Jim McCann - Celebrating Weddings: Share, Remember, Cherish

Copyright 2012 1-800-Flowers.com, Inc.

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of reprints in the context of reviews.

Andrews McMeel Publishing, LLC
an Andrews McMeel Universal company
1130 Walnut Street, Kansas City, Missouri 64106

www.andrewsmcmeel.com

ISBN: 978-1-4494-1033-9

Library of Congress Control Number: 2011932636

Project Manager and Editor: Heidi Tyline King

Designed by Alexis Siroc

Cover illustration by Sharon Watts

Produced by SMALLWOOD & STEWART, INC., NEW YORK CITY

Illustration credit information on , .

WHEN MARYLOU AND I GOT MARRIED, I wanted to do something special for our wedding, so I decided to write my own vows. Full of nervous excitement on the day of the ceremony, I managed to get every word out, along with a few extra linesand in a humble-jumble order that was not at all related to the original way I had written them. It was a little embarrassing at the time, but now, thirty-eight years later, remembering makes the two of us smile.

What could have been a sore subject has become our special memory, and its a good example of how having the right perspective is key when it comes to your wedding day. Ive witnessed just about every wedding fiasco you could imagine, from no-show caterers and last-minute reception hall cancellations to wedding dress mix-ups and members of the bridal party who took the party part a little too far. But no matter how terribly the big day played out, the couples who learned to roll with the punches seemed to be the ones who ended up being able to look back with a smile.

Its also interesting that, of all the weddings Ive attended or arranged flowers for, the ones that stand out are those that were infused with the couples personality. Not coincidentally, they were also the weddings at which the bride and groom clearly had the most fun! One couple we know, who were both passionate about the arts, turned the catering hall into an art museum with framed floral arrangements on the walls and ice sculptures on the buffet. Another couple with matching sweet tooths created an elaborate Candy Land theme, complete with mountains of colorful confections and waitstaff dressed in Oompa Loompa costumes. So go ahead with your dream of aGone With the Windtheme, or rent a tux for your beloved golden retriever and include him in your ceremony. Sure, its not conventional, but your guests will appreciate your personal flair and be honored to celebrate your uniqueness as a couple.

Its natural to want everything to go off without a hitch, but remember that all the little details make a weddingnot a marriage. The time for fixating on programs and bridesmaids shoes has passed, and truthfully, the day goes by so fast that youre going to remember only a fraction of what happens. Make your wedding day all about the two of you beginning your life together, and the glorious blessing of getting to do so while basking in the love of family and friends.

And finally, I think its important to take your vows seriously. If Ive learned one thing from nearly forty years of marriage, its that both of you will changeits just that it rarely happens at the same time. You grow apart, then grow together. Love ebbs, then flows. There will be peaks and valleys, and they wont run concurrently. Being committed means that when one of you is flighty, the other one stands firmly grounded, holding the kite strings. Its not the easy way out, but it has the best reward: growing old together. I might have mixed up a few lines when I recited my vows those many years ago, but no matter their order, I meant every word.

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SHARON WATTS JACKET ILLUSTRATION;

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Jim McCannis a highly successful entrepreneur, public speaker, and author whose passion is helping people to connect and express themselves with the important people in their lives. Jims passion and vision led to his founding of 1-800-FLOWERS.COM, which he has grown into the worlds leading florist and gift shop. His willingness to embrace new technologies, such as the Internet, mobile commerce, and social networking, often long before others, has enabled Jim to stay at the forefront of consumer and social trends. Jims other books include Celebrating Mom, Celebrating Love, Celebrating Life, Celebrating Friends, Stop and Sell the Roses,Celebrations, and A Year Full of Flowers.

Though you be two that love, let there be one heart between you.

ITALIAN PROVERB

When I worked at the party store, an elderly couple came into the store. I assumed they wanted to order fiftieth wedding anniversary invitations, but no. They were getting married. She was seventy, he was seventy-two, and this was the first marriage for each of them. I was stunned. As I helped them decide on the details, the man asked if I was married. No, sir, I said.

Well, you are young, and you have plenty of time, he said. It took me seventy-two years to find her, so dont give up!CHARITY M.

Tradition has it that in the eighteenth century, a Dutch woman fell in love with a poor miller. Her father refused to allow the marriage, concerned that she would live a future in poverty. So friends and neighbors showered the young woman with everything she would need.