I woke up just before my 8:00 am alarm. I was surprised I had slept that late. The only thing on my agenda was the ten am brunch with everyone except Marina, Molly, Jovita, Laura, and the four bridesmaids. The girls were spending the day at the resort spa for massages, brunch, mani-pedi’s, facials, and then hair and makeup before the four o’clock wedding.

All of the wedding party was staying at the resort along with most guests. In fact, we heard that eighty percent of the guests at the hotel were there for the wedding. Rich and Tony soon arrived at 9:15 am simply because they were bored. When the caterer arrived a few minutes later mom put them to work carrying in food trays and such.

Allen arrived from the four-plex and lamented the fact that he should have planned something simple for us to do just to kill time. “What are you going to do from eleven until three?”

“Who knows? But I need you guys to stay sober and help me stay calm,” I told the boys. “You need to be back out here at two-thirty, fully showered and all. We’ll change into our suits and take a car to the winery.”

“Not even a few beers before the ceremony?” asked Tony.

I laughed, “You guys can have a few drinks but nothing past two o’clock. Three beers max!” I emphasized.

It was here when Tony and Richie had to mention how they hooked up with Lisa and Vicki again last night, just as they had at Allen and Jay’s wedding.

“You two better watch out or you might be next!” joked Allen.

With the gorgeous weather, the brunch was moved outside near the pool, and everyone had a wonderful time. It was picture perfect with the vines having “bud break” when the new fruit starts to develop.

Conversation over brunch was simple, everything was planned, and now it was just waiting for the start of the wedding. After brunch, I spent most of the day at the house just chatting with others that filtered in and out from the four-plex. Guests were told to arrive before 3:45 pm so we could promptly start at 4:00 pm.

I jumped into the shower at 2:00 pm and was kicking back when the boys arrived thirty minutes later. I was still fairly calm, but with so many people at the house, everyone seemed to be “checking in” with me. Paul, Jeff, Christie, simply everyone. The more people asked “how are you doing”, the more nervous I became.

Bud suggested the men go back to the four-plex and start changing clothes. I looked at him and gave him the “thumbs up” signal.

The boys and I decided to get dressed at three o’clock. Marina and I had wanted to keep things very classy and simple for our wedding and reception. All of the men wore matching navy blue suits, white shirts, and burgundy ties. This included Bob, Jorge, Paul, and Bud. The ladies’ dresses were also navy, sleeveless, and with a simple V-neck. They also had a two-inch burgundy belt and nude heels. Everyone would be able to wear these clothes again.

Mom had opted out of the spa day just because of so many guests at the ranch but Molly arranged to have one young woman come to the ranch to do her hair and makeup as well.

We took several cars over to the winery where there were reserved spots for us. We were separated into men and women and taken to small waiting areas with chairs. I kept peeking out of the large roll-up door to see guests arriving. I saw friends from high school, fraternity brothers, and some of my parents’ friends.

And then I saw Marina’s boss, Harvey Feinstein. He saw me and gave me a wave. I walked up to him and thanked him for coming, “Marina will be so pleased you made it.” He then introduced me to his wife and said, “Remember the story I told you about the man with roses? This is him.”

Harvey looked around the winery and vineyards and said, “Why do I think Marina will soon be running the business side of the family business?”

“Are you fishing?” I asked.

“No, but I’ve heard the whispers in the office,” he said.

“Yes, sir, in the future. I can guarantee you Marina will be with you for three to five years,” I said.

“I’ll take the five, but will bet on three,” Harvey joked. “You made quite the impression on Marina the day you surprised her with the roses. She told me that Monday that she knew you were the one.”

It was soon time to begin. The music was cued up and first went the parents: Bud and Laura, Paul and Jovita, Bob and Christie, and then I walked down Molly and took my place on the stage. The wedding party came next: Jeff and Jenny, Tony and Lisa, Rich and Vicki, and finally Allen and Jeanette.

The music changed to the traditional wedding song, the guests rose, and from the back of the grass area, I saw Jorge and Marina. She looked stunning. As they hit the burgundy carpeted aisle, Jorge had tears running down his cheeks, but he kept it together. Marina’s smile was only matched by mine.

