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Weddings and other wonders
Thursday, June 30, 2022 at 04:44PM 
Even at fifty percent scale, it's big
So here's how it all went down.
Back at Christmastime we received a Save the Date card indicating that on June 17, 2022, our nephew's daughter -- our great-niece Camryn -- would be getting married in East Tennessee.
In due time as spring rolled around and pollen coated everything outdoors and many things indoors, we received the follow-up: A wedding invitation.
Shortly after that I was watching a documentary about some crazy person or other when, towards the end, the camera followed said nutcase as she was driven along the Parkway in Pigeon Forge.
Weigh anchor, mates
And past the Titanic museum there.
I was like, whaaaat?
I had not been to Pigeon Forge in thirty years. It's not my scene, although I have nothing against those whose scene it is. To each his own.
And in addition to not having seen this particular Titanic museum (I realize there are several worldwide), I had never heard of it.
We got these boarding pass souvenirs just for showing up and staying afloat
But soon after watching the documentary, I had hatched a plan which I thought would go swimmingly with our attendance at the wedding of Camryn and Christian.
Because you see, our own forty-third wedding anniversary was on the day before their wedding.
So it was that on the morning of June the sixteenth, forty-three years to the day since I was a bride, TG and I set out for Pigeon Forge.
Our Titanic tickets were for two-thirty and we got there early, so we went to Dunkin' and enjoyed cornbread donuts.
TG didn't make it ... RIP David Livshin
I also inhaled a glazed and TG had a second treat as well. It was our anniversary! Plus I enjoyed a wonderful cup of coffee and he had something cold.
Back at the Titanic Attraction, we took one or two pictures outside, then begged to be allowed onboard a few minutes early.
It was by then triple digits in the shade, so we avoided the shade, but felt sure we'd be more comfortable in air conditioning.
A nautically-dressed employee scanned our tickets on my phone and we were admitted, then told to pause and look up while our picture was taken.
We sprung for the whole picture package
A glance at our boarding passes told us that TG was a twenty-five-year-old third-class Jewish passenger named David Livshin, emigrating from Manchester, England, to Montreal, Canada.
I was a third-class Irish (County Mayo) passenger named Bridget McDermott.
Once inside, we began our tour of the many artifacts and so forth that populate that seriously amazing place.
It was much too crowded, which was annoying for me because I don't know how greedy they have to be, to let in so many people that it is actually difficult at times to really see anything.
They simply tell their stories and simply take your money. Click to embiggen.
It's not like the whole culture that has been built around the Titanic disaster is going anywhere, or that people will ever cease to be fascinated by its every detail.
Or that people will ever stop making money off it.
At any rate we finally made it to the Memorial Gallery, where TG found out that he had not survived the voyage, and I learned that my plucky Irish lass had got out alive.
Since I myself am Irish (County Cavan), I had more than one reason to rejoice that Bridget had lived to tell the tale.
Ember spread few petals but a great deal of happiness
Later we set sail for the Hilton Garden Inn in West Knoxville. TG got a trolley and we loaded our things onto it. Usually TG is the one to push the cart to the room, but it was a small one (cart, that is) and not too laden down, so I decided to be the navigating officer.
At the bank of elevators, a considerate gentleman held the door open for us even though he himself was getting out. I thanked him and and then promptly grazed him with the edge of the trolley because I couldn't see where I was going due to our hanging clothes.
I had a sinking feeling at having done that but he was super nice about it, said I'd done no harm (it's not like he was an iceberg), and up to our room we went, on the fourth floor with a view to the west.
After moving into an exceedingly pleasant room, in which you just press a button to raise and lower the sheer and blackout screens at the huge window, we rested for a bit before going out to dinner.
Dan escorted his only daughter down the aisle
I wanted to eat at Calhoun's on the River, where they serve the most divine Spinach Maria that anyone has ever tasted. I've never ordered the ribs for which Calhoun's is famous, but anything you get there is good.
At least I hoped it still would be; it's probably been eight to ten years since we last ate there.
