womantalk.org

We are gathered here at this hour to celebrate the joining of two separate lives. Today, you are surrounded by your family and friends, and by Jeannie’s daughter, Bellasundra Rose Monique, all of whom are gathered to witness your marriage and to share in the joy of this occasion. Today’s marriage is the birth of a new family: a husband, a wife, and a child.

Chad and Jeannie have chosen a few words to say to each other.

In you I have found enduring loyalty, an abiding sense of adventure, and ever-deepening love. You are my partner, my best friend, my perfect fit. Thank you for leading me to this moment here with you and your family. And thank you Sang and Whayoung for leading her here to me.

In you I have found enduring loyalty, an abiding sense of adventure, and ever-deepening love. You are my partner, my best friend, my perfect fit. Thank you for leading me to this moment here with you and your family. And thank you Ann and Al for leading him here to me.

You have chosen each other as partners in your life’s journey together. Are you ready to be married? Chad/Jeannie, as you give Jeannie/Chad this ring, repeat after me:

I, CHAD YARROW MURDY
Take you, JEANNIE ROSE LEE
To be my wife;
To have and to hold,
From this day forward,
For better, for worse,
For richer, for poorer,
In sickness and in health,
To love and to cherish,
As long as we both shall live.

I, JEANNIE ROSE LEE
Take you, CHAD YARROW MURDY
To be my husband;
To have and to hold,
From this day forward,
For better, for worse,
For richer, for poorer,
In sickness and in health,
To love and to cherish,
As long as we both shall live

According to the form of solemnization of marriage by the State of California, but ultimately through the power of your own love, I pronounce you married, so that you may now call yourselves: HUSBAND AND WIFE.

CONGRATULATIONS! You may kiss your bride.

The Wedding Weekend Itinerary

22 June 2007: Private wedding ceremony (attended by family only) in Joshua Tree National Park followed by dinner at the Murdy residence, 6 pm- 9 pm.

23 June 2007: Wedding reception at Indian Cove in Joshua Tree National Park, 5 pm- 10pm.

24 June 2007: Light brunch at Jeannie’s house, 10am – 2pm.

Accommodations

Group campsites 3 and 4 at Indian Cove, Joshua Tree National Park have been reserved for June 22-23, 2007. These sites can collectively accommodate 80 people. If you plan to camp, bring ample water for each person camping.

If you would like the classic desert getaway experience, you can stay at the 29 Palms Inn. This inn is famous for hosting movie stars from Los Angeles. Some advantages to staying at the Inn: a great little restaurant, a pool, and complimentary breakfast. The Inn is relatively near Indian Cove campground (where the reception will be), but about a half hour drive from my house.

There are no wedding discounts offered, but all rates drop after June 17 for the summer.

In Joshua Tree proper, you can also stay at a variety of motels and cabin rentals. I recommend Spin and Margie’s Desert Hideaway. They have five cabins available for two to six people each. All the cabins have a kitchen.

There is a two-night minimum stay requirement, but they have offered a 20% discount on the rooms if you mention that you are attending my wedding.

Suite #1 ($160.00) would be $128.00
Suite #2 ($125.00) would be $100.00
Suite #3 and #5 ($135.00) would be $108.00
and
Suite #4 ($145.00) would be $116.00

They are located off Highway 62, just east of the main part of Joshua Tree.

Travel

The closest airport is Palm Springs Airport (PSP).

The next closest airport is Ontario (ONT). Flights to Ontario are often as cheap as flying to LAX, and it is only a half hour longer drive than flying into Palm Springs. Ontario is located approximately halfway between LAX and Joshua Tree on the 10 Freeway.

Weather

Desert weather is extremely variable, but expect it to be hot and dry. For current weather forecasts check cnn.com here.

Attire

Casual – remember both the wedding ceremony and reception will be in Joshua Tree National Park, so wear appropriate footwear. You won’t be able to resist a little explore on the rocks! (Myself, I’ll start by wearing a dress and then change into more comfortable clothing later.)

