MrsC

My husband of 38 years and I never got married in a Catholic wedding ceremony (I'm Catholic, divorced, awaiting annulment of first marriage which should come in a few weeks). On our next anniversary, June 2023, we are planning a "convalidation" which is a Catholic marriage ceremony for married couples who were not married in the Church. It will be a very small event. The ceremony will be celebrated at the end of our parish's 12 noon Mass. This way, our fellow parishioners, and hopefully, our choir - I am a member and my best friend/Matron of Honor is the choir director- can attend. Our wedding guests, however, will consist only of: my Matron of Honor and her husband, and our son who will be my husband's Best Man, and his two young children. After church, we will have dinner at a nearby elegant restaurant. Sadly the lovely historic and elegant restaurant where we had our original reception has closed. My husband and our son will wear their new dark suits and boutonierres - I'm thinking an ivory colored rosebud for each. Our grandchildren will wear their "Sunday best" and perhaps walk down the aisle ahead of us - our 9 year old granddaughter can be Flower Girl, escorted by her 12 year old brother. My Matron of Honor has very simple taste and will probably choose an elegant pant suit in her favorite shade of blue, and then I will provide a corsage for her in a suitable color. I will leave that to her. As she is the organist and soloist, she will join the wedding party at the altar from her organ bench - the organ is right next to the altar - after playing a suitable musical selection for our entrance. My outfit, which I have already bought, is: a simple, long sleeved, knee length sheath dress in a buttery ivory shade of lace over the same color lining - the sleeves are unlined. The shoes are a low kitten heel patent pump in the same ivory shade. I haven't decided completely on a head piece but so far I have a medium bow, same ivory shade, with a small "birdcage" veil. My jewelry will probably be a pearl necklace, and my late mother's small diamond and gold cross on a chain; simple pearl drop earrings, my engagement ring, and my husband and I will exchange our original gold bands during the ceremony. For my bouquet, I'm thinking ivory and peach colored roses.