January 30th marks the fifth anniversary of my marriage to my amazing husband. We loved everything about our wedding, from the personalized table names to the yummy spice cake to the custom vows we wrote with the help of our officiant. The entire wedding was beautiful, meaningful, and special.
The day went by in a blur (as so many weddings do), and I have trouble remembering most of my dad's specific actions or words. I do have a vague memory of him tightly holding my arm as we walked down the aisle, and I remember his broad smile as we danced to “Miss Tara” by Johnny Cash.
However, there is one particular memory that I will always cherish. After the doing of the hair, the application of the makeup, and the lacing of the dress in a room on the second floor of the venue, I walked down the stairs to the area just outside the ceremony hall where the wedding party was gathered. As I came into their view, I heard the faint strains of Vivaldi and noticed how quiet it was, how solemn. Suddenly, I heard and saw Dad shout “There she is!” which was probably heard by all the guests in the main hall. There were chuckles and some shushing, and I smiled at my dad as I reached the lowest step. His antics broke the silence and were a much-needed moment of levity at that particular moment.
The Christmas before the wedding, I gifted him a pair of cufflinks to wear with his suit. As soon as I saw them, I knew he would love them. If you're familiar with his passion for airplanes, you'll agree the cufflinks were perfect for him (see below).
They are currently perched on my bookshelf as a reminder of him and that day: the day my dad walked his daughter down the aisle.
