April 18, 1998
Our wedding day was a dream come true. After months of planning, the day had finally arrived. And after months of worrying about the weather, our prayers were answered, and El Nino took a day off. The day was perfect. Blue, cloudless skies. Beautiful sunshine. Green hills. We couldn't have asked for a more perfect day. The setting at the Sherwood Country Club was equally impressive. The manicured lawns, the stately manor house, the elegant ballroom. This place exuded class and luxury. What better day for our day to be prince and princess? We felt humbled and very fortunate to be there.
Our ceremony began just after 5:00 PM, as the sun began to cast long shadows across the hills, and the reception lasted into the night. Our ceremony was unique, complete with two celebrants, an original song performed by Chickee's Uncle Gary, and a Great Blue Heron that flew by as if on cue. There wasn't a dry eye in the place when we first heard the personal letters we'd written each other.
We were amazed that neither of us messed up our speaking parts!
The reception was an elegant affair with the many of the 135 guests sporting black-tie and evening gowns. Mike's brothers all gave very fine toasts, and Uncle Gary once again wowed the crowd by performing his very special Father-Daughter song for Chickee and her Dad.
The seven-piece band kept the party moving along with a healthy mixture of everything from Glenn Miller to the Macarena.
Just before midnight, as we were driven off in the back of a Rolls-Royce, we couldn't believe it was over... but our lives together had just begun.
