19 years ago today

By 9am, the temperature had already climbed above 90.

My friends and I were wilting as we rushed to pick up the last remaining food items and load them in the vehicles. We were, in fact, the caterers.

When we loaded the 200 helium balloons into a van, at least a dozen popped in the heat as we drove down Woodward Ave.

We would have gone straight to the church, really, but, well, it was SO hot ... so we grabbed a few bottles of chilled champagne and played in the fountain at the Detroit Zoo first.

The florist was a bit taken aback at the 7 wet girls in ponytails and bikini tops, cut-offs and sandals, and seemed quite confused as he asked "where's the bride?"

By 12 o'clock, the temperature was 106, and we all figured that Hell had indeed frozen over - and we were so hot because, well, all that heat had to go somewhere - and heat rises!

As we dressed, we were all beginning to feel faint as the church wasn't air-conditioned. Ugh, TOO much clothing for a day like this!

At 2 o'clock, the best man shoved a handful of ice down my bra to keep me from passing out during the ceremony.

In the middle of the ceremony, the power grid failed ... and the church choir rushed to bring candles!

We decided that a recieving line was simply unnecessary and had the minister send everyone to the air-conditioned hall- and hoped like crazy that power would come back on to keep that air-conditioning running.

The wedding party would have gone straight to the reception hall, really, but well, it saw SO hot, instead we picked up a cold 12-pack and played in the fountain at the Detroit Zoo first - gowns, tuxedos, and all!

19 years ago today, I married the love of my life.

Today, the sound of his absence is deafening.