Her dress, top secret to me, was pearl white, but not a traditional wedding dress. It was the same dress as the bridesmaids, and she wore a small veil. No fancy lace, no train, very simple. She wore pearl earrings and a pearl necklace borrowed from my mother, and a blue garter, given to her by Laura. Her overall outfit was very classy and so very Marina. And she looked beautiful.

As she got closer and closer Allen turned to me and whispered, “You owe me.”

I didn’t even bother to argue, “I sure do.”

I wanted to be in the moment, so I surveyed the front row. Molly and an empty seat for Jorge. Paul and Jovita. On the groom’s side, I saw my parents, Bud & Laura. Behind my parents were my Uncle Mike and Aunt Mary. My eyes wandered through the crowd making contact with various people from my life. Troy, my water polo teammate. Rick, my elementary school buddy. The Miles Brothers and their wives, both fraternity brothers. I shook out of it and focused on Jorge and Rina as they had just stopped at the front of the stage.

That was my cue to walk down. I shook Jorge’s hand, and he gave me Marina’s hand. We interlocked fingers and took the three steps up on the stage and four steps to our spot before Judge Tom Seely.

“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to this celebration of love. I’m Judge Tom Seely and I have the pleasure of officiating today’s ceremony,” Tom said. He continued, “I’ve known Scott since he was five, but I’ve only known Marina for about five months.” He looked at Rina and asked, “Are you sure he is the one?” The guests laughed.

Tom proceeded to talk about love and marriage, the ups and downs in life, and finally got to our scripted vows. All we had to do was repeat what Tom said. Easier said than done when you are so nervous.

The next thing I can recall is Tom proclaiming, “Scott, you may now kiss your bride.” And after a nice, soft, kiss on the lips, he followed up with, “Ladies and gentlemen, Mr. and Mrs. Scott and Marina Williams!”

As Rina and I headed down the stage I looked at my mother, tears were rolling down her cheeks, as did Laura. Glancing to the other side, Jorge and Molly were crying too, as was Jovita.

The walk back up the aisle was another flash of my life. More friends from school and college, my childhood boss and mentor Ron, a few co-workers, and several cousins.

As the guests transitioned to the winery “cocktail hour” the wedding party took photos. Thankfully Marina had a list of every possible combination, and in a logical sequence cutting down on who needed to move where. As the photographer said we were done I asked Marina, “I’d like to have a photo of us in the middle of the vineyard.”

“That’s a great idea,” she said.

I quickly asked Tony and Rich to go get a ladder from the winery. Julie, our photographer, thought the high angle would be great. I looked behind the stage and found an area where the ladder would be in the alley and where Rina and I could stand.

This turned out to be our favorite photo of just the two of us. We were about ten vines deep off the alley and you could see the ranch house in the background. Shot from about nine feet high the photo looked amazing.

The reception was a huge hit. We did the traditional dances, cake cutting, bouquet toss, and the garter toss. And then it was time for the Sweetheart Song. Allen, Rich, and Tony joined me in the front row as sixteen other Delta brothers sang to my new bride.

The band played until ten o’clock and it was time for Rina and me to leave for our unknown hotel. After some discussion between Bob and Bud, the lead singer announced, “Okay, we’re playing for another hour thanks to Bud Smith!”

Tony came over and told me, “Bud just peeled off ten one-hundred-dollar bills for the band. He must have ten grand in that roll.”

Marina and I quickly gathered the wedding party and told them “Thank You” and goodbye. We did the same thing with the parents; all of the ladies were crying.

Eric from Vintage Limo pulled up and we were off. As we reached the road I asked, “Where are we going?”

He looked in the rearview mirror and a funny look on his face, “You have the Honeymoon Suite at Wine & Roses tonight.”

When we entered the suite, it was beautiful. There was a flower bouquet and a bottle of champagne on ice along with a card. Marina read the card, “Scott and Marina, to our best friends, we wish you a lifetime of love and happiness. We love you, Allen & Jeanette.”

It had been a long stressful day, so we got naked and took a quick shower. We were both exhausted from the day but agreed to have a quickie to “consummate our marriage.”

I spooned my new wife for the first time and we both soon were fast asleep.

End Chapter 13.