Weddings

Ah, weddings. Joyous occasions. Dreams of a lifetime coming true. Each wedding as unique as a fingerprint. And so it goes with my son Cory and Ashlee, his betrothed.
"What?" you say in shock. "I did not know Cory was engaged!"
Don't feel bad. It just happened a few days ago. Cory texted me to tell me that he needed to talk to me and I should stay up late till he got off work so he could call. OK my mom antennae were working overtime. He nicely added, "It's nothing bad!" so that I would not totally freak out.
All evening I wondered. George went to bed but he couldn't sleep because he wondered too. What was going on with Cory?
Finally he called after work to tell me that he and Ashlee were getting married.
We were excited to hear they were engaged.
Then he said, "We're getting married Wednesday. This Wednesday."
My previously baby boy then told me that they had talked it over and wanted to get married without a lot of people telling them how to handle it. Then he said they did not want a formal wedding, just a justice of the peace type ceremony because after all, it was not about the fancy party, but all about them and their relationship.
Wow. When I wasn't looking he had grown up.
So we have been in a flurry of preparation. Even a quick ceremony needs some planning. Right now, we are anticipating stormy weather on the day of the event, Sept. 29th, so we don't know how a wedding on the beach will go off. But it will happen. Cory and Ashlee are determined that it shall.
I picture us at the beach, with a tropical storm on our heels. The anchorman for Channel 7 is standing there, whipping in the wind, rain soaked and hardly able to stand. He is commenting about the storm's fury. He has to shout to be heard.
"The winds are now up to about 45 mph. I can hardly stand. I cannot see too far in front of my face but...wait, what is that?" The camera pans in on a small group of people, each clutching a palm tree to anchor themselves to the sand.
"Oh, my God, there is a wedding going on here in this hellhole of a day! I can't believe these hardy souls. They are determined."
He momentarily stops as something white cartwheels across the sand and disappears into the gloomy windy scene. "Oops, here comes the bride!"
Sorry, my imagination just got hold of me. We are hoping and praying for good weather. Please hope for us.