Photo by Caroline Gee Blauvelt.
DAYS
HOURS
since "I DO"!
|
Photo by Caroline Gee Blauvelt.
|
DAYS
HOURS
since "I DO"!
|
Photo by Marisa Ritter Reyes.
Click this link for a description of our engagement and wedding plans as of 9/1/04.
Click on a photo for a high res (1-2 megs!), printable image.
The wedding party, standing left to right: Best Man, Russ Ritter; Maid of Honor, Laurie
Coventry; groomsman Derek Whiteside; bridesmaid Melanie Johnson; groomsman
Dustin Kassman; bridesmaid Martha Truninger. Photo by Phil Ritter.
Paul's mom was escorted to her seat by his son, Steven. The bride was escorted by
her brother, Terry Kenney. Because he was too ill to travel from Tulsa for the wedding,
their dad accompanied them on the cell phone Dee carried under her bouquet. The
photos on the left were taken by Paul's brother, Phil Ritter; the one on the right by
Marisa's husband, Arthur Reyes.
This photo by Marisa Ritter Reyes captured our delight when Russ Battey began
his flute accompaniment to Russ Ritter's arrangement of "Every Grain Of Sand"
by Bob Dylan. The musicians comprised Paul's brother and Best Man, Russ Ritter
(lead vocal, mandolin, and harmonica), Paul's cousins Russ Battey (flute) and Cory
Battey (piano and backup vocal), and Dee's son, Russ Granger (bass guitar).
Left to right: taking our vows; the Benediction; the first kiss as husband and wife!
The minister is Rev. David Newman, who is also Dee's brother. Photos by Phil Ritter.
The bride was honored by the attendance of four long-time girlfriends traveling from Southern California.
On left: Denise deVines and Robin Sauls, Dee's friends since 1973 (motocross/End Does M.C.)
On right: Caroline Gee Blauvelt and Deborah Jackson, Dee's friends since 1982 (Hughes Research Labs)
Amazingly, our wedding was perfect! There were just over 50 guests, mostly family. The weather was sunny and warm, the music 4 of our family members played for us was beautiful, and we didn't flub our lines. We performed our first dance reasonable well - all the ladies seemed to want to dance with Paul after they saw what he could do on wheels! These are the high points of the ceremony for me: My son Russ playing the piano composition he wrote for the processional Walking down the aisle on my brother's arm with our dad listening live on a cell phone under my bouquet Seeing Paul in a suit and tie for the first time (hubba hubba!) The minister - also my brother - reading our late mother's favorite poem Paul's brother Russ, my son Russ, and Paul's cousins Russ and Cory - "The Three Russes" - performing Russ Ritter's new arrangement of "Every Grain Of Sand" (by Bob Dylan) on mandolin, piano, flute, bass guitar, and harmonica. The way Paul said "I do" so loud and clear Reciting the vows we wrote ourselves and meaning every word Our guests laughing when I corrected the minister when he misread one of our vows That Paul did not want to stop kissing me after being pronounced husband and wife
As Dee said, the whole thing went off with nary a hitch, just smooth sailing all the way. Besides the highlights Dee has mentioned, I want to add: The way Dee looked in her wedding dress (hubba hubba indeed!) My surprise to hear the flute solo in the music (I was seated with myback to the band and didn't see it coming.) To watch my mom being escorted by my son to their seats. The way our friends and relatives willingly jumped in to help. The wedding going so smoothly was due to a lot of hard work by them. The volume and length of the applause when we finished our 'first dance as a married couple' dance.
