Last January, I got a phone call from my mom, Jane, that I never could have expected.
"Meghan, how do I ask a guy if he wants to go on a date?"
My parents got divorced eight years ago, but never had my mom liked a guy enough to make the first move - that is, until David came along.
David is a tall, sweet, handsome father from the heart of Revere, Mass. His daughter attended the same dance school as my sister, Erin, and my mom noticed how gentle and attentive David was with his three kids whenever she went to pick up Erin after class.
"How do I let him know that I'm interested?"
Welcome to the club, Mom.
"Ask him out!" I suggested.
So, she did. They got coffee, started to date, fell in love and were engaged within a year.
I take all the credit. And this weekend, my mom and David finally made it official.
After my boyfriend, Anthony, and I landed in Boston, we set straight to work. We only had three days to pull off the outdoor wedding from scratch. After spending Friday and Saturday crossing things off our checklists and reuniting with family members, the big day finally arrived.
The wedding was held at The Yankee Clipper Inn in Rockport, Mass. It's a colorful port town near Gloucester, the city known for "The Perfect Storm." It was a foggy, cool day and the Clipper is an eight-bedroom inn perched right on the harbor's rocky shore. The inn was like something on a postcard.
I, however, felt as if the low-hanging clouds, at any moment, would condense into rain and ruin the outdoor ceremony. The happy couple was supposed to say their vows right on the edge of the lawn, under an arch that Anthony and I had decorated. I prayed that the downpour would hold off for at least a little while.
"It's not going to rain," Anthony reassured me.
"At least just wait until the ceremony is over," I bargained with the elements. "Just until we can get under the tents."
This was my J-Lo "Wedding Planner" dream come true, except I was also a co-maid of honor with my sister, and I had the best team I could have asked for. They say it takes a village, but they hadn't seen my family and friends in action yet.
We stowed the bride in her room to get ready, hung the garland, laid out the tablecloths, set up the dance floor, moved in the band, put the finishing touches on the flowers and directed guests to their seats.
The patio and tables were covered in hydrangeas spray-painted the right color at the last minute by my brilliant friend and florist, who pulled an all-nighter to finish his job at the bakery and still arrange all our flowers and bouquets.
Our neighbor of 18 years made a gorgeous, three-tiered chocolate and buttercream frosting cake covered in icing seashells. My sister's prom date brought his band to serenade us through the night, her French teacher took professional photos and a family from church served as the catering company.
The bridesmaids, my sister and my future stepsisters, all wore soft pink and sea green dresses they picked out themselves, while my future stepbrother and his dad wore suits and white roses for boutonnières. Most importantly of all, my mom positively glowed in a tea-length white frock with sheer polka-dotted tulle.
Everything and everyone came together perfectly. The band was warming up, my mother was blushing, I had the wedding ring and I was ready to finally call David, Dan, Analise and Ysabelle my family.
My mom only looked like she was going to cry once, while her brother walked her down the aisle. But she made it through the vows, and I could see love made perfect in David's eyes as he promised himself to my mother.
The rest of the night was a blur. Relieved and ecstatic, we partied until the sun went down. I couldn't thank everyone enough for how much they did for my mom and David. As crazy and hectic these past few months have been coordinating and planning and re-checking all the lists and reservations, each small contribution that everyone gave made this wedding all the more meaningful to my mom and our new family.
Even though I had to fly back to Chicago before the week-long family camping trip to Maine, I feel rejuvenated and hopeful. Living in South Bend, so far from my mom and sister, has been difficult, but now I know that they're all together, watching over each other and having way too much fun without me.
This weekend was life changing, beautiful and insane. And it never rained.
