Before I start this blog, be prepared for a long one. See, sometimes you are more connected to a bride and groom than others. Before a future (or past) bride reading this can possibly have any harsh feelings, this one is very personal. You see, Todd is my older brother and one should hope I write this as a personal gesture!
Todd and Rita planned their wedding for several months-there were no surprises. In fact, we had all traveled to Iowa for my cousin Jonise’s wedding last August. It was a really fun and casual affair in the park. The men wore khakis, white shirts untucked and my beautiful cousin walked down the grassy aisle in her bare feet. We gave quizzical looks to one another as the “preacher” stood in front of us, his many tattoos visible under his own white shirt.
My gorgeous cousin, my uncle Jon, and her son Alec
Vows in the park
Yes, I'm squeezing the life out of her. I was so happy to be there!
Just 11 of the 17 first cousins on that side of the family!
My cousin and her groom, the handsome Brian, had asked their friend to become ordained online to marry them in a casual atmosphere. I believe when we first heard this information we had all shared a few congratulatory cocktails and I’m fairly certain that I actually saw the lightbulb go off over my brother’s head, like in an old Bugs Bunny cartoon. Alas, they waited until I traveled home before they called to ask.
My brother stated his case in such a way that I simply could not resist the request. He had been traveling to our home in Tennessee twice a year for several years to meet up with my husband and head off to Bristol with my “baby” brother Greg. Yes, a guy’s weekend twice a year is easier to take when your husband goes with your brothers. I can’t imagine him getting into much trouble and living to tell about it, but I digress. Todd said that he had been watching Jay and I all that time. We are so happy before the weekend, and truly excited to see one another when the weekend is over, showering kisses and telling stories, laughing about the events in both places.
My "baby" brother Greg, handsome hubby Jay, brother Todd and nephew Stephen
Todd decided that we are so truly happy, obviously not ashamed to show our affection and devotion to one another that he began to long for that after being divorced for several years and vowing to never marry again. Rita was the one. He knew it when he just enjoyed her company. They laugh together and would talk for hours every night. They didn’t seem to get tired of one another and he knew that he had found a love like ours, a best friend to marry. It only seemed fitting to have me marry them. WHAT???!!!
I giggled nervously for a minute and realized he was serious. Wow. I thought for about 30 seconds before I agreed. I was just caught off guard. I looked up the rules for marriage in Iowa and several places to become ordained online. I tried to stay away from the completely cheesy sites and found one that I was comfortable with. I wanted to be sure the wedding was legal and binding and I ordered my proclamation papers to be known as Reverand Heather Noble, at least for that day.
Then there was the subject of the cake! The wedding was taking place somewhere near what I consider “back home” in Iowa…though I only spent the first few years of my life there. At any rate, it’s a mere 10 hour drive from our home to theirs. I knew we would be traveling a few days prior to the wedding so I baked everything before we left. I made my icing too, knowing that I would simply die trying to use a hand mixer for several batches of buttercream. I packed everything triple wrapped with ice packs in boxes and we set off on the long journey. Destination wedding indeed!
Rita’s daughter and my friend (and new niece by marriage-how weird!) Staci and I discussed the cake and decided to keep it a surprise. I knew she wanted a traditional white cake and she liked a simple scroll or swiss dot pattern-nothing too fancy. She is a very easy-to-please bride! They were having a tropical themed wedding in the front yard and she would be carrying Birds of Paradise so I wanted to include them on the cake. I also decided to make a topper of lounge chairs with their bathing suits and towels strewn about, surrounded by sand and shells.
Todd and Rita's cake with gumpaste Birds of Paradise, pecan sandie sand, gumpaste topper and chocolate shells
Groom’s cakes are not traditional in the midwest but I make them for 75% of weddings here and decided that I would have a little fun and include some chocolate cake as well. Todd and Rita both drink Busch Light so it was easy to determine what the groom’s cake would look like. Nobody knew about that cake-not even my husband until it was being put together at Staci’s house. It was a very fun surprise.
Busch Light anyone? Chocolate cake with chocolate fudge icing, covered with fondant and hand painted with hand cut lettering and stripes.
Todd with his groom's cake. You can't see it, but it actually had a tab on top that someone tried to open later...Amanda?
It’s not unusual for me to work on a cake until the wee hours of the morning before the wedding. I knew I didn’t have that kind of time, staying at someone else’s home. I finished the cakes in a few hours and went onto making sure the vows were in order and helping pull pork and ready the house for their wedding. Things actually went very smooth with that wedding!
I had been very busy leading up to their wedding but I’m SO happy that I was able to marry them and to make the cakes. I wouldn’t have traded it for anything. It made me very proud to hear my older brother take a pledge that I wrote specifically for them. It was a working vacation, but the utmost labor of love. Todd and Rita, you say I gave you an incredible gift but in reality, you gave it back tenfold. It was my pleasure to help make your wedding so memorable. I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.
Marrying Todd and Rita-repeat after me...
May you always feel the love, laughter, and comfort of marrying your best friend. We love you both!
