Wednesday, August 25, 2010

Has it been that long?

Today is a momentous occasion. Well, at least it is for the hubby and me.

Today we celebrate 20 years of marriage. 20 YEARS!!! Boy, that makes me sound old. I’m not. Really, I’m not!

The hubby and I always say we got married when we were young and stupid.

Young because we were both still teenagers (see picture for evidence).

Stupid (maybe naïve is a better word) because we didn’t know what we were doing.

Even though 20 years has passed since our wedding, I still have vivid memories of the day.

Like . . .

* the bright blue sky when I walked to the front door of the church.

* just seconds before walking down the aisle, my Dad asking me if I was ready for this.

* seeing my adorable little nephews all dressed up.

* crying when my father-in-law welcomed me to the family during his toast (I cry every time I see it in the video).

* dancing the night away with my best friends and family.

* enjoying food at two receptions.

* laughing with glee after hubby and I walked down the aisle.


But my two favorite (and most treasured) memories are of times where the hubby and I were by ourselves.

1. After leaving the second reception, the hubby and I got into his truck and went through the drive thru at Burger King to get an order of fries and milkshake – our very first purchase as husband and wife. You should have seen the look of that cashier when he saw us in our wedding finery!!! LOL!

2. This one actually happened the night before the wedding. We had finished the rehearsal of the ceremony and the rehearsal dinner and my soon-to-be hubby drove me to my parents’ home. Before saying our last good nights as single people, we danced in the middle of the street by the soft glow of the streetlight. It was quiet and romantic and a memory I will hold dear for the rest of my life.

We have experienced many highs and lows over the past 20 years, but we have learned a lot about ourselves, each other and life in general. It has been wonderful growing up together, and I can’t wait to see what the next 20 years has in store for us.

Even though it's my anniversary, you will be the one getting a present. Tell me about your favorite wedding memory (it doesn't have to be from your wedding) and one lucky commenter will win a prize package from my RWA stash.

~ Buffie

74 comments:

  1. Hi Buffie,
    Happy Anniversary to you and your husband. One of my favorite wedding memories is from my cousin's wedding in Vegas. I loved that it wasn't formal and we actually had a little bit of time to enjoy the city as well as the festivities.

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  2. Awww, Buffie, your post did my romantic heart a power of good. Love the picture of you dancing in the moonlight all on your own the night before the wedding! Gorgeous! Congratulations to both of you!

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  3. Hi! Happy Anniversary!

    One of my favorite wedding memories is of my brother-in-law's face during his wedding to my sister. As I was the bridesmaid, I stood next to my sister and didn't get to see her face but I got to see his. I told him recently that he was my favorite brother-in-law.

    Another wedding memory is of my cousin's wedding (in Las Vegas officiated by an Elvis impersonator). It was way sweeter than I'd thought it'd be. But the aw moment was my cousin-in-law's explanation for that particular ceremony. He told me that since he knew my cousin wouldn't go the traditional route, he wanted something that would be okay with her. He did this just for her. Aw.

    cories119[at]yahoo.com

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  4. Thanks, Jane!

    I have never been to a wedding in Vegas, but I do know so people who were married there.

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  5. Thanks, Anna! Yes, that dance in the middle of the street is the most romantic dance we have shared.

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  6. Hi Cories!

    I love to watch grooms during wedding ceremonies. I think it is wonderful to see their expressions.

    As I was just telling Jane, I do know a couple who got married in Vegas . . . by Elvis. They said it was a great way to get married.

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  7. Happy Anniversary Buffie! My dh and I are celebrating 20 years this year too!

    I have many great memories from my wedding. We had a great time and were nearly the last to leave! But the best was seeing his face when he caught his first look at me. Still makes me happy to remember it!

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  8. Happy Anniversary, Buffie! I love your pictures---y'all look adorable. Thanks for sharing your memories with us! :-)

    My hubby and I just celebrated our 22nd anniversary last month. :-) A few of my favorite memories from our big day:

    - Seeing him smiling at me with tears in his eyes as I walked down the aisle.

    - My niece, who was our flower girl and 4 y.o. at the time, whispering to my sister (loudly!) during the ceremony, "I'm hungry." Still makes me laugh.

