Your Grandpa and I were absolutely giddy with excitement as I walked down the aisle in the church, with my Father clutching my pale hand in excitement. I squeezed his hand and smiled as he let go of my fingers and sat down on the polished wood benches and Manuel ( your Grand-dad) got up, his black shoes tapping the cold stone floor and his mouth quirked into a dashing smile. We settled ourselves at the end of the aisle in front of the fluffy-haired, white-haired, grey-cloaked priest and the beautiful sounds of Beethoven stopped abruptly and the priest began talking. Even at my own wedding the words the priest said bored me slightly - but I would never admit that. My mind wandered to other things - the date of my wedding, October 7th 1962, that would be forever our anniversary - imagine all the years to come! - and where we were being wedded. I had wanted somewhere glamourous and romantic, like Paris or Italy - but it was too expensive added to the price of the reception and the priest and all that piffle, so I was stuck with where I lived - Malta. The church we got married in was in St.Andrew's, quite a poor little chapel, but sweet all the same. It reminded me of meeting Manuel for the first time, not so long ago - just over 5 years! Of course, then we had no idea we would be having a wedding in a church stuffed with 200 blue and grey and yellow-ly dressed people with bouquets and gifts to the dozen. The priest's voice suddenly jolted me to attention, with the mention of my name. 'Doris Mallia, do you hereby declare you will love and cherish, care for in times of need, and love Manuel Grima?' he solemnly said. 'Yes.' I replied, giving Manuel and small, shy smile. As the little page boy ran up with our silver rings, the little flower girls, my cousins, and the maid of honour, my sister, looked on while smiling. They were all wearing little lacy pink boleros over white satin dresses, so they looked rather a picture. I felt old - why was I already at that age of marriage? But I fought it away - I was only 20, for Goodness sake! I decided my other feelings were better - I felt powerful, strong, happy, married.'Then, you may now kiss the bride!' the priest laughed, and Manuel leaned over and gave me a kiss. 'We're married now, Doris,' he seemed to cherish those words, in his own prim, proper way. 'Yes, Manuel - but we also have to cut the cake and do the proper reception before it's really official.' I laughed and pulled his hand. 'Time to get into the white beatle again!'
It was time for the reception! Time for the food, the fun, the laughs, the cake, the gifts! I loved receptions, and I knew since this was my own, that it would be even better.
As I sat by our cake, in the little hall we had rented down Sliema, being given the gifts, I put my hand on my wedding dress. It felt soft and puffy - it was like a ballgown, with a huge skirt made of tulle and a bodice made of creamy white silk, with little white stilettos to set the outfit off- thought you could barely see them, the dress was so long! My veil was of a soft netting, with white flowers adorning it's side; it was what I had wished to wear since I had taken my first steps. My bouquet was an assortment of white flowers : quite hard to get, as summer had just finished in Malta and most flowers were quite dead. I even wore a pearl crown! I sipped from my glass of wine and smiled at the huge cake. The huge cake that we had ordered from Elias Bonacci, THE most sought after confectioner! He had made 3 rich fruit cakes, each one bigger than the first, and covered them in white marzipan and iced the edges with white roses and ivory flowers. It was quite amazing. And it would soon be time to cut it - after the dance. Me and Manuel had to have first dance - any dance- and then our guests. I looked at the grand clock outside the church. Almost time!
My husband and I stood in the center of the dance floor as the classical music started up - he took my hand and we did a gentle waltz around the room. It felt funny, having all those people watch you, but exhilarating all the same. The song ended, and everybody flooded onto the dance area and started dancing - some totally out of tune! Some did a random jive, and some did serious waltzes - some sang along to the music! It was great fun and all too soon it was time to cut the cake.
Me and your Grandpa held the silver knife in our hands ( we held it together) and smelled the rich scent wafting up from the cake - fat sultanas, skinny raisins, glace cherries, and warm cake. Mmm! Even better than all the other cakes - chocolate cream, chocolate biscuit, green cream cherry biscuit, and hard cream meringues. I sunk the knife into the cake and started cutting fat slices - a big chunk for me and Manuel to freeze to eat on our next anniversary, a chunk for the witnesses to freeze, and all the rest to scoff here and now! I doled the slices out on plates and tried a bite. Delicious! But so filling! I only managed 1 slice before it got too much.
The ceremony lasted more than 3 hours combined with the reception, so when the time came for me to leave for the honeymoon, my wedding dress was not so white as it had been.... it was time for my 'honeymoon' ensemble! It was a turquoise linen dress with white pearls threaded on to it's hem. When I came out the changing room in the store, trying it on and wanting to show Manuel, a person mistook me for a model! Flattery really. I looked that good:)
I felt elated, because as soon as I stepped out of the changing rooms in my honeymoon clothes and into my wedding car, I knew my married life was starting.
My Gran's wedding day was, she says, the turning point in her whole life. She loved her wedding day and thought that it was perfect in little ways and so aggravating in others; '' I could have done without the part of the day where my Dad tried on his suit and it turned out to be the wrong size! We panicked but he had lots of other suits at the ready from past occasions, so it turned out OK. But I never fully forgave the suit company!'' She says fondly. Gran most enjoyed saying 'I do.' At her wedding, because it meant she was committing to marriage and she was married - I can't put into words how joyful she felt.
I loved my Gran's wedding. It wasn't flashy, it wasn't boring, it had great food, it was fun, and I want my wedding to be just like this when I'm older - just more modern, hopefully! I hope you liked reading about how my Gran saw her own wedding. I sure enjoyed writing it!
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