In true new millennium style, we met when Sandra answered Rod's ad on the internet. We hit it off right away, had a fine courtship getting to know one another, and were married on 24 July 2004.
Our wedding was hosted by Sandra's sister & brother-in-law, Joan & Bev, at their cabin on Gambier Island near Vancouver. These two folks worked hard with us to help put the event together. They flew Canadian & American flags to honour this cross-border occasion.
On the 24th, about 30 family & friends arrived via water taxi. Sandra's daughter Sheila acted as hostess during the boat trip.
As our family & friends gathered on the dock, Joan M led our procession down from the cabin to the boat, to the music of Mozart. She is Sandra's long-time friend and a United Church minister. Sandra's sister Joan was Matron of Honour & Rod's friend Wes was Best Man.
Maggie, the "Best Dog", decided she would bring up the rear of the procession.
The service took place in the cockpit of our boat, NiSa, and Joan M made it both sacred and warm-hearted. She had helped us create the service, which was very personal and meaningful to us.
Here's some of the guests/witnesses on the dock.
"I now pronounce you husband & wife." To symbolize our union, we tied a knot in a white rope.
Rod shouts - "We did it!"
Then we all went up to the hill to the cabin and deck to sign the register, accompanied by the music of Bach.
The wedding party, including Maggie and Max.
The guests gathered round for toasts.
Sandra's step-daughter/friend, Lissa, gave a lively toast to the bride.
Rod was very touched by some of her words, and Sandra's sister Joan came forward with an American flag tissue for him.
Some of Lissa's toast was very funny and elicited laughs from Joan M, Rose~Hannah and Sheila.
Rod replied with the part of his match.com ad that covered what he was looking for in a woman, and gallantly said he'd gotten everything he wanted and more.
Rod's friend Dick gave a kind toast to the groom. Sandra replied with a poem she'd written 25 years earlier, walking the beach in Vancouver and wishing some guy in a big boat would come along and take her away (took him awhile to get to her!).
Wes read a spiritual poem he'd had framed for us.
Then Rose~Hannah, another minister-friend, led us in grace and we all feasted on a tasty meal, including salmon Bev had barbequed.
We tried to cut our cake, and everyone had a good laugh when we couldn't get through the icing until we got a major knife, sawed through it, and took it all off. The cake itself, a fruitcake made by an old friend, tasted just fine. Everyone relaxed and the new husband and wife had a dance in the livingroom to an Andrea Bocelli piece that's special to us.
Here are a few people shots. The whole day was very casual with just a few good friends and family, dogs, a baby, folks milling about and enjoying the cabin, deck and beach on this picturesque island.
Finally it was time to bid the guests farewell as the water taxi came to take them back to Horseshoe Bay. Then Rod & Sandra relaxed on the deck with Joan & Bev and we all mellowed out.
At last Rod & Sandra headed down to NiSa at the end of a wonderful day.
We'd like to thank all those folks who kindly took photos on this special occasion and shared them with us.
We honeymooned cruising around Howe Sound. It was a splendid start to our marriage.
