A Friend's Wedding

Last Wednesday we attended the wedding of Priscilla Lefever to Caleb Carroll at Glen Eyrie Castle.

I think this was the most romantic moment, after the six bridesmaids had descended and been escorted up to the front of the terrace by the groomsmen, when Priscilla came out of the arched doorway and down the staircase, on her father's arm.

Man in dark suit just ahead is Ken Ganger, with my friend Joy Ganger in the right front corner, (sorry this is from behind them!) and Janet McVey seen between them getting her own photo of this moment. My sister Iva is over there to the left with her children. Kenn was an usher.

 

A picture of the wedding party is out of order down several pictures later below.

Below is the Lefever extended clan. I just tried to snap a few pictures alongside, as there was a professional photographer.

Priscilla's family: L to R--Lorraine, Robert (father),Priscilla, Caleb, Fern (mother), Audrey, Eric

Caleb's extended family

Behind Priscilla is Caleb's grandfather, who quoted a large portion of Romans 12 during the ceremony. I loved how he ad libbed some of the time, putting it into his own words. He seemed like such a dear, sweet man. He said that this wedding day was his birthday, and he thought it quite a birthday gift to get a full grown granddaughter!

Jonathan and I enjoyed getting acquainted with him after the wedding. 

One of those illustrious moments that weren't meant to be captured--but my camera was operating slowly about trying for a shot of just the two of them, and caught this scene.

They are going to ask me for this photo--you just wait and see! 

I loved the simple, 3-tiered cake with the verse, "Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes...etc." from I Corinthians 13. 

After the wedding, the many cousins and children raced and rolled and played on the beautiful carpet of green grass just down from the terrace.

We got a kick out of the professional photographer stopping to get a snap of us just as Crystal was getting one, too! Yes, he finally caught on to who the real bride and groom were here!  :) :)

Just another pose, wanting the sunlit red rocks in the background, but they don't show up much there in the center of the background. 

Ken Lefever giving Priscilla, his neice, a hug. The lovely young lady whose back is turned toward us is Kiara, Rob and Carolyn Mattern's daughter, Ken's neice. She and Erica Lefever, the guest book attendants, were dressed almost alike and looked so lovely. Carol Lefever had sewed their dresses.

I loved the wedding favors--three honey sticks tied with brown string, a bit of flower and Caleb and Priscilla's name. I just love creative choices at weddings. 

Here is the wedding party from our side of the castle veranda. All the groomsmen and groom and minister had to stand with the sun beating down on them. Caleb had to shade his eyes to see his bride coming down the castle stairs! Unexpected events usually do happen at outdoor weddings. At Jonathan's sister Barbara's outdoor wedding, the wind gave us a merry time.

Bro. Derald Hunt performed the wedding, and Bro. Donald Lefever, Priscilla's grandpa, prayed the wedding prayer.

Below, Robert, the father, is waiting to give the bride away.

Even beautiful castle weddings must come to an end.

The reality of life continues, with all the crumbs on the terrace wall, dirty dishes, and shoes and socks to find the owners for!

As we were heading out, we got caught in the nearly last part of the wedding ceremony--throwing aspen leaves upon the bride and groom instead of birdseed as they headed across the castle bridge to their decorated car. Too bad Jonathan had taken the camera already and was gone.  I thought it was a very charming touch--but then I am a country girl at heart and think leaves more charming than rice any day.  I loved how Cary Finney, Caleb's uncle, dragged the big garbage bag of aspen leaves over to the bridge, gasping that "we had to go gather these!" Everyone got a handful or more and tossed them as the bride and groom came through the line. I got to stand next to Mardella Ganger, and across from Joanna and Jessica Sturtevant as we showered the leaves.

 

And now, we must go gather these--all the socks and shoes discarded by country boys and girls who want to know what such soft, wonderful green grass feels like on bare feet.