I'm on 'vacation' currently. Which in my case, just means that I've taken a week off of work, mostly because I can. And, my fifteenth wedding anniversary was this week as well. For this auspicious occasion, we returned to Mackinac Island, which is where we were married those fifteen years ago.
We were twenty five years old, we'd known each other for almost exactly 8 months. We didn't tell our parents we were doing it. And we differ now on whose idea it was to actually get married at that time. I insist it was me, and she insists it was her who pushed for it. Which is pretty funny. I guess that means that we both wanted to, which is good!
Six other people were there with us. My sister and one of my best friends, a close friend from work and his wife, and my 'boss' and his girlfriend. My boss was pretty much my best friend at that time, so don't look at me like that!
We arrived at St. Ignace for the ferry to the island, with not much time to spare. We hadn't bought flowers for my wife to be, and she was insistent that we have some. So after hitting some of the local stores, and coming up empty, we were driving along the main road, when my woman cried out "Stop!".
So I did, and she hopped out to the side of the road, in the middle of town mind you, and started picking flowers from the city flowers! Flowers, and dirt got thrown into the back seat, and she jumped back in and we took off. She assembled her bouquet from those flowers, and it looked quite lovely. See below:
We were married in the garden of the Windermere Hotel, by a local preacher. It was short, and sweet, and awesome. The rest of our lovely day there on the island, was a long horse drawn carriage ride around the entire island. Led by a very flatulent horse, of course. We had our wedding dinner at the Yankee Rebel Tavern there on the island. Most delicious, with strawberries and Dom after dinner.
At some point, we ended up with two visual souvenirs of the day. One was a simply awful caricature drawing, pastel thing. Didn't look like either of us I don't think. The other, was to be our 'official' wedding photo I suppose. It was at one of those vintage photo places, where they dress you up in vintage looking clothing, and pose you with props and things, so it looks like it was a hundred years ago. Taken with old single shot cameras. Twenty bucks a pop I think! Each couple ended up with one, which meant four or five different shots. My good friend from work took great happiness in doing a slightly different version of the stern bartender for each shot. My wife and I were the newlyweds. Her in a very old looking lacey wedding dress, and I in a grey suit, with a top hat and cane. We were told not to smile, and to look very serious. Which we all did, except for my friend's wife. She smiles like sunshine for every shot. Which was awesome too.
The wedding night was spent in a tent, in a campground in St. Ignace. The marital consummation was performed with joy, but little comfort, as we had not discovered the modern air mattress as of yet.
And fifteen years on, we returned to the island, with our bicycles, and three children. Visited the butterfly house, had lunch at the fort's Tea Room, and mostly were really tired out. It seems the hills of that island get no easier as you grow older!
In fifteen more years, I hope to do it again.
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