Page 3 - PGA Community News - November '20

November 2020 November 2020 PGA C.A.N.!, Page 3

From The Editor:

Love American Style…

A recent visit to the The next day, I was sitting in an Adirondack chair issued. I gave the flowers to my assistant and repeated
Biltmore Estate in Asheville, relaxing, when the staff set up about 30 white chairs the purchases the following week after the blood tests
North Carolina made me outside on another knoll (physically separated at least arrived. They exchanged their vows along the Intracoastal
aware of the measures 6 feet apart), and I viewed a whole wedding ceremony. outside my office building with two of my assistants as
couples take to express their There was a violinist and cellist who played music the witnesses.
love for each other. throughout the festivities. The bride walked down the The most unusual wedding I officiated was between Ed
My room overlooked a aisle with her father. The groom joined her in front of the and Carol. Ed lived on a sailing yacht and it was docked in
knoll with beautiful vistas of celebrant. The ceremony lasted about 20 minutes. There Palm Beach Gardens. He was a client of mine for several
the Blue Ridge Mountains was champagne awaiting all attendees as they left their years. One day he stopped by my office and said he met
in the background along seats and a toast by the groom thanking all for attending the woman with whom he wanted to spend the rest of his
with a wide variety of trees, the wedding. life. Ed asked me to be the celebrant. He invited about 20
an orchard, a pasture and One weekend there were 10 weddings at the Biltmore. people to the ceremony on the yacht. He and Carol told
extraordinary landscaping. It must be one of the most I was told that Labor Day weekend there were almost 20 us that they would sail around world. A couple of weeks
photographed locations in the United States. Hundreds weddings. Before I left the Biltmore, I saw 3 weddings after the wedding, I was coming down the escalator at a
of times each day, individuals (selfies), couples, families occur simultaneously at three different knolls viewable department store in West Palm Beach when I thought I saw
and friends are posing for pictures. from my window. Unfortunately for the venue, the COVID Ed at a counter. I felt it was an illusion since I believed
My desk was in front of the window so I frequently 19 virus prevents the couples from having wedding he and Carol would be at a port in South America by
gazed at the breathtaking view. In the morning, fog receptions. But couples are taking advantage of the that time. As I approached the counter, to my surprise
frequently enveloped the valley providing a mysterious extraordinary vistas to at least exchange their wedding the gentleman was Ed. He told me that after the wedding
appearance. Every ten minutes there was a change of vows. ceremony, they sailed toward The Bahamas. Carol wanted
lighting from the sun, the clouds and the moon at night. As a Notary Public in Florida, I have performed to dock at The Bahamas but Ed preferred to sail on. Ed
One afternoon I saw a couple (who I estimate to be 9 weddings. I officiated one along the Intracoastal finally agreed to proceed to Freeport when the yacht hit
in their 50s or 60s) with a photographer stop at different Waterway, another on the beach, another on a yacht, a reef and sank!! All of Ed’s possessions went down with
locations on the knoll and pose. At one point the man several in my office conference room and several at the vessel. The marriage ended less than 48 hours after it
dropped to one knee, removed a box from his pocket, residences. The first resulted from my preparation of a began. Perhaps the shortest marriage on record!!!
opened it and presented a ring to his girlfriend. She looked prenuptial agreement. When my client, Nancy, came to my I was at a museum recently and saw an interesting
stunned. Apparently, she thought it was just a photography office to sign it, I inquired when she was getting married. sculpture by Silvia Levenson, an Argentinian artist. It
session – but it turned into a marriage proposal. She She replied that, later in the afternoon, she and John were was a glass wedding cake with a hand grenade on top and
must have accepted the proposal because he slipped the going to the Courthouse. I asked her if she would prefer the words “until death do us part” handwritten behind
ring on her finger, they kissed and continued to pose for to have someone she knew perform the ceremony – like it. Marriage is fragile and takes the perseverance and
photographs gazing in each other’s eyes. me. Nancy contacted John and they agreed to come to love of both parties for its continuity. The COVID 19
Another afternoon, I witnessed a double wedding. my office at 3 pm. After she left, I went to the store and virus has been an impediment to weddings this year. It
Two brides in white gowns posed with each other for bought a bouquet and boutonniere for the couple along was wonderful to see so many expressions of love and
photographs with family and friends. I did chuckle when with a bottle of champagne. When I arrived back at my commitment at The Biltmore – Love American Style.
I saw all the females wore sneakers with their gowns office, my assistant, Anne, advised me Nancy had called Until next month…
since they were walking on thick grass. I never did see the and told her there would be no wedding that day! The James A. Cioffi, Editor
grooms or their groomsmen since the custom continues blood tests results were not ready!! That was 1984 when james@jcclaw.com
that the bride does not see the groom before the ceremony. blood tests were required before a marriage license was
P.S. If you have an interesting wedding story, please
forward it to me.

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