gwen Gelber came and told me it was time to go to a small room designated as a place for me to change out of my Wedding dress into a going-away suit that my parents had bought for me to leave for the Honeymoon.

Frank and I had decided to forgo the removing of my garter in front our guest because of that “hoop thangy” that would have definitely sprung up over my head if I had even wanted to sit down.  Frank would just have to throw it only after I took it off in the small changing room.   Never, ever wear one of those “hoop thangys,” trust me on that!

After changing clothes with Gwen’s help,  we went back into the Reception room, and the corsage from the center of my bouquet was taken out then pinned on my suit by Gwen.  When Frank came to my side, I handed him the garter as Gwen handed me my bouquet then she ran down the stairs to the lobby to get ready for me to toss the bouquet.

Frank and I left the Reception room through the door which we had entered it then walked to the landing at the top of the stairs.  I threw my bouquet down into the lobby of guests, and Gwen caught it. Frank threw the garter into the crowd below then grabbed my hand and said, “Let’s go, Nancy Lou!”

We ran down the steps as fast as we could then out of the back door of the lobby, followed by everyone.  When we got outside, we were pelted with rice as we dodged and ducked through the crowd.  I was laughing, Frank was laughing, and we held each other’s hand tightly as we ran, but then out of nowhere, we heard loud footsteps running behind us!

Suddenly, one of Frank’s “Batchelor Party Buddies” ran past us to Frank’s car, opened the hood of the car, and began to pull all of the spark plug wires off of the engine!  At the nearly the same time, Frank was pulled from my hand and hoisted up into the air then carried away quickly by five more of his “buddies” as they ran carrying him to the back of the hotel.  They were followed, of course, by all of our running and laughing guests!

I stood there a minute in shock then I ran quickly in the direction they had carried Frank.  As I got to the back of the hotel, I saw them throw Frank in his Army Dress Uniform into the swimming pool.  A loud roar of laughter came out of the crowd then I laughed too.Swimming Pool Bay City Inn

I ran to the edge of the pool, laughing as Frank climbed out on to the side then stood next to me. Frank picked me up into his arms and with a “Big Ole Dimpled” smile on his face held me over the water as if threatening to drop me into the swimming pool.

Everyone had gathered around us and were encouraging Frank, but before he could put me back on the ground, my brother, Jimmy, pushed us both into the swimming pool! My Mom, who was just a tad upset then walked over and pushed Jimmy into the swimming pool too. Of course, laughter rang out all around us.

Standing there in the swimming pool, looking like a soaking wet Bride in my “going away suit”, and wearing my new kid leather shoes under the water, I watched as Jimmy and Frank took turns going up the ladder of the high diving board and jumping off doing Cannonballs trying to spray our guests with water.

My Daddy was laughing really hard, that is until my Mom told him how much she had spent on my shoes.  Those shoes were never the same after that!  Soft leather should never become crunchy.

Finally, Jimmy exited the pool then Frank swam to me and helped me out of the swimming pool.  We dried off as much as possible then headed to Frank’s car, but as we approached the vehicle, suddenly Frank grabbed my hand told me to run,  then we ran as fast as we could to his parent’s car, jumped in, and since the keys were in the ignition, Frank started the car then off we drove quickly.

Frank was driving very fast, taking every back road he knew trying to shake anyone who might be following us!  We were both laughing when Frank told me we needed to get out of the wet clothes we were wearing.   We decided the best place to go was his folks’ house which was out in the country about nine miles from BayCity, and we were already on Old Van Vleck  Road that led to his folk’s home.

After turning into the driveway to the garage at Frank’s folks home, Frank quickly got out of the car opened the garage door then ran back, got into the car,  pulled the car into the open garage,  got out quickly, and pulled the garage door down behind the vehicle.

Frank had a key to the house, so he unlocked the door told me to go inside but to leave the lights off.  Frank went back to the car and came into the house carrying our suitcases, and it shocked me to see that our suitcases were in his hands.  Frank told me that the plan was to use his folk’s car for our Honeymoon the whole time because he and his Dad were sure that Frank’s car would get really messed up at the Wedding Reception.

I stared at Frank as he looked at me with our suitcases in his hands then as if he could read my mind and heart he said, “Nancy, I am going to take your suitcase to my old room so you can change your clothes there and I am going to change clothes in my folk’s room.”

Even though we were now married, at least for a few hours, we would wait for that special moment, in a special place which would be memorable to our hearts.

Just as we came out of our separate dressing rooms, we heard a car coming down the driveway.  Frank grabbed our suitcases, and we both ran to the door we had entered from the garage.  Frank put the suitcases back in the trunk of the car but just as I was getting ready to get in the car while Frank opened the garage door, we heard familiar voices which were those of his parents.  They had just returned from the Wedding Reception, so we chatted with them for a while.

Frank’s Dad told us that they had left Lloyd, Frank’s brother, and his steady girlfriend, Theresa, in the parking lot at the Oasis Hotel to get the ice out of the front seat which had been piled high up above the windows by the “Batchelor Party Crew” and Lloyd was going to try to get the sparkplugs back on the engine in the right order.  Frank, Lloyd, and their Dad had always worked on cars together. At some point in time, they had fixed each of their vehicles. So Lloyd knew what he was doing, all too well.

Frank and I still owe them for that favor.

Frank’s Dad’s words were, “Son, your car is a mess! Thank goodness we made other plans for your Honeymoon vehicle!” Probably not his exact words but the gist of what he said.

It was already getting to be very late when Frank and I left his folk’s home, so we drove to Alvin, Texas, which was only about fifty miles from their home then stopped at the Holiday Inn.  Frank went in and got us a room while I waited in the car.  When he returned, we drove to the side of the Inn where our room was located, parked the car then went up the stairs to the landing on the second floor where our room was.  Frank unlocked the door then picked me up into his arms and carried me across the threshold before going back to the car to get our suitcases.  I watched him from the doorway until he returned, and then when he entered the room again, we shut the door.

Just like in the beautiful song sung at our Wedding, Whither Thou Goest, I knew that I would always go with Frank where ever he went.  We were one heart and soul married to each other in the laws of man and in the eyes of God with His love and blessings for eternity.

Perry Como 1959

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8 Comments

  1. Your reception sounds a bit more fun. Ours was a party at the ranch and attended by a lot of stranger off the highway who saw the “party”
    It was 109 degrees and people still had fun until the neighbor’s irrigation broke loose onto our property, through the barn and the yard.
    The band had to shut down and the lawn and driveway were 12′ deep in flowing water.
    Obviously putting “DAMPER” on the reception ~~smile

    • Oh my gosh, Chuck! Lol! Seems like we both got to experience water at our Wedding Receptions but what Awesome memories we have. Thank you for sharing your memories with me. Simpler times back then and more laid back to just “going with the flow” which it seems got fairly deep at your and Shirley’s Wedding Reception!
      God Bless you, my friend,
      Nancy

  2. WOW!! Quite a time! LOL humming the tune “memories”

    • I was hoping you would like that chapter, lol. I was one wet bride. We were known for many years in Bay City, Texas as the couple who got thrown in the Swimming Pool.
      Thank you for commenting Kim.
      God Bless You,
      Nancy

  3. Bless you, too

  4. Wow, what a lot of added excitement! I hope your suit fared better than your shoes. Great fun, though. And great memories.

    • Diane the suit was fine but the shoes were pretty crispy and ruined. The laughter in the crowd was unbelievable. I still can’t believe we made it to Frank’s folk’s home without getting found.
      Thank you again for reading and commenting.
      Nancy

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