Wedding Bells

I don’t know when I have enjoyed a wedding more!! Well, there was Don’s and my wedding of course, and then my son, Colin and our daughter-in-law, Leslie’s wedding…they were both wonderful occasions, but yesterday was the wedding of our dear friends, Jim and Wilma, held in Indio, California. Let me tell you about them.

First, Don and Wilma became good friends while they worked together at Forest Lawn Cemeteries in Los Angeles. Actually, Wilma still works there until July 1 when she and Jim will both officially retire.

Wilma introduced us to Jim and it was easy to fall in love with him as well. The four of us get along really well, Don and Jim love to fish, and Wilma and I, well we just have fun doing whatever comes along, especially when the guys are off fishing.

Now for the ‘story-book’ love story: Jim and Wilma were high school sweethearts many years ago in Minnesota where they both grew up.  They planned to go to the same college and to later get married. When he was a college freshman, and Wilma was a senior in high school, her family moved to California, a separation of distance too great for the young couple to survive. Both were broken-hearted, but eventually moved on with their lives, each finally marrying other people and raising families.

Then, 32 years later, both were single once again, and Jim, in California on business, looked Wilma up once more. They found the embers of a long ago, but never forgotten love, could be rekindled. Jim moved to California, found work and they dated for the last 11 years.  Now finally, coming full circle, they were married before some 30 family members and friends.

Larry and Linda Davis, good friends of theirs and (Larry) a Forest Lawn co-worker of both Wilma and Don, opened their beautiful home to be the setting for the wedding. Larry and Linda were not only gracious hosts, but really knocked themselves out with amazing preparations for the wedding. No detail was too small to be left less than perfect.

Their Living Room was transformed into an elegant dining area with a to-die-for menu.

Larry has a background as a florist (in addition to his career in the funeral industry) and became a tireless wedding planner and coordinator for this event. Don and I were there for two days prior to the wedding to do what we could to help out with the preparations.

Larry and Linda Davis

Jim and Wilma’s children and Wilma’s grandchildren traveled from various locations across the country to be part of the joyous celebration. Wilma’s 5-year-old granddaughter, Lexie, was an adorable flower girl, stealing the hearts of everyone with her infectious smile.

Lexie, works her charms on a guest.

Jim and Wilma with Granddaughters, Samantha and Lexie

Last week’s 105 degree temperatures cooled to around 70 for the wedding day.  Only the wind competed for attention but no one seemed mind.

The ceremony was beautiful and emotional. The couple’s daughters on both sides were teary with love and happiness for their parents as were many in the audience. 

There was also a moment of levity and laughter, when during the vows the pastor asked Wilma if she would promise to “love, honor and obey.” She said she couldn’t promise in front of God, her family and friends to obey, but she would promise to negotiate!  The pastor announced, “OK, we’ll go with that!!!” 




All of us, including Jim, who know Wilma well, knew there was nothing she could have said that would have been more honest! It was a great moment.  Later we found out that this was a pre-arranged joke on Wilma's part. We all loved it!

     

     

So now the bride and groom are heading back home to pick up a U-Haul and take a load of their things up to their new retirement home…in Redmond, Oregon…just 45 minutes away from us! So after they officially retire in July and we return home from our travels, we will see a lot of them…and Don and Jim will do their best to terrify the local trout in the streams and lakes of Central Oregon.

We are so pleased and blessed to have them for friends and almost neighbors!

Mr. and Mrs. Jim Sorensen