March 2018 SOLSC - 21/31 - Happy Anniversary to Us!

Today is our 48th wedding anniversary.  Hard to believe that we've been married for that length of time.  But we've made it through good and rough times and continue to enjoy and love each other.

Earlier this month one of the questions from the Question Jar was about my parents' wedding.  Michelle commented that she didn't know much about our wedding, so today I'll slice about that.

I guess I'll start with how we met and go from there.  My roommate was Len's sister for a year or two and I had visited with his family over that time.  Len was in the USAF serving in Viet Nam.  When he came home, Carol and I picked him and a buddy from Iowa up at O'Hare and brought them back to Pontiac.  That was my first meeting with him.  His buddy and I did more talking and getting to know one another, but them he headed home to Iowa.

Len & dated several times before he left for Delaware where he would be completing his four year tour.  That was in July.  In September I went to visit him in DC.  He came home for Thanksgiving, he asked me to marry him and I said "yes".  We got married the following March.  His mother insisted that we didn't know each other and that it would never last.  Well, 48 years later, I guess we've proved her wrong!

The wedding:

Weddings in the 1970's were not elaborate, just a simple ceremony with a reception afterwards at the church.

March 21, 1970 was the first day of spring and for Illinois was very mild (in the 50's) and sunny.  My sister-in-law, Ann, was my matron of honor and Len's sister, Carol, was a bridesmaid.  Len's best friend from high school, Steve, was his best man and Carol's fiancé, Glenn, was his groomsman.  It was a simple ceremony.  Both of our parents walked us down the aisle.

My dress was a long white gown of silk organza with a lace empire bodice, stand up collar, bishop sleeves, A-line skirt with a detachable train accented at the bottom with lace matching the bodice.  Seed pearls and lace petals secured the shoulder length veil.  I carried a cascade bouquet of white roses and daisies.  The attendants wore floor length light blue organza over taffeta gowns with raised waist line, puff sleeve and white color and cuffs trimmed with a row of white daisies down the front.  They carried baskets of white and blue tinted daisies.

We had a reception of cake and ice cream in the church fellowship hall immediately following the ceremony.  Mom had cooked a full meal for us and the immediate family served at home after the reception.

Since we were heading to Dover, Delaware the following week, we headed south towards Champaign, IL for our wedding night.  However, the state basketball championship games were being played in Champaign, so we stopped in Rantoul.  Then headed back to Clifton to pack up the car and head to Dover to finish up Len's four year stint in the Air Force.