{love & marriage}

To YVR and back in a matter of days in the middle of term...maybe I'm crazy but it was well worth it. I attended the wedding of two dear friends--Fraser & Lissa--who are actually somehow related to me: my brother-in-law's brother and sister-in-law...but that just sounds far too complicated.



{the happy bride&groom. Photo: Julia Smith}



I remember walking down the aisle with Fraser myself--not as bride & groom, but as bridesmaid & groomsman, 13 years ago celebrating our respective sibling's wedding: my sister, Julia & Fraser's brother, Craig.



{Julia & Craig's wedding (with me & Fraser on the furthest right). Victoria, BC}



I can't remember when I first met Lissa, but I immediately loved her. Small world, but Fraser & Lissa are both pilots for WestJet & she actually flew me to Montreal when I went back for my defense. It was such a relief to see a familiar face as I got on that plane...and I consider her a close friend now.

In the summer, my sister Julia, hosted a shower for Lissa at her gorgeous home (Julia is an interior designer and everything is always *perfect* down to the small things like choice of napkins or teacups, but in a relaxed sort of way--you always feel at home in her home).

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{Lissa & Julia at Lissa's Bridal Shower}

So we have had plenty of fun leading up to this wedding...and there was plenty of fun to be had during the festivities. I arrived straight off the plane and on to the Rehearsal Dinner held at Julia and Craig's house. One long long table extending through their beautiful home allowed everyone to sit down and enjoy dinner...and great conversation was had late into the night outside, by their cosy fire place and sitting area on their terrace with views of the city.

{outside at Julia & Craig's at the Rehearsal Dinner--note the cosy fireplace. Photo: Julia Smith}

I was lucky to have a few quality hours of one on one time with my niece & nephew while the rest of the family & wedding party went for photos before the wedding. We decided to make a wonderful gigantic creation called Doodle Land.

{our doodle land, with the proud designers, Sir Sabo & Princess P}

And finally...yes, the wedding was wonderful. A heartfelt event, with many tears shed...but all good tears... Our families have been interconnected through so many different avenues that I was able to see old & new friends...and even people  I had sailed with as a young lass and hadn't seen in years. It was, however, hard to say goodbye.

{Tying the knot!!!}

Congratulations Fras & Lissa and thank you for letting me be a part of celebrating your wonderful life together.  I am surrounded by four sisters in four wonderful marriages and my parents--childhood sweethearts, who, 5 daughters, millions of nautical miles, numerous houses & plenty of boats later--demonstrate that a loving marriage is possible.
I have had my fair amount of Mr. Wickhams, but I still believe a Mr. Darcy is out there.

{Miss Elizabeth Bennet & Mr. Darcy}

 It is encouraging to hear, in the words of Ms. Austen herself:
"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune must be in want of a wife."
There is still hope.
Congrats Fras & Lissa, I love you both!