By Dennis Richardson, Magic Valley Publishing
This week is a momentous occasion in our married life. It was 46 years ago on a sunny Saturday, July 12 that Lisa and I said “I do” at the Camden church of Christ. The wedding was at the old church building where we attended. I especially remember one of the songs sung was “Until the 12th of Never”.
Ironically, that stately two-story brick structure on the Nashville Highway, now houses Plunk Funeral Home.
Lisa and I met in college at the University of Tennessee at Martin in September, 1974, introduced by a common friend from Camden. Not wanting to let her slip away I proposed to her that Christmas Eve. She said “yes”. After a whirlwind of wedding planning we were married the following July 12.
Lisa made our wedding cake, a five-tiered work of art encircled with six double-decker heart-shaped cakes. The huge cake even had a working fountain in the middle.
The ceremony was a real work of art. She basically choreographed it all herself and I remember the huge auditorium was full.
The only snafu that I recall was when my brother John, one of my groomsmen had car troubles on the way to the church. When we learned that he was going to be late a frantic search began for his replacement. I held up his light blue tux and, sizing up arriving guests, tried to guess who it would fit. Not only that, but that person would also have to agree to quickly change into it and walk the isle in a building he had never set foot in before. John was tall at 6’2” with a slender build.
My best prospect soon came in when the van filled with college friends from UTM arrived. I saw a few candidates that the tux might fit. One of the “candidates” took me up but only had one question. “What do I do?” I told him it was easy “just latch on to the next beautiful girl in the lineup and follow the two in front of you.” He fell right in line and did a great job. Stuff like that makes for lasting memories.
When John arrived he was hurried into his tux in a switcheroo, just in time for family pictures.
Both of our families seemed to enjoy visiting, according to reports we heard later. Lisa and I honeymooned in Memphis and I returned to work at my job on the sports desk at the Paris daily newspaper on Tuesday, July 15.
Here we are, 46 years later with a growing family. Four children, six grands and two more on the way.
Life is good.
Dennis Richardson is the CEO of Magic Valley Publishing, Inc., which owns the Chester County Independent.
