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Yep! Mr. & Mrs. Berkley Summers. Sounds good, doesn't it?
We think so!
Since we had a private ceremony--and I know everyone is dying to know all about it!!--I thought I would post some details here so you'd feel as though you'd been there. We hope to see all of you in the near future and tell you all about it in person, but until then, here goes…
Both Berkley & I are a bit shy and really don't enjoy being in the spotlight. So, we decided to have a VERY small ceremony--just the two of us--in a very small place. We discussed many places to elope to, but nothing really seemed to click. That is, until I drove through a little town called Prairie City with my brother on the way to Burns. It was so little, and so C-U-T-E! When I got home, I mentioned it to Berkley, we looked it up on a map (it's near John Day, and only about 2 hours from La Grande) and he said "let's do it!" We both liked the idea of going somewhere that neither of us had been to, so that getting married there would make it "our" place. And boy, did we make the right choice!
I promptly went on the internet and looked up the town--what a great website I found! The town site (prairiecityoregon.com) is filled with information and photos and it all just started to fall together. When I happened upon a photo of the covered wagon at the viewpoint just outside of town, I KNEW that was the spot. So, I emailed the Chamber for more information. I'd mentioned our plans to get married there and the reply I got back was so sweet. The City Recorder, Diane, seemed almost as excited as we were! She gave me some great information to check into and off I went...
It was a little odd to be planning something so important around places we'd never been to and people we'd never met, but as I said, it all just fell into place. Everyone was so NICE and helpful. I lined up the Justice of the Peace from nearby Canyon City and booked a room at the Strawberry Mountain Inn Bed & Breakfast. We chose October 26th because we both love autumn and that weekend just seemed to work out best. We decided to stay at the B&B for Friday & Saturday nights and since we didn't want to wait a full day to get married once we were there, we just went with Friday afternoon. It turned out to be an absolutely beautiful day, too! Gorgeous blue sky, barely a breeze and just the perfect temperature.
During the planning stage, Kalli's mom, Cass, offered to watch the kids if Berkley & I wanted to have Greg & Kalli join us and be our witnesses. We'd been prepared to just find two locals--or Diane had said she could find two people willing to meet us there. But that always seemed a little weird, so this was actually the perfect solution! Having my super wonderful brother there and his fabulous wife couldn't have been more perfect. (THANK YOU, CASS!! What a wonderful gift you gave us!) They ended up staying at the same B&B and we all had so much fun.
So, on the 26th, Berkley & I set out to Prairie City. Greg & Kalli were to meet us there and we'd all head to the viewpoint for the ceremony at 3pm. Well, as usual, I had too many things to do that morning and so Berkley & I were running a little late. We didn't get to the B&B until about 1:45. Yikes!! I'd wanted to take my time getting dressed, but there wasn't much time for that, now!! Instead, Greg opened a bottle of champagne for everyone and he & Berkley talked and waited outside while Kalli & I finished getting ready. And surprisingly, I was pretty calm! Luckily, I'm pretty low maintenance when it comes to dressing up, so it didn't take me too long to get ready. :)
One thing that helped was that there was a gorgeous bouquet waiting for us in our room, along with some candy and a beautiful card--all from my Uncle Rich, Aunt Diana and family. It was so heartwarming and unexpected! I was really, really touched. (THANK YOU!!!)
Kalli was great and took a bunch of photos while I was getting ready. She even got a couple of me looking at myself in a full-length mirror. I have a photo of my mom on her wedding day doing just that, so I wanted to recreate it on my wedding day. I was wearing a gold bell necklace that my dad had given her and that she wore on her wedding day, too. Along with the diamond from Mom's ring that is now in my own, I had a very strong sense of her presence that day...
When it was time to go to the viewpoint, Kalli had Greg & Berkley come inside and stand at the bottom of the stairs. Berkley hadn't yet seen my outfit, so I walked around the corner and down the stairs to him. He was so cute--and obviously happy with how I looked, so I felt really happy. It was a fun little touch to surprise him like that.
We got up to the viewpoint and it was amazing! I'd figured that there would be people stopping there off and on during the ceremony, since it IS a viewpoint, but wouldn't you know it--no one did! We were the only people up there the entire time! We couldn't have planned it any better.
Terry Farrell, the Justice of the Peace, was a great addition to the experience, too. He really liked the ceremony we had put together and since we were having such a good time with it all, he joined right in. He made us feel really comfortable. We stood by the wagon for the actual ceremony and then climbed up in it afterward and took a bunch of pictures.
Here is our ceremony--which we were pretty happy with (and still are!) It's very "us," which is how it should be!:
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Wedding Ceremony
Berkley Summers & Kristin Johnson
October 26, 2007
The step which you are about to take is the most important into which human beings can come. It is a union of two people founded upon mutual respect and affection. Your lives will change, your responsibilities will increase, but your joy will be multiplied if you are sincere and earnest with your pledge to one another.
Anne Morrow Lindburgh wrote:
“When you love someone you do not love them all the time, in exactly the same way, from moment to moment. It is an impossibility. The only continuity possible, in life as in love, is in growth, in fluidity, in freedom, in the sense that dancers are free, barely touching as they pass, but partners in the same pattern.
The only real security is not in owning or possessing, not in demanding or expecting, not in hoping even. Security in a relationship lies neither in looking back to what was in nostalgia, nor forward to what might be in dread or anticipation, but living in the present relationship and accepting it as it is now. One must accept the security of the winged life, of ebb and flow, of intermittency.”
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Berkley, do you take this woman to be your wedded wife, to love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, and forsaking all others, keep you only unto her, for so long as you both shall live?
Kristin, do you take this man to be your wedded husband, to love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, and forsaking all others, keep you only unto him, so long as you both shall live?
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Please take hands and repeat after me:
(Berkley to Kristin)
From this day forward
I promise you these things:
I will laugh with you in times of joy
and comfort you in times of sorrow.
I will share in your dreams,
and support you as you strive to achieve your goals.
I will listen to you with compassion and understanding,
and speak to you with encouragement.
I will help you when you need it,
and step aside when you don't.
I will remain faithful to you
for better or worse,
in times of sickness and health.
I will watch “It’s a Wonderful Life” with you
each Christmas season,
and keep folding your underwear.
You are my best friend
and I will love and respect you always.
(Kristin to Berkley)
From this day forward
I promise you these things:
I will laugh with you in times of joy
and comfort you in times of sorrow.
I will share in your dreams,
and support you as you strive to achieve your goals.
I will listen to you with compassion and understanding,
and speak to you with encouragement.
I will help you when you need it,
and step aside when you don't.
I will remain faithful to you
for better or worse,
in times of sickness and health.
I will watch “Dr. Who” episodes with you,
and will always allow room for you record collection.
You are my best friend
and I will love and respect you always.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Do you have a ring for the bride? Please place the ring on the bride's finger and say: With this ring, I thee wed.
Is there a ring for the groom? Please place the ring on the groom's finger and say: With this ring I thee wed.
Let these rings be given and received as a token of your affection, sincerity and fidelity to one another.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
In as much as Berkley and Kristin have consented together in wedlock and have witnessed the same before this company, and pledged their vows to each other, by the authority vested in me by the State of Oregon, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++
So, there you have it! As I said, we hope to see everyone soon and talk about things more in person, but hopefully this will tide you over. :)
If you'd like to see pictures from the day, click here:
The Summers Wedding!
If that doesn't work, copy and paste this address into your browser:
http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=1zhf9kb.1hz4zpjr&x=0&y=ogju8i
Hugs,
Kristin & Berkley Summers :)