    - All of my college friends and me (yes, in my wedding dress!) line dancing to "Burn Rubber" at our wedding reception. *g*

    All of this reminiscing makes me want to go back and watch our wedding videos. LOL

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  9. Happy Anniversary Buffie! What wonderful memories, thanks so much for sharing them. It's great to know that the Happily Ever After really does come true - despite dirty laundry, homework, car pools and making dinner every night. Here's wishing you 20 more wonderful years together!

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  10. Happy Anniversary, Buffie! What a lovely tribute to your Happy Ever After. You had me reaching for the tissues as I read about your dance in the street. What a beautiful, romantic memory!

    Wishing you many more years of love and happiness together.

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  11. Happy Anniversary to you Deb!!! It's a milestone, isn't it?

    Ah yes, that first look at each other is very special.

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  12. Thanks, Gannon! LOL @ your flower girl. Too cute! Makes me think of my nephew, who was 5 and our ring bearer, and he wiggled throughout the entire ceremony.

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  13. Thanks Marissa! Even though the day to day grind gets to you, there are special moments even in folding laundry.

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  14. Hi Buffie, Happy Anniversary! I hope you and your husband are doing something special to celebrate 20 years.

    One of my favorite wedding memories is from my own wedding. It had been raining all morning. Just as I was getting ready to leave for the church the sun broke through the clouds and I saw a rainbow. The rest of the day was just as magical.

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  15. Congrats on your 20th! You both look so happy on your wedding pictures! How did you meet?

    My favorite wedding memory:
    Three years ago my oldest child and only daughter, Lara chose to have her wedding in my home town. We lived in the area for a short time when she was 3 years old. It's about 2 hours away from where we currently live. She chose the same reception hall which over looked beautiful Lake Michigan. There was a gorgeous full moon that night, June 30th, 2007. This day was also special because it was her in-laws 28th wedding anniversary. My
    30th anniversary closely followed on July 16th. She also chose the same color of coral for her bridesmaid's dresses. She had two bulletin boards, one showing our wedding vs hers. Another showing early pictures of her and her husband as they grew up. It was acute idea and many of the guests commented how they liked the idea. It was a beautiful day and brought back so many memories of our wedding!

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  16. Buffie, congratulations on your anniversary!! Thanks for the memories and pics you've shared with us.

    A couple of things from my wedding (12 years ago):

    1. The day of our wedding it rained buckets! A friend sent me a lovely note that said, "Rain on your wedding day is God's way of showering you with happiness."

    2. My mother and MIL forgot to light the parent candles after they were seated, so Jerry walked down the aisle, offered an arm to each, walked them up to the altar, then exited out the side door. It was a perfect moment and no one knew it wasn't in the "script".

    3. We think of Trace Adkins' song "The Rest of Mine" as our song, so 3 days before the wedding, I recorded it and had it played during the ceremony. Jerry looked at me, while crying, and said, "That's not Trace Adkins." He discreetly wiped his tears, but most of the women in the congregation saw it and sighed. :)

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  17. Lovely, Buffie--both the pic and the post. Happy Anniversary to you and your DH.

    One of my favorite wedding memories involves a bride and groom who were the diametric opposites of your picture of young lovers. My mother's best friend, at the age of 72, married her childhood sweetheart. She and he had broken up and gone on to marry other people and have long, happy marriages. But they met again after both had been widowed for several years and were married in one of the sweetest ceremonies I've ever seen, complete with children and grandchildren as attendants. They had a dozen years together, and they smiled at one another and the world around them through every one.

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  18. Happy Anniversary to both of you. We also married as teens and celebrated 41 years in June.
    Mine is of my grandson who was only 3 when my son got married. He was the ringbearer, but got scared and wouldn't go down the aisle. The minister's wife took over and held him with his toy sword so the rest of us got to enjoy the wedding.

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  19. Aw! You two look so cute and so in love. And so young! Thanks for sharing such wonderful memories with us. Happy Anniversary, Buffie!

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  20. Happy 20th anniversary, Buffie! I love the pics! My favorite memories are from my wedding (12+ years ago):

    ~My hubby and I bought our first home the month before we got married (I didn't move in until our wedding night). My bridesmaids and I got ready at our new home and when I got there, my hubby had left me the sweetest note. Sigh. And I still have it.

