Quick Art Card (sort of), and a Story: Say "I DO!"

Yesterday I shared a postcard I had made as I search for a quicker way to have art postcards on hand for mailing. This one shown today I actually started first, and it took longer to make (I am learning which processes are quicker, yet still maintains quality). I think because the area I cut from the Tyvek collage was dark to begin with, this perhaps didn't turn out as well. But I still think it is nice enough to send!

(click for details)

 This was cut from a collage of paper, fabric and acrylic paint on Tyvek, the same as the one posted yesterday. I added the butterfly cutout, the strip of paper tape and the small label holder. The label holder is actually silvery in color. I also stitched on the card, and added Silver Leaf pen to the outside. Some doodling and other paint was added as well.

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Say "I Do!"

45th in the Tuesday Story Series

When we lived in Charleston, SC I kept myself pretty busy with an antiques business, doing family genealogical research, and I also directed several weddings. I remember all of the weddings I was part of, mostly fondly. Experience taught me that no matter how well you plan, something will go wrong. In fact, after awhile, I would start off telling the bride that privately, and then the wedding party itself at rehearsal. I would always remind the bride especially, that it won't matter - the main thing was that they would get married.  As long as they could keep that thought in their head and have a sense of humor, it would be all right!

The very first wedding I directed (and by the way, I was not a wedding planner, but a director, there is a difference!) was almost overwhelming. I had only been married a few months myself when the bride-to-be asked me to direct their wedding. I protested at first, saying I had never done anything like that but she and the groom thought I could do it because I had such great "leadership abilities" (her words). After thinking about it, I agreed to do it and started educating myself on just what my responsibilities would be.

It was in the hottest part of summer, and they were having a very formal, large wedding at night. There were eight bridesmaids and eight groomsmen, which gave me pause at first, but it all went well at rehearsal the night before. Then the night of the wedding, as the church started filling up, I started having butterflies which I tried not to show to the bridal party. As we neared the processional time, I stationed myself in the back of the church and went over everything in my mind once again.

The first step in the ceremony was the white "carpet". Two groomsmen took a roll of very gauzy white fabric and ceremoniously walked backward down the aisle, letting it out as they walked. The length of the fabric reached from the back of the church where the bridal party would come down the aisle, up to the alter. 

The church was full, and as I said, it was very hot weather. The air conditioning was really cranked down to handle the crowd so that everyone would be comfortable. As the musician paused to begin the processional, I realized in a panic there was a unforeseen problem - the white gauzy fabric "carpet" was reacting to the flow of air! It lifted in several places, wafted around a few inches over the floor, then folded in on itself. This was happening all up and down the aisle. I directed the two groomsmen to quickly go out and put it back in place - but it wouldn't stay! People at the end of the rows starting laying things on it in an effort to keep it lying down - keys, hymnbooks, purses. But that wouldn't work, because the fabric still shifted around them and still tried to float off. The bridal party was standing at the back waiting to proceed, and I had this big fear of everyone tripping and falling onto people in the seats. Finally, I whispered to them I was turning off the A/C till they got down the aisle, then I would turn it back on. It was a plan! So, off the A/C went and down the aisle they proceeded. 

As they arranged themselves at the front, they looked so beautiful standing in front of all of the candelabras placed there. Each standing candelabra had seven candles, and there were three on each side of the alter - twenty one candles. Twenty one sources of heat, in addition to all of the warm bodies, and other lights which were on, and the A/C wasn't running. 

I stood at the back, admiring how everything looked, and then I noticed one of the groomsmen (they were all in a full tuxedo) glaring at me. "What's wrong with him?" I wondered. Then I noticed people starting to fan themselves, and another groomsman wiping his brow. Suddenly it hit me that it was hot in there, and that I had forgotten to turn the A/C back on! As I switched it back into running, you could see the relief on everyone's face at the front. I felt so foolish, but hey, I had to have a sense of humor too, right?

And the white "carpet"? It stayed put, I think because of all the walking which had been done on it. The wedding party was able to return safely back down the aisle, and thankfully, we had a laugh about the situation afterward. But in future weddings, I successfully discouraged any ideas of using something like that white gauzy fabric again!

Come see my latest postcards I've received on Postcards Buffet!