We got to Calhoun's at about seven thirty and were told the wait would be close to an hour. As has been the case for many months now, the problem isn't that the restaurant is packed out; it's that there are not enough servers.
There are about half a dozen chairs in the Calhoun's waiting area and they were all occupied, so we stood.
Our hearts will go on
About twenty minutes in, a chair became vacant and a lady began gesturing -- I thought, to a teenaged boy sitting a few chairs down from her.
But it turned out that she was in fact gesturing to me, inviting me to come and sit beside her.
I gladly did as I was told and we began chatting about why we were in Knoxville and so forth.
They were visiting from a small town in Middle Tennessee because their son (the aforementioned teenager) was playing in a baseball tournament all weekend.
Our Andrew was ring bearer at Dan and Chelsey's wedding in 1997
And you know why we were there, and soon my new friend did too. She is a schoolteacher and we had such a nice time talking.
We hadn't been getting acquainted for long when a man walked up and was introduced to me as my new friend's husband.
Aren't you staying at the same hotel as us? he asked. The Hilton Garden Inn?
I must have looked confused (not at all an unusual occurrence) because he said, I'm the one who held the elevator door for you!
The bride and groom, happily married
Oh! I said. The one I hit with the luggage cart! Again I am so sorry!
He laughed and said Oh haahaha you're good, and we all marveled at what a small world it is.
Eventually we went our separate ways, to be seated at tables overlooking the Tennessee River at dusk, and TG and I had a delicious meal. I chose the fried catfish to go with my Spinach Maria.
While we were there, Andrew texted to tell us that the air conditioning was not working in the reception venue for Camryn's wedding the next day. He and Brittany were at the rehearsal dinner.
Our darlings from Oklahoma were there
How and why was that the case? Because Ember was the flower girl! Andrew and Brittany had traveled all the way from Enid, Oklahoma, for Ember to be in the wedding.
(Andrew was the ring bearer for the wedding of Camryn's parents, our nephew Dan and his wife Chelsey, twenty-five years ago.)
Noooooooo, I texted back. It was going to be a million degrees outside. I was glad I'd brought two dresses, not knowing which one I'd feel like wearing on the day.
One was cooler than the other, so I mentally chose it and tried not to fret about how hot it was apt to be for the nuptial festivities.
The wedding color was French blue and the newlyweds' last name begins with a B
The next day we mostly took it easy, then got ready and set out mid-afternoon for the wedding venue, which was more than an hour's drive farther west than we already were.
The traffic was pretty intense, it being a Friday. The wedding started at five thirty.
In due time we made it and were reunited with Andrew, Brittany, and Ember, who looked stunning in a white dress with a lace cutout heart on the back and a fluffy tulle skirt.
We went inside the chapel and were seated near the front, and saw TG's brother Ron and his wife, our sister-in-law Marcia, the bride being their granddaughter.
They made their getaway in a barrage of bubbles
TG's and Ron's sister, Ruth, was also there, and she sat beside us and it was so good to see her. It was she whose house burned exactly one month before, on May 17th.
Ember was less than assiduous at flinging petals from her basket but she was so cute coming down the aisle that it didn't matter.
She clambered up the steps of the platform and went straight to her great-grandfather, who, along with his own brother, was conducting the marriage ceremony.
(Camryn's new husband, Christian, grew up in the church in Florida where Brittany's grandfather is the pastor.)
Christian raised his wife's hand in triumph
The ceremony was beautiful and soon enough the couple were pronounced man and wife and marched out happily into the sunshine.
Then there was a flurry of picture-taking and everyone began making their way to the reception room about fifty yards away, in the ground floor of an inn overlooking Watts Bar Lake.
As soon as I entered the venue, I realized that the recently-uncooperative air conditioning had been repaired -- or at least had found its second wind -- and was working fine.
We located our seats and were treated to a delicious meal plus wedding cake, and it was most enjoyable.
Ember was entranced by the bubble vials
Later, after the newlyweds had left, we Webers gathered in a big circle of chairs and visited for an hour or so.