    ~Since I'm so emotional/sensitive, everyone thought I would cry during the ceremony, but it was my hubby who has tears in his eyes and choked up when repeating his vows. *g*

    ~Everyone dancing The Macarena, baby! LOL

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  21. Happy anniversary.

    Instead of a romantic memory, how about an amusing anecdote. A friend's wedding was on a very hot day. Yhey chose a beautiful church with no air conditioning. Right in the middle of the ceremony, a bridesmaid faints. Since this is the era of videotaping everything, the camera never stopped rolling. Luckily, the bride and groom are still married, so it wasn't an omen.

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  22. Happy Anniversary!! Best wishes for many more to come!!

    This Thanksgiving my hubs and I will be celebrating nine years. I still can't believe I ever wanted to forgo marriage in favor of being a career woman. LOL But my hunky hubby changed my way of thinking. ;)

    One of my fav wedding memories was at the recpetion he and I went outside for some pics. The rain had stopped and a wind was going. The photog put us up against a pillar and the wind caught my veil sending it straight out. It's my fav pic out of them all!

    Now, on the funny side. My second cousin who served as my Maid of Honor made everyone in the church laugh when the priest made a reference to my cooking for my hubby and the symbolism of what it meant and she quipped, "Sarah cooks flambe style." Of course, the priest didn't know what she meant, so she continued, "You know, everything on fire!"

    Yeah, nothing like having 350 people laughing at your lack of cooking skills!! LOL

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  23. Happy anniversary My favorite anniversary was our first one we was just starting out and no money to speak of.My mother got us surprise concert tickets to go see ac dc and gave us a 100.00 for a nice dinner after the concert.A very appetitive gift.

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  24. Happy Anniversary! My DH and I met as teenagers but we didn't marry right away. It's been nearly 20 years together and this September on the 14th it will be 14 years of marriage. I hear you about the highs and lows. Happy Ever After doesn't happen without a lot of effort! LOL
    I remember our wedding was a perfectly clear, cloudless day - not too hot, not too cold. I remember the way he looked at me - so confident, so tender, like he knew that he was doing the right thing. We danced to Andrew Lloyd Webber's "The First Man You Remember" because it was different and we liked the poetry in the words.
    BTW - don't pick me for the giveaway. I've got a big enough stash of my own from RWA! Give it to someone else. Have a happy day with your loved one:)

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  25. Buffie, this is absolutely precious! I wish you many more years of happiness! :)

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  26. Happy anniversary. I enjoyed the sweet photos. My favorite wedding memory isn't romantic, it's just fun. When Hubby and I married, an aunt, who was a successful out-of-town caterer, made our cake. It had a pecan praline filling. (Yum) Today that might not be such an oddly delicious choice, but 30 years ago, wedding cakes were typically filled with lemon or pineapple--not a whole lot of creativity going on there. For about three years after our wedding, whenever we'd attend receptions for mutual friends, someone would always say, "The cake's good...but not like your wedding cake was." It was nice they remembered!

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  27. Ahhh... Love all the wedding stories! I also love it when someone is still with their childhood sweetheart. :-)

    My favorite wedding memory is probably when we were tussling with our wedding cake. It was so hot outside and inside that it started to melt off the table. We had a rush "caking" but it lightened the stress of the day!

    Ha! just noticed that my Word below is cakercu!

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  28. Thanks Christie! Wow, a rainbow on your wedding day!! Now *that* has to be a sign!!

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  29. Thanks for stopping by Laurie! We met at a high school dance.

    Wow, your daugther's wedding sounds very special. I love the idea of showing your wedding pictures at her wedding.

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  30. Thanks Deb!! LOL @ the Trace Adkins song. Did you ever find out who was singing it? I walked down the aisle to HERE AND NOW by Luther Vandross, and it played during our first dance too.

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  31. Oh Janga, that is so very touching! To have lived a lifetime and come back to your childhood sweetheart!!

