My Wedding Began with a Rainbow - Roseanna White

A storm raged up the coast the day before, littering the sand with seaweed and our minds with worry. We’d been praying for months we’d have fair weather for the beach wedding.
I told myself it had gotten it out of its system—and the rainbow that appeared validated our hope.

A collection of thirty family members and friends had made the drive down to the Outer Banks of North Carolina in Kitty Hawk, right across from the dunes where the Wright brothers first took to the skies. They brought fresh strawberries from my grandparents’ farm, chocolate to dip them in, a cake from our favorite bakery, and a willingness to help. We all tossed up decorations, barbecued the wedding feast, and figured out the logistics of the ceremony. Though I loved the idea getting married in the sand, the practical side of me said, “Let’s do it on the deck that looks out over the dune.”

Though traditional in most respects, one superstition I hated was the “the groom can’t see the bride” thing—so we went to breakfast the morning of our wedding, just the two of us. It was a perfect start to a beautiful day.

My groom had forgotten his shoes (I’m still not convinced that was an accident), so he and his guys stood barefoot on the deck in black pants, white collar-less shirts, and burgundy vests, My girls came out in classic burgundy gowns and pearls. I had that perfect strapless dress with the embroidery I’d dreamed of. The vacationers in each of the houses next door gathered on their decks to watch with grins and cheers at the ready. The ceremony was short and sweet. The pictures were on the beach and hence gorgeous. The food was simple and fun. And as we ate it, the dolphins came out to wish us well. After the usual festivities, the day ended with a bonfire on the beach

I had dreamed all my life of the perfect wedding and as I watched the ocean turn golden in the setting sun of my special Day, as I listened to the easy laughter of those closest to me, I was so thankful for the Lord's blessing. A beach wedding, with its natural beauty, had sounded romantic and perfect . . .

And it was.

Roseanna M White is wife, mommy, writer, reviewer, and lover of all things literature-related. She makes her home in the mountains of Western Maryland with her husband, two kids, and the colony of dust bunnies under her couch. Learn more about her and her books at:  http://www.roseannamwhite.com