Big Family Wedding Weekend

Wofford had a bye this weekend and it was a good thing, because we had a big Hunt family wedding. Actually it was a McKee-Martin Wedding between Phase II Hunt grandchild Jim Martin and his sweet bride, Kacie McKee.

The Hunt grandchildren were born in two distinct phases with about ten years age difference between them. Judy, Penny and Libby are mothers of the Phase I grandchildren - Hunter, Paul, Annie, Jackie, Elizabeth and Will. Cindy and I are mothers of Phase II - Jackson, John, Jim, David and Jay.

All of the cousins are close, but Phase II are sometimes more like brothers than cousins. This is partially because they are all so close in age, partially because Cindy and I run together as Nishie would say. We were college roommates at UNC-CH. We play tennis together fairly regularly and spend alot of time with our families at Lake Lure. We have taken road trips to the West Coast and up and down the East Coast and once we spent New Years Eve in Central Park. In the 70's. Before the Mayor cleaned up Gotham City. Cindy and I have always been a little on the wild and crazy, tomboy, mischievious side. Daddy likes to say that everything was going along fine until the blue-eyed girls were born. That would be Cindy and me.

So, Phase II grandchildren have spent alot of time together. Jim was born exactly 12 days before David IV and this was the weekend to celebrate Jim's wedding.

The rehearsal dinner was to be held at our house and while we have done a lot of entertaining over the years, a rehearsal dinner was a new challenge. You can imagine our joy when the weather report was 0% chance of rain. We wanted to seat everyone together outside so we gathered tables, chairs and tablecloths from here and there and thought about the decor. Cindy wanted to include tractors and cotton into the festivities to honor Jim's personality. Annette mentioned using burlap over white tablecloths which sounded like a winner so things started to come together. Libby came over to make a pretty arrangement of roses on the dining room table and then help devise a plan for the tables outside. Libby is a magician at these things. I loved the way it came together.

The bride and groom requested David's Grilled Tenderloin (pork and beef) and a Salad with Carol's French dressing. Naturally, no Hunt party menu is complete without Ruby's Ham biscuits, Jack's pimiento cheese sandwiches and Jack's Cream Cheese and Olives. We added a Shrimp Cocktail, a fruit salad, and a spicy horseradish sauce for the meat. Libby made her special Chocolate Marshmallow brownies and also Wedding Cookies.

Before the meal, I asked the minister, whom I had just met, to ask a blessing. When introducing him, I suddenly couldn't remember his name. He helped by joking, "Its Billy. Billy Graham." For the rest of the weekend, Minister Andy and wife Kim were Billy and Ruth.

Sweet toasts were made to the bride and groom and we were so happy that we were able to seat everyone together outside under a harvest moon.

The wedding was held at the Hunt Cabin on my parents farm in Lattimore and it was a beautiful evening. Tents, white chairs, fall flowers and little white lights helped illuminate the already fantastic setting. Just as the outdoor ceremony was to begin, a sprinkle of rain also began. The ceremony went on and minister Billy Graham quoted an unlikely source Wet Willie. He talked about knowing Jim and Kacie when they were small children and how they both had such sweet smiles. He told them and the wedding guests as the misty rain fell that no matter what happens in life, we should do like Wet Willie said and keep on smiling.

The sprinkles of rain stopped and a pretty sunbeam started shining on the wedding party as the unity ceremony continued. Jim's brothers, Jackson and John, peeled off from the groomsmen. Jackson went to the piano and John picked up his guitar. They nailed Keith Urban's "Only You Can Love Me This Way". Tears and not rain were streaming down a lot of our faces about this time.

Kacie's grandfather, Harry is a BBQ expert and provided BBQ with all the trimmings for the guests. Music played and everyone celebrated with Jim and Kacie. About that time, Miles and Jay appeared with 2 Clydesdales pulling a pretty white carriage to take the happy couple away. I thought it was sweet that Jim had planned this part as a surprise for Kacie. I couldn't see them as they rode away, but no doubt they kept on smiling.