Many weddings are alike.  The bride wears a long white dress, and there is special music.  Groomsmen appear much more formal than in everyday life, and if the women are lucky, they can wear their gowns for other occasions.  There are a few tears sprinkled over smiling faces.  Somewhere in the congregation is a person who pulls everything together and manages to smooth over any irregularities.  The solemn ceremony is followed by a terribly noisy gathering where a white cake is cut by the newlyweds and smeared over each other’s faces.  Did I get everything?

What sets every wedding apart are the individuals who play the roles.  We met our bride and groom at a funeral last year, the groom being the son of John’s first cousin.  The attendants related to the groom were familiar to us, and we were pleased to meet other relatives and friends of the couple.

The toy camera, being tiny and discreet, took photos during the ceremony and two after it.

Others taken afterward were a bit beyond Toy’s abilities, but valued despite their flaws.

I went back and found a photo taken of John’s cousin Harold at our rehearsal dinner.  Harold was the ten-year-old in this picture taken 52 years ago.  The current picture of John and Harold was taken during the recent reception.   He aged quite well, don’t you agree?