Those Last Few Days Before the BIG ONE

You'll never guess what my number one priority on my "to do" list was after my sweetheart was home. Was it taking pictures that could be used for the newspaper account of our wedding? Was it finding a place to live in Ogden which was the closest town to Hill Air Force Base? Was it having Jim see about renting tuxes for himself and his best man, his brother Rudy? Was it formally asking my father's permission to marry me...something that my father required? Was it looking for a car since we were having to borrow one to get around? Actually, it was none of the above. What was the most important to me was having Jim propose to me the traditional way...on his knees, and placing the ring on my finger himself. even though I had been wearing it for over a year. Receiving a proposal and ring by mail needs something to be desired. And I desired the thrill of saying "yes" in person followed by a hug and a very long kiss. I wasn't disappointed when Jim took me to the top of "I" street overlooking the city on his first Monday evening home and did everything the traditional way.

Tuesday, I met with the photographer at the State Capitol Building in Salt Lake. There on the beautiful marble staircase in the entry way to the building, he took my formal wedding pictures in my gown, one of which was selected for the newspaper. I wouldn't let Jim come with me because I didn't want him to see my dress.

The rest of that week we drove back and forth from Salt Lake to Ogden looking for an apartment. We were lucky to find a small basement apartment for the price that we could afford. It had a small kitchen, a living room and one bedroom. The bathroom was outside the actual apartment in another part of the basement...a little inconvenient but okay. We planned to stay there on our wedding night because after purchasing a car (a used Chevy), paying for the final costs of a wedding, and a down payment on a place to live, there wasn't money left for a fancy hotel or even a honeymoon. But I didn't care. I would be married and that is all that mattered to me.

It was now a few days before our BIG DAY. Everything seemed to be in place; people to help in the kitchen, a friend to sit at the guest book, and more friends to take and open the gifts. Yes, back in "those days" all gifts were opened as the arrived and were displayed on tables for the guests to see. There were more of mom's friends who would help set up and decorate because it would be all that Mom could do to just be at the temple in the morning, go home and rest, and be able to be at the reception that evening. While I'm speaking of my mom I want to clarify a few things that may have given you the wrong impression of her. I mentioned I had to sell my cello to help pay for the wedding. My parents were not scrooges by any means. They would loved to be able to help me with all the costs, but they just didn't have the money. With no health insurance and with Mom's medical bills so high, they were barely able to make it month to month. My mother felt so badly and was often in tears because she felt responsible for the family's financial situation. She would have loved to help us children more with school, wedding, and other expenses after we had done all that we could on our own. I'm sure she felt terrible about my selling my cello.

Getting back to those last few days before the wedding, you'd probably never guess what I began worrying about. I thought to myself, "How am I going to think of what to cook for dinner seven nights a week, four weeks a month, and twelve months a year. That's three hundred and sixty-five meals!" I began to panic. I had never begun to collect recipes. I began to write down every meal I could remember having at home. I talked to my married sister, Claire, my grandmother Knapp, my Aunt Dorothy, and anyone else I could think of. It was a little late to begin a recipe book of family favorites, but at least I had some idea of different meals I could prepare. I would just have to buy a good cookbook with recipes. Betty Crocker's Cook Book was my choice. Yes they were available back in 1954.

Thursday, May 13, finally arrived. (Jim always teases me about being married on FRIDAY the 13th). Our sealing was scheduled for 10:00 in the morning as I recall. I woke up plenty early to get ready for my big day. Then I looked in the mirror and my excitement turned to pure panic!!