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  32. Andrea I -- WOW, 41 years!!! That is fabulous! We sure have a long way to go :-)

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  33. Thanks so much Vanessa. I think we were pretty darn cute back then ;-)

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  34. Andrea, sounds like your wedding was fun too!! And how sweet of Dennis to leave you a note!!!

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  35. Wow, Penfield, a fainting bridesmaid? Needless to say, it was pretty hot when we got married (August is a hot month in Georgia), but thank goodness the church was air conditioned!!!

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  36. Sarah, that is too funny about your cooking style!! I bet everyone was laughing at that.

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  37. Wow, Peggy, what a great mother to surprise you with concert tickets and $$ for your first anniversary!!!

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  38. Kellie, thanks for sharing your favorite wedding moments. I love that you picked a different song for your first dance!

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  39. Buffie, at rehearsal we played the Trace Adkins tape, but I recorded my own voice for the ceremony because I wasn't sure if I could sing it "live",

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  40. P.S. A friend played the piano for me and it was a surprise for Jerry. He didn't know we were going to do this.

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  41. Thanks for stopping by LSUReader. Your cake does sound rather yummy!! Isn't it fun with other people comment on much they enjoyed something from your wedding. For years our friends kept telling us our wedding was the most enjoyable wedding they had been too. I think it had something to do with all the dancing and the open bar :-)

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  42. Thanks Jessica. Sounds like you had a summer wedding too.

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  43. *smacking hand on forehead*

    OOOOOOoooooooooooooo, now I understand Deb!! LOL! Forgive me for misunderstanding!!! There is no way I could have sung on my wedding day. Shoot, Doug doesn't want to hear me sing at all. Not very good vocals here :-)

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  44. Happy Anniversary!
    My favourite wedding memory is of a friend's wedding where the priest (who reminded me of Dudley Moore) kept mixing up the bride and groom's names (half hers and half his for both of them). The reception was great.

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  45. Happy Anniversary Buffie! What a wonderful post.

    Wedding memories....hmmm... laughing uncontrollably at the altar when I was supposed to say "For richer or poorer" - we didn't have nickel between us at the time.

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  46. All weddings have their own special memories :) One of mine (which I hadn't thought of in many years since it was sooo very long ago) would be at my oldest sisters wedding. I was ~9yrs old & my brother ~13 at the time. Despite it being a good size wedding w/ lots of family, relatives & friends I managed to catch the bridal bouquet and my brother the garter. The DJ then required my brother to put the garter on my leg (something that hadn't been done at wedding I'd previously been to). While embarrassing it was also fun.

    Hope you have a wonderful anniversary and many many more :)

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  47. Oh Chey, I bet there were more than a few smiles during that ceremony! Thanks for stopping by!

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  48. Maria, I think it is wonderful that you laughed while reciting your vowels . . . as long as he was laughing with you :-)

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  49. Thanks, gamistress66!! My, now that is some memory!! Bet you and your brother laugh about it now.

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  50. Firstly, Happy Anniversary!!
    This wedding memory comes from my very own wedding. We had a very small church wedding followed by a reception just 3 blocks away. After the wedding we took the customary photos at the church and everyone departed. I realized that I had left my bouquet in the church and went back in to get it. When we came out everyone was gone and they had taken our car that we intended to drive to the reception in. Needless to say we had to walk 3 blocks down the street in our wedding finery to our own reception!!! Turns out that 2 of his old frat buddies thought it would be funny to take his car. Did I mention we live in Florida and it was August!! 14 years later it’s a funny memory.

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  51. I have many fond memories of your wedding day too!!
    ...Chad tap dancing on my new kitchen floor with his wedding tux shoes....you forgetting your clothes and having to borrow mine.....Bob driving Doug's truck home...with all the decorations on it!!! We hope you have many many more happy years.....xxoo

    *Hey let's remember my wedding.....the Maid of Honor getting sick and not being able to be in the wedding...me getting locked out of the house on the wedding day.....the fountains spraying all over the tables......we could go on and on!!!

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  52. Oh my goodness, Kat! Looking back it is probably a funny memory, but I bet at the time you were a little bit upset. I sure would have been!! :)

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  53. Great story about you and Doug. I remember it as well, as you were our last one down the aisle. Lots to think about, but the memory of Your Grandparents dancing to Star Dust will always hold a special spot in my mind. They loved that so, since you were named after Grandpa. hugs to you both

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  54. LOL Sharon! I didn't even think about the clothes I forgot. Wish I could have seen Chad tap dancing!