*We are registered at Crate and Barrel.

Taking the advice of my friend Maya, Chad and I spent some time alone this morning: telling each other things we love about each other, practicing our wedding vows, and plain old loving on each other.

Yesterday was a crazy, never-ending day of adventures and deserves a few posts to itself…

One moment last night that made me smile:

Chad said he was riding back from Laguna and overheard the guys in the front talking about the people who make them laugh – and he said he immediately thought of me. That’s one of the big reasons we’re hooking up – we make each other laugh!

Now I am heading out with Bella, Dawkins, and Emo to get our nails done and do some last last minute grocery shopping (how could I have forgotten the decorative lettuce? the ginger? the coffee filters?)

At the moment we’re deciding between a “question and answer” type of vow:

CHAD YARROW MURDY, as you put this ring on Jeannie’s finger do you promise that from this day forward she will be your wife and you will stand with her in sickness and health, in joy and sorrow, and to love and respect her in your days together?

I do.

and the”Responsive” vow:

I, CHAD YARROW MURDY
Take you, JEANNIE ROSE LEE
To be my wife;
To have and to hold,
From this day forward,
For better, for worse,
For richer, for poorer,
In sickness and in health,
To love and to cherish,
As long as we both shall live.

We’re writing our vows!

While we are writing the vows ourselves, parts are modeled after samples our officiant shared with us and classic vows from a site called chicagomarriage.com.

I’m not much of a drinker myself, so I checked my list with a couple of friends/bartenders. We have one bottle of each unless otherwise indicated.

vodka (vanilla and regular)

gin (bombay sapphire)

rum (spiced – wanted dark, but they didn’t have any at costco)

scotch/whisky (dewar’s)

vermouth

tequila

red wine (6 bottles Conn Creek)

white wine (4 bottles assorted)

champagne (1 bottle serves 6 – I just got 12 bottles of California champagne – just enough for everybody to toast)

beer (sierra nevada)

coke

tonic

ginger ale (by natural brew)

root beer (by natural brew)

lemons

limes

olives

3 varieties of Hansen’s sodas for the kids

iced tea

water – lots and lots of water

And for the zillioneth time, somebody bothered to explain how to make a martini: swirl vermouth in a glass, pour it out, and pour in the gin – drop in an olive for a dirty one.

Things are moving ahead very, very quickly. Sue, Joss, and Nabi Grace arrived last Thursday (pics of Nabi Grace meeting Giselle to be posted very shortly); Chad arrived Friday; his sister Corrina yesterday; and tomorrow comes my aunt (Emo) and cousin Douglas.

Although Sue, Joss, and the baby were here for several (wonderfully baby-filled) nights – now the house is pretty empty until Wednesday (when my parents arrive and some of the folks borrowing their time-share condo in Palm Springs move up to my house). Things would be less hectic if we weren’t also in the middle of trying to move out of this house and clean for a wedding brunch. (pics of the number of garbage bags we filled with yard debris also to be posted soon.)

Today we did the almost-last shopping for the wedding day – buying things like charcoal, lox, and ice chests; also things like Baby Bjorns and onesies. (It’s hot here – almost 100 degrees – but the National Park is cooler because of the high elevation – and the all the events are in the evening.)

Tomorrow is our meeting with our minister, Inge Davidson; and we also need to finish packing up the house. (The plan is still to try and get the rug professionally this week.) Tuesday is house cleaning day, and then Wednesday – well, Wednesday, the folks arrive and see the first house I have ever bought.
At this point, I’ve decided to take a cue from my future mother-in-law: whatever doesn’t get done by Wednesday, I’m letting go of.

Thursday, the Murdy clan heads out (for the day) to Laguna for the high school graduation of the only Murdy grandchild, and the Lees head into Los Angeles for hair styling and Korean food shopping. We are on parallel but separate courses, which are almost imperceptibly headed toward each other. We are destined to collide and combine next Friday night.

Writing about all this is making me tired. I had better get myself to bed.