At about nine o'clock it was time to say goodbye, and although we were reluctant to see the party end, we were also eager to put on our comfies and sit up in the bed looking at our devices, haahaha.
You know how it is.
The next day, on the way home TG and I stopped off in Spartanburg and had burgers at Fuddruckers. It was fantastic although they tend to be stingy with the fries.
The siblings. No one is getting any younger.
And then it was Father's Day.
Audrey and Erica had planned a sumptuous dinner at Cherica's house. We had brought our change-into clothes with us so that we could be comfortable for the afternoon.
There were thick sirloin steaks and brats grilled to perfection by Chad, plus a colorful veggie tray and various other delights, followed by key lime pie and coffee.
In due time we changed back into our dressier clothes, freshened up, and returned to church for the evening service.
It did not arrive in time for the actual day, but by Wednesday Audrey had received a shirt she'd ordered for her dad (Erica may have contributed; I'm not sure), and she brought it along to prayer meeting, to give to him.
I had seen this on Instagram and forwarded the link to the girls.
It's a tee shirt bearing this sentiment:
DEAR DAD, GREAT JOB
WE'RE AWESOME
THANK YOU
He was not expecting a shirt like this
And there are four sunglass-wearing adult children -- three girls and one boy, labeled Stephanie, Audrey, Erica, and Andrew.
TG loves it. He wears it all the time.
And now we are anticipating a truly special and exciting Fourth of July weekend. There's a church social on Sunday night, and on Monday we are gathering for a rather spectacular barbecue.
I will tell you all about it next week, and share my recipes.
Meanwhile I wish you a marvelous time over this holiday weekend, celebrating Independence Day with your family and friends.
And that is all for now.
=0=0=0=
Happy Thursday :: Happy July
Reader Comments (18)
The Titanic museum sounds like so much fun! i'm glad you lived to tell the tale, and did not drown. Ember's hair is so beautiful! The siblings are a beautiful family indeed! I nver heard of Spinach Maria, and now till have to Google it! Many decades ago, we loved to eat at Fudruckers, but I haven't seen one in over 20 years! I'm glad to know they still exist.
Look at Ember in that dress! And the beachy waves in her hair! Just darling! What a fun weekend. I admired that photo of the bride and her father as their profiles look so much alike! A great capture! I’m glad you got to see your son and his family and spend a special anniversary day with your beloved. Great memories made! Have a beautiful holiday weekend celebrating the Home of the Brave.
@Ginny ... YES Fuddruckers is still alive in some parts of the world and we really enjoy visiting the one in Spartanburg. It's the second time we've stopped there on the way home from north of there! Spinach Maria is so good and I hope you'll try it! I have never made it but I found a few recipes and it's pretty straightforward! The Calhoun's version was exactly as I remembered and I enjoyed it so much! Have a great Fourth of July weekend! That's it for June! xoxo
@Bijoux ... I know, wasn't Ember's hair amazing? And it still looked that way at the end of the day, despite the humidity! She was so good the whole time and added the sweetest note to the wedding ceremony. Camryn looks just like her mother but looking again at her profile next to Dan's, I can see what you mean! I hope you have a great holiday weekend too with all of your favorite people! xoxo
What a great post!
I love the story of you hitting the man with the luggage rack and then running into him again. And isn't it refreshing how many nice people there are if you take a minute to talk to them and be friendly? If you only went by what our media showed, you would be afraid to step out in public.
The Titanic Museum looks incredible. It makes it more personal to get that boarding pass. Glad your Irish lass survived.
The wedding! I saw that first picture of the flower girl from the back and thought how adorable she was - and then I saw it was Ember! Cutest flower girl ever! Her dress was gorgeous, and her hair was just beautiful. Something tells me Grandpa and Grandma were just a wee bit proud and rightfully so.
TG's shirt is perfect. If Bon had one like it, he would also have it on all the time.
