Our wedding day was approaching fast.  We had been engaged for more than a year; 6 months officially.  We decided to have a garden wedding in Johannesburg.  One conversation with Val feeling very strongly that I should wear a veil, made me grateful that I wasn’t having it in Durban.

We put all the money we had into buying a white second hand VW Golf for R 2,500.  We thought we were the bee’s knees.  It was light on petrol and it was going to take us on honeymoon.

We also found an amazing fully furnished little garden cottage on a big property in Sandton.  It was covered in a jasmine vine and so pretty.  Tony moved in a week before the wedding.  The landlady Mrs Foreshaw was lovely but not to be messed with.  One night Tony heard a noise behind the house.  Noises in the night in South Africa were never a good thing.  He opened our back kitchen door and saw Mrs Foreshaw.  She was wearing a long white nightie and her wispy, gray, waist length hair was all over the place. She was holding a rifle and more than ready to shoot.  He assured her that everything was ok and she went back to bed.

We were sad that Tony’s siblings couldn’t come but so happy that Betty was going to be there.  She came a week before the wedding and stayed in the cottage with Tony.  Everyone loved her and she was overwhelmed with the love she was shown. She also felt a bit left out of the joy that everyone seemed to have.  It was that week that she gave up her struggle and put her life into the safe hands of Jesus. *

About 150 people were coming; friends from Rolleston Place, Waverly, work, YFC and family.  Sue was going to be my maid of honour and Pete was Tony’s best man.  Rig was going to marry us and Cathie had practised a dance to a Keith Green song.

When we were in Cape Town on holiday, Tony and I had talked about the colours in the sky and water.  We started imagining the colours that were in heaven.  Shades and tones we could never see on earth.  I wrote some words and he put a melody to it.  He decided he would sing it to me on our wedding day.

I struggled to find a wedding dress I really liked.  They were all so big and fluffy.  I eventually found one in a Garden dress boutique and I loved it.

It was happening.  I was going to get married to the man of my dreams.  Not perfect, but perfect for me.   I was going to be with my best friend forever.

I was 25 *, due to turn 26 in three days.   I couldn’t have timed it more perfectly if I had tried.

 

*See Betty in Post 42- Meanwhile in the Pacific Ocean

*See post 50- Triple Yes.