August 30, 1986

It's difficult to believe that Marilyn and I have been married for over 23 years.  It was a wise man who first said "time flies when you're having fun!" We were married at Marilyn's home church, Poplar Springs Baptist, just outside of Elkin, NC.  Our wedding was a special day, as we were surrounded by extended family, the best friends anyone ever had (see picture above!) and two ministers for which we had great love and respect.  The actual wedding day was the end of a great week of events.  It was also a week filled with stress, trying to sort out where we might live when the honeymoon was over, and what I was going to do about resigning my position in New England and when we might actually start at Springfield.  It was emotionally exhausting, and by the end somewhat of a blur.  But there were some things that I will never forget...

• My  Mom's sisters- Kathleen, Marie and Sue- threw us a pool party at a country club in Greensboro a few days before the big day.  We had worried all along about how hot it would be in NC in late August, so imagine our surprise when the temperature didn't get out of the low 70's for our outdoor pool party.  It was a great night, but not a whole lot of swimming going on...
• Pastor Mike Lane, one of the two officiating ministers, had been Marilyn's pastor at Poplar Springs.  His wife, Judy, had shared a little concern about the entire process.  At one point, several weeks before the wedding, she asked me the following question:  "Quakers are just like Mormons, right?"  It was not the last time I would be mistaken for a Mormon...
• One of Marilyn's co-workers had a house for rent in Greensboro that she said we could have without a lease until the house at Springfield (read more about that house tomorrow) was ready for us.  God was working amidst the confusion...
• The rehearsal featured Alan Brown (see The Asheboro Flash) threatening to dangle his feet in the baptismal pool at the church while he sang.  We were planning a period of open worship during the service, which was quite confusing to the non-Quakers involved.  Marilyn's Dad, Posey Steele, gave us all a good laugh when answering the question "Who gives this woman in marriage?"  His response?  "MY mother and I..."
• The rehearsal dinner at the Jonesville Holiday Inn was a blast, highlighted by great champagne toasts and the now infamous David Bills spoon on the nose trick...
• The groomsmen (see picture below) and I played football outside our little motel the morning of the big day...or was it wiffle ball?  It's all a blur...
• I had been so worried about my tux jacket, shirt and shoes fitting that I failed to notice that my pants were actually too short.  I noticed while getting dressed at the church...
• The period of open worship, meant to be about 10 minutes, lasted about 3- I was ready to get on to the vows and jumped the gun...
• Hank Semmler, Steve and Carl's father and an English teacher, read our Quaker Wedding Certificate.  Every time he had to read the words "Marilyn Marie Steele" he would almost say "Marilyn Monroe Steele."  There were giggles...
• One of Marilyn's male friends showed up in a white tux...just in case I got cold feet, I suppose...
• We rode a few hundred yards to the reception in a horse drawn carriage.  It was an awesome entrance...

• There was a ton of food at the reception, but I don't think Marilyn and I got any of it!  It was great to see so many friends, but after about an hour my face hurt from smiling...

It was indeed an amazing day.  The thing I will remember most, however, is that somehow, despite all odds, I was marrying my best friend, who also happened to be the most beautiful bride I had ever seen.  We were going to cruise to the Bahamas on the Big Red Boat (thanks, Beth!), spend a few days at Walt Disney World (starting our still ongoing obsession with the place), and then figure out where life would go from there.  Wherever it went, we were going together, and we were going with Jesus.  Let the adventure begin!