@Mari ... Yes our little Ember was a sight for sore eyes, was she not? The time went much too fast, although Andrew did bring her by the hotel the next morning. They've got less than six months left before they're back in Knoxville for good and I will get to see her more often! And isn't it just the truth, how nice most people are if you give them half a chance. I am always thinking that same thing. But then, as you know I am always ready to talk, haaahaha! You should have the kids get Bon a shirt like TG's. It's so special. xoxo
Beautiful pictures as always. Ember made a gorgeous little flower girl!!
Happy Belated Anniversary.
Wishing you and your family a happy independence day weekend.
We saw the Titanic Museum when we were in Pigeon Forge in April before you and I met. We did a lot of touristy things there but not the museum. We've been to one already and once you've seen one they are all the same I think! Anyway, I don't handle crowds well especially if you are trying to see an attraction. At 5 ft 1 inch I can't see over anyone! How funny about the man in the elevator and then at the restaurant! Looks like a lovely wedding! Nice you got to see Andrew, Brittany and Ember again! Ember is adorable and that dress is fantastic! Enjoy the holiday weekend my friend! XO
@Lori ... Thank you my friend, and have a glorious Fourth of July! xoxo
@Jeanette ... agreed, crowds make me nervous! I just don't enjoy being elbow-to-elbow with tons of people. We loved going to Chicago and taking in a few Cubs games "back in the day" (before covid ruined everything), but I hated it when afterwards we had to make our way to the el train with hordes of others, many (most) of whom were inebriated! Ah well. I'm still glad I was able to go and see the museum and I found it so interesting! I thought the things you and Rich did in PF were less touristy than very cool! I just don't make a very good tourist. Yes it was so special to see our loves after so many months. Can't wait to have them over here on the east coast where they belong, by Christmas! xoxo
First, you may pray for me, as often as you want to!!!!! Just because I do not pray, does not mean that I would ever turn away, any and all good wishes. And prayers for someone, are certainlly full of love and good wishes. Thank you.
Gentle hugs...
Mari-Nanci
🌹🌸💐🌸🌹
How fun!!
Congratulations and blessings to the beautiful couple!!
Ember's dress is lovely. She is such a cutie.
One of the boys friends will be getting married in August. It is the first of the friends to marry. :-) I am excited.
My boys did a Titanic adventure similar to the one you share. That Titanic adventure moved from city to city.
I LOVE the T-shirt.
Happy Birthday America!!! Enjoy the weekend. :-)
Love your Titanic dress!!!!! ♥️
Perhaps I'm old fashioned but I love her kind of bridal gown, "sort of covered up"......
More gorgeous family....
Ember being unbelieveably perfect yet again!
That Father's Day Shirt!!!! Perrrrrrfection!!!!!
So happy the A/C was fixed!!!!
Please forgive any typo's as I am doing this on my tablet.
Have a super wonderful 4th of July!!!
Gentle hugs...
Mari-Nanci
🌹🌸💐🌸🌹
@Mari-Nanci ... YES all prayers are well-wishes, and I have prayed for you today, that God would bless you and your beloved, and comfort you in these rough patches you are experiencing. He is faithful. And yes, I love Camryn's wedding dress! I favor a "princess bride" style gown that conceals rather than reveals every last tan line and ... well, enough said, haaahaha! I'm conservative and there's no remedy for that, nor do I seek one. I just thought she looked pretty close to perfect. And THANK YOU for noticing my "Titanic dress" !!! I wore the only garment in my closet that resembled something someone would have worn in 1912, and it felt so appropriate. And yes, I was so glad that the A/C got its mojo back before the reception started! Ember was just a little snack all day long. Happy Fourth of July to you and yours, my friend! xoxo
@Carla ... the first wedding of your son's friends! That will be so special and meaningful, I am sure. I hope that you and your family have a blessed and relaxing Fourth of July holiday, your table groaning with goodies and your hearts full of love for one another, and for God and country! xoxo
Oh my gosh, Jenny, such a delightful post! Congrats to the married couple! Great looking couple they made! Wishing them many years of life together. So sorry to hear that TG did not survive the Titanic, but glad you did! Seems most men didn't, did they? Sounded like a lovely reception too. That is too funny about the man with the luggage trolley meeting you at the restaurant. Yes, small world indeed! He seemed really gracious too! What a cute shirt TG got for Father's Day! I had never seen anything like that before. So sweet to that Ember was the flower girl! I bet after the bride she was the prettiest one there!! Now I can't wait to hear about your 4th of July celebration(s).
