This weekend marks a special day for my parents, Charlie and Luisa. Sunday, June 8th is their 40th anniversary. Wow!!
Meanwhile, I hope they get home to celebrate with friends back in Virginia Beach. See the post below for details on their waiting game in Germany.
Here are some photos from their big day in Panama, 1968. Some of the players include my Italian grandparents, Terzo and Vicenza, who traveled from Rome for the Big Day. They didn’t speak English, so Mom was busy translating . . . and they smiled a lot. My father’s parents were stationed at the Panama Canal in those days. Grandpa George was the Navy’s executive officer of the base there. (Dad, please correct me on any of these factoids.)
Mom and Dad wed in Panama, with Dad due to sail for Vietnam shortly thereafter. I was there, too, in a way, tucked into the folds of Mom’s wedding dress. Can you tell?
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- Pre-wedding shower with my grandmothers, Vicenza and Sue, an unknown woman, and the bride, Luisa.
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- Wedding loot: the colander in the corner (with stuff in it) is mine now. Amazing!
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- The grandparents: Sue, Terzo and Vicenza
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- Rehearsal dinner: Great-grandma Earnest, Dad and his parents, George and Sue
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- Luisa gets ready for her big day.
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- Terzo, my grandfather, walks Luisa down the aisle.
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- Say your prayers, Dad!
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- Champagne fountain, a girl’s best friend.
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- Mom looks small next to that blade and that cake.
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- Cutting the cake with Dad’s big sword.
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- She looks important in that big hat. I have no idea who she is.
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- Luisa and Charlie chat with friends.
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- Newlyweds walk under the ceremonial Navy swords.
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- Newlyweds under the swords. Kiss, kiss!
