It Could've Been 34 Years Today.

I just realized that had my first marriage lasted, I would have been married 34 years ago exactly today.  I wrote in an earlier blog about my meeting and falling in love with Les. http://jocarweaver.blogspot.com/2010/03/love-at-first-sight-december-5-1977.html

So in pictorial order here are some pictures heading up to the wedding that I've not printed before...

This was taken at my parent's home the day that I brought Les home to meet the family.  Yes, we were wearing matching t-shirts.

This picture was taken the night of our engagement party...

One of my bridal showers.  This one was held at Aunt Rachel's house.  That's me with Mom and Grandmother McGhee.  When people would ask me (before I met Les) when I was going to get married, Grandmother used to say "She'll get married when she wants to.  But, when she gets ready, you'd better pick up your feet because she'll run right over you."

Some of my loot from the shower.  I still have the blanket in the back which was made my Aunt Grace.  The yellow recipe holder was put together by Mom and Nancy and it's still used.

We had to get special permission to be married in the Tifton chapel by Bishop Flanders since we were members of a ward in Atlanta and not in Tifton.  So, we were quite surprised when we got a letter signed by the prophet, Spencer W. Kimball giving Gary permission to marry us.

This is the receipt for my wedding gown.  I was in Jonesboro, Arkansas and decided to purchase the gown there.  It seems unbelievable that I paid $5.00 to hold the gown and only paid $185.40 for it.  I missed out not having Mom or any family member or friend there while I tried on the various gowns.  And then, it arrived just a couple of weeks before the wedding which meant I hadn't tried it on for a couple of months.  Les and I paid for our entire wedding with the exception of the reception and our wedding pictures which were a gift from Mom and Dad.

Nancy and Susan.  Finally, I was the last daughter getting married.

The happy and excited groom.  While getting ready for the wedding that morning, while getting his shower, Les said he didn't realize until later that instead of using shampoo that morning, he used hair conditioner in its place.

After a shaky start, we got married.  The music I was using to walk down the aisle, had been left at the pianist's home and she had to run back and get it.  It was the music from the movie "Evergreen".

Then during the ceremony, a very good friend sang one of my favorite love songs.  It was "Time In A Bottle" by Jim Croce.

And here we are - the newly, married happy couple.

Removing the garter...

Getting ready to throw the bouquet...

And then there was our car...

When we got inside the car, the velour seats were covered with shaving cream and corn flakes which got all over my wedding gown and Les' suit.

Mom and Dad with Jennifer.  Les and I had bought her little outfit for the wedding.

A Western Union wedding wish from Mum and Dad McLean while they were living in the United Arab Emirates.

As far as a honeymoon, we didn't have one.  We visited with friends and family and then left to go back to Atlanta where we lived.  We had made plans to go and stay in the mountains in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, but the day we were leaving Les' car tore up.  We had the car towed from Atlanta to Tifton and wound up spending our honeymoon at Mom and Dad's and paying to have Les' car repaired.

The Wedding Sunset

If you look closely, you will see a bunny rabbit on the left side of this picture. It was trying to hide from us...


I just had to stop and take a picture of this very old fence which apparently used whatever part of a tree was available. The barbed wire was so old and had been patched many times.




The beginning of the sunshine and isn't it beautiful?

Dr. Steph's Wedding

Joe and I were invited to attend the wedding of his doctor. The wedding was taking place at the home of her parents who live on a ranch about 75 miles from our home. We were very excited to have been invited to the wedding as this was our first "ranch" wedding.

We had been told it was very casual dress so we both wore jeans and I wore a nice blouse and tennis shoes. Joe wore a casual shirt, tennis shoes and his cowboy hat.

As we were driving north towards our destination, we became a bit concerned as we kept running into rain and ominous looking clouds.


Because the wedding was so far out in the middle of who knows where, signs and balloons had been placed periodically along the road. Thank goodness for that!


This is some of the scenery we encountered on our drive further away from civilization...


We finally arrived and there was the ranch in the distance...

This is the groom and the best men arriving by wagon to the ceremony...


These little colts came behind the wagon and were following their mothers...



These guys were the ushers...


Our car is parked somewhere way over there...

That's Joe in his cowboy hat on the left-hand side of the picture. The tent in the background was for dining and dancing...

Here comes Stephanie the bride...

Jesse (an up and coming recording cowboy) sang during the ceremony...

Just some scenery pictures around the ranch...

Then it was time to eat and drink...

The grooms cake...Did I mention his name was Roberto?

Joe found his young lady...

Some extra seating...

One last look as we left the ranch before the sunset. We left when the dancing began. Too many animals on the road after dark and we had a long drive home.