betty
I didn't know there were multiple Titanic museums. We visited one when we were in Ireland about 5 years ago and found it fascinating. I don't know remember what my name was, but I was the Girl in the statue outside the museum. Being someone really helps you follow along with the events. I thought that was a cleaver way to tour. Beautiful pictures from the wedding. Popped in from a mutual friends blog. It's always fun to meet new bloggers.
I'm so glad you went to theTitanic Museum so I don't have to! Ember is adorable and that dress is very special. I'm glad the AC was fixed for the festivities. I LOVE the Father's Day t-shirt. I can see TG wearing it while riding his bike (helmet-less...).
Congratulaations to the bride and groom! Sorry to hear that the Titanic experience was overly crowded and that there was such a long wait at Calhoun's . How nice to spend the wait by meeting a new friend. Looking forward to those recipes.
LOVE THIS POST! Love all the pretty wedding finery! Little Ember was so darling in her fancy dress. Loved the bride's dress too.....I prefer the more old fashioned and modest gowns. I love long sleeves and lace. The bride was lovely, the whole wedding was lovely. I'm so glad y'all got to go!----and glad to meet up with Andrew and Brittany and Ember as well!--- and wow, you KNOW I LOVE this Titanic adventure! I didn't even know this place existed. I remember Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg way back in the 1960s before all the build up and the tourism, it was just a little tiny place. the big thing was the "chair lift" up the side of the mountain (scary as can be but very popular, LOL)..Swimming in Rushing mountain streams, little mom and pop diners, Rebel Railroad, camping, train displays over by where Dollywood is now, I think?---I remember as kids climbing up on the trains. Picnicking on concrete tables by the side of the road (fast food and drive throughs not invented yet.....LOL). Seeing black bears. Keds "tennis shoes" and seersucker summer shorts. The Titanic experience sure looked fun, I would love that. I love that photo package y'all bought.....y'all look great in those pictures! Oh!!...and T.G.'s new Fathers Day t-shirt is so fun, love it! Hope y'all had a wonderful holiday weekend! IT SURE WAS HOT.....but we enjoyed it anyway. Summer has surely arrived full force. Hugs, my friend!
@Betty ... Yes it was a lovely fun-filled time! We've had a lot go on since then too ... I'll get everyone caught up today and then I'll get caught up with what you're up to! xoxo
@Sandy ... Hi! Yes there are several museums, the one nearly identical to the PF one being in Branson. But there are a number of different ones around the world. I would love to see them all! I tried to find your blog but it won't work so please send me a link! xoxo
@Barb ... hahaha glad to oblige re visiting the museum! It's the most touristy thing I've done in a long time and it will be a while before I do anything like that again, if I ever do! I just don't like crowds and stale air and all that goes along with that, but I did enjoy seeing things that were actually on the Titanic, and being only inches from them! That was exciting! And yep, he's wearing it as he flits by on that bike ... still helmetless! Some things never change and some people never learn, haaha! It's so good to see you! xoxo
@Liberty ... Indeed it was an adventure but I love the memories. And I think you will love these recipes! Posting later today xoxo
@Debbi ... I knew you'd be into all of the wedding finery! Yes Camryn's dress was pretty near perfection. I too love the long lace sleeves and especially the fluffy tulle skirt! She looked lovely. Everything was so nice and as you know, at our age, weddings (and funerals, more's the pity) are family reunions! So that part was nice too. Yes PF has changed a great deal and I really don't think I ever need to go there again, haahaa! We did have a wonderful holiday weekend (with one glitch) and later today I'll put up a post telling all about it! xoxo