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  55. Thanks, Mom! Yes, I remember seeing them on the dance floor, arm and arm, dancing to one of their favorite songs. A sweet memory indeed!

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  56. Happy Anniversary! My favorite memory from my wedding was the next day when there was a knock on our hotel door and who was there but my relatives! They came to wish me a Happy Birthday. Like you and your husband, my husband and I got married young and the next day was my 20th birthday. We just celebrated our 26th Anniversary in April. I wish you and your husband many more happy years together!

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  57. Congrats on your 20th!!!
    Next year will be our 30th. Time certainly flies -- yet I remember our wedding day like it was yesterday....
    I recall singing in my parents' living room to a "record" or two of mine the morning of the wedding ... my sister insisting she use the curling iron on my hair (and then the curls falling out when I shook confetti out of my hair outside the church afterward) ... the radio playing "Going to the Chapel" on the way to the church (and me singing along with it) ... my dad parking way far away from the church even though there was a spot saved for us (so I had to pick up my dress and hightail it to the front doors) ... my soon-to-be-husband sweating buckets while waiting for me to come down the aisle ... the best man taking a pair of HUGE underwear and passing them around the reception saying that they were mine and asking for honeymoon cash donations ... somebody requesting that the bride make a speech (but it wasn't in the book of wedding etiquette) so I was flustered a tad but did okay by thanking the people who came from near and far to share the day with us ... hiding the car from inquisitive relatives who wanted to douse it with confetti, etc. ... and then there's the honeymoon -- can't forget that!!!
    Thanks for the memories, as Bob Hope would say.

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  58. Congratulations Buffie to you and your husband. Thanks for sharing your romantic wedding day memories and charming photos...

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  59. We were not close enough to attend most of my family's weddings. At my youngest sister's wedding, we happened to be stationed in my hometown. We all had young children, so I hired my regular babysitters and we kept all the children at our house. After the reception, My husband and I went home and my younger siblings and their spouses went out partying. We kept all 9 little ones ranging in age from 6 months to 8 years for the night. The next morning it was like summer camp. We ha kids all over the place, my husband was in making pancakes and sausages and I was getting everything else ready, making sure everyone got cleaned up and fed. My partying siblings showed up about 11AM to pick their children ( who had been awake since 7) up. It was a fun morning.

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  61. Hi Artemis! Wow, did YOU think you were going to pass out during the ceremony? I guess the Father saw something in your face that concerned him. Glad you made it through without passing out!

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  62. Hi Sue! So everyone showed up at the hotel the day after? OMG!!! LOL!

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  63. Aww, Laney, I loved reading your memories from your wedding day. Too funny about the huge pair of panties!!!!

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  64. Hey there Pat!! Oh my, 9 little ones overnight! I don't know that I could do that, but I love that your hubby was the one up making the pancakes for the entire gang.

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  65. Congrat to you and your hubby.. One of my fav cousins will celebrate 20yrs in September. And the other one would have celebrated 35 yrs in September her husband was died just one short month before this event. I was a bridesmaid in both weddings and I think the most beautiful site was to watch thier bushand to be faces as they walked toward them at the alter. The love that shone from them would have lit up the world. Sniffling just think about it...

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  66. Happy Anniversary. Love the pics. I celebrated my 20th anniversary this month. Time sure does fly. I love every step of the journey and can't wait for the next 20 years.
    Our wedding was very simple. I just remember the excitement I felt.

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  67. Late getting around this week, so finally - Happy Anniversary, Buffie!

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  68. Aww how sweet was that post?
    Wishing you at least 20 more years!!!

    My most memorable memory..not sure it was my favorite, but definately there on top:
    I was about 8 months pregnant and standing at the alter, in front of everyone..my daughter happened to roll around and stick herself in my back, cutting off my blood circulation and I almost passed out. I got clammy and shaky and turned white for a few mintues.
    Hubby looked scared as hell! lol
    Ah..good stuff..we were both teens also..
    Weve been married 14 years next month :)

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