[showing the Preparations] [to the Ceremony] [to the Reception]

Preparations

Pam and Brad met in December 1990, at the Yuletide party for a local branch of the SCA. To cut a long story short, our 3-year "whirlwind" courtship led to our wedding in February 1994.

We wanted to bring a part of ourselves into the celebration of our marriage, so we had a modern ceremony, but with a late American-Victorian feel. We both enjoy the style and design from this time and felt it lent itself to our vows without making a mockery of them.

We were fortunate to find a church that not only could we accept, but that could accept our ideas as well. It was a bonus that the location also had a mature-tree-filled park across the street (for pictures) and a women's club next door (for the reception).

We were also very pleased to see so many of our friends and family who were able to help create the atmosphere for which we were looking. And especially pleased that our parents were able to join in as well.

The mothers' dresses were created by a friend of ours, who also created Pam's dress. The father's and groom's clothing was actually rental — it's amazing how men's formal wear has, in many respects, remained essentially unchanged. The only item that wasn't modern was the coat and cape that Brad wore; it had been purchased at an antique fair, a year earlier.

Coincidentally, the day of our wedding was Brad's Dad's birthday, who also took his place as Brad's best man. Is it any wonder he's smiling in the picture to the right? (The boy is finally getting married after all these years. Maybe NOW we can get some grandchildren...)

As you might notice, both of the photos with the parents were taken outside. They were actually taken in the park across the street from the church, as the weather was with us that day. The morning was a bright overcast — perfect for taking all of those pictures before the ceremony. We didn't want to keep our guests waiting by taking them between the ceremony and the reception. Fortunately, neither of us was worried about that old superstition (the groom isn't supposed to see the bride before the ceremony), and it hasn't seemed to hurt anything yet.

For the last picture on this page, our photographer decided that a lot of us looked like we were straight out of the "Old West." So, he had the idea to get all of the bride's and groom's male siblings (the in-laws and the out-laws?) together and take some pictures. Afterwards, we got to looking at this picture, and decided that it shows the "Spear Gang," a notorious group of desperados. From left to right are the disgruntled officer (who keeps us informed on military shipments, such as payrolls), the gambler, the bookkeeper who takes care of our monetary concerns and is always the first to get shot, Spear himself (cutting a rather handsome figure, don't you think...?), and our two top-notch gun-slingers. (Okay, so we're not being "serious" for this shot. It was a little joviality before the ceremony.)

[Spear Family] [Silverelk]