Wedding Bells
My grandson Ethan and his wife, Natalie. June 1, 2024
“Hurry up, Mom, you’re going to make us late for my son’s wedding!”
What?! I’m going to make us late? I’m the sixth person to shower and use the bathroom to get ready—the last one, because I waited for the rest of the family to go first!
My whole family (my daughter, Jessica, her husband, Brad, and my grandchildren, Helena and Ethan, plus Dane and me) spent the last day of May together before Ethan's wedding on June 1st. The house is plenty big for the four of them, but add in Dane and me, 220-pound Winston, their St. Bernard dog, and their four cats, plus the excitement of a wedding, and it feels crowded.
Earlier this morning, Dane and I walked the half mile to town and enjoyed coffee at Starbucks to give the groom and his dad first dibs on the bathroom. The fact that it’s a 10 a.m. wedding in downtown Milwaukee, 15 miles away, helps make this a chaotic morning.
We’ve been anticipating Ethan and Natalie’s wedding ever since they announced their engagement over a year ago. They’re two wonderful people who fit together perfectly.
Natalie and Ethan met when they were both working at Kwik Trip. Natalie was finishing school to be an RN and Ethan was in school to become a history teacher. Now Natalie works in mental health at the Milwaukee Veterans Hospital, Ethan teaches history in a Milwaukee school, and they’ve already bought their first home in Hales Corners.
Finally, we’re all loaded into the car, with Dane and me in the back seat, and Helena, whose job is to hold the cake steady, in the far-back jump seat.
As Brad heads for the freeway, Dane and I glance at each other, hearts racing. After decades of country living, we’ve both developed a fear of expressway driving. What ever happened to the 55-mile-per-hour speed limit? Brad weaves expertly in and out of lanes, determined not to be late to his son’s wedding. A move to the fast lane... “The cake! Hey, the cake!” Helena squeals from the back of the car. Brad speeds up to change lanes again and I cover my eyes, thinking, Oh, no, we’re going to die before we get there. A monstrous truck roars past us. Helena laughs, “The poor cake! Mom, I can hardly hang on to the cake!”
But Brad is confident and has the driving under control. Jessica, who’s riding shotgun, keeps telling us to relax and Brad to hurry.
Then I remember a key point and shout it out: “God will protect us—it’s Ethan and Natalie's wedding day!” Natalie and Ethan are active members of the church they’re getting married in and Ethan plays weekly in the church band.
As we pull into the church parking lot, Jessica and Brad are relieved to be on time for their only son’s wedding. Dane and I are relieved to be alive. Helena hops out from the back with a grin, holding the cake up high and undamaged.
Ethan welcomes us at the door and proudly tells us the history of St. Marcus, his church, while giving us a tour.
The wedding is lovely and brings us all to tears numerous times, like when Ethan steps away from Natalie to play drums with the band, while Natalie stands with her parents, her face glowing as she sings.
When the minister says, “Ladies and gentlemen, I introduce for the first time Mr. and Mrs. Ethan and Natalie Christensen,” hoots, hollers, and claps of joy sweep the couple down the aisle.
Now Brad, Jessica, Dane, Helena, and I must rush over to the Brown Deer Boathouse to set up the brunch reception. Weaving through the inner-city traffic, we’re excitedly talking about the wedding and what needs to be done, when Jessica realizes we left the box with the white tablecloths at home.
No problem: the boathouse’s bare tables are new and white, and we get busy. Helena, Dane, and I fill clear vases with water, Jessica drops white pearls in the bottom of each vase, and we take turns adding floating candles that glow the minute they touch the water.
Soon the bride and groom and the rest of the family and friends arrive. A great time with lots of family laughs.
As we drive home, much slower, we’re relaxed and exhausted in the best way possible. After a short rest, we load up into the car again and head over to Ethan and Natalie’s new home, where there are boxes of pizzas for dinner and a chance to get to know Natalie’s family.
As the evening is winding down, Natalie, who is sitting on the floor, rocks backwards, lets out a whoop! and says, “I’m Mrs. Christensen now!” Yes, she is, and we all couldn’t be happier.
