Excitement was running high in my hair salon the Wednesday before Halloween.
One of the stylists, Jessie, was getting married the coming Saturday: two days away.
“The wedding is going to be at her future Mother-in-Law’s farm in Pennsylvania. We’re all going over after work to help with the decorations. It’ll be a beautiful outdoor wedding.”
Images of big orange pumpkins, corn husks and glorious fall foliage flash into my mind. I picture the bridesmaids, dressed in pale orange dresses, walking though the field that will become the aisle, arm in arm with their grooomsmen, who wear large orange chrysanthemums in their lapels. The flower girl toddles down next, carefully distributing chrysanthemum petals along her path.
And then the bride, with her parents, make their appearance to the music of the familiar, “Here comes the Bride.” It will be a sunny, brisk, fall day, and everyone will feel invigorated and happy for the young couple.
I did not believe the weather forecast the day before the big event. “Becoming cloudy tonight, temperatures dropping, with snow arriving tomorrow.” Those weather casters will do anything for some extra camera time, I think. Who ever heard of snow on Halloween weekend?
But by Saturday morning the headlines were “Nor‘easter is approaching our area and will bring heavy snow today. The expected accumulations will be from six to twelve inches.” My cynical policy is to ignore weather forecasts. Weathermen are usually wrong, right? I remember one Thanksgiving eons ago that brought snow, but Thanksgiving is a full month away from Halloween, and even snow that early was unusual.
Unusual or not, impossible or not, the flakes started falling about 1PM on Saturday. They fell harder and more forcefully, with winds bringing down tree limbs with the sickening sound of loud cracking noises as the noble trees broke and split in two. Our local roads were paralyzed. Then all power went out.
We have no lights, no electricity, no heat. Just as my feelings are grim and depressing, my thoughts come to Jessie.
Poor Jessie. Her wedding day is ruined. What will they do? The decorations are being destroyed by the now blinding snow and it will be impossible to continue with their plans. What size is the farm house? Large enough to move the wedding indoors? How are the roads in Pennsylvania? Will the guests be able to plow through? Will the bride and groom?
I am anxiously awaiting hearing about what happened that day.
MorristownMemos 
Comments on: "FALL WEDDING" (5)
OMG, I feel sorry for Jessie – but love her added comments!! So much snow! Here in Melbourne Australia, I have to drive over two hours to see snow. Wow… but on your wedding day!
Thank you so much for writing this beautiful story. I wanted to share what really went down. Here it goes
Leave it to you and Chris to pick the night of your wedding that’s due to get 5 inches of snow in Oct!” That was the text I got from Jill Turpin on Friday. I thought it was a clear misunderstanding between the weather people and somerset county.
Even on our drive home on Sat from having my hair done, Lucia and I joked about her little Prius not being able to drive in the snow to get her and her family to Far Hills. At 1:30 Chris called to tell me that he had good and bad news. The top tent had collapsed, but we were moving the party to the bottom tent. Within minutes Mrs. Todd called and told me that the power was going in and out, so we would have to move the wedding to Mary’s house. Everyone staying with me got in the car to go help move all the things from one location to the next. I call Katy and Meghan to start calling people and tell them wedding was at a different location. By 2:30 people were texting,emailing, calling. They had lost power, trees were down, babysitters had canceled. Shortly after chris called and told me to call off the wedding. It was simply too dangerous for anyone to travel. My heart now sat next to my feet. Once again I called Katy and Meg to call everyone again and tell them there would be no wedding.Band,DJ,pianist, caterer,liquor delivery. Who to call first? Walking around in circles seemed to help as my phone kept coming alive. The ceremony plan also changed since we could not find Matt to marry us. We mind as well could of been a snow flake, not knowing where to land. Around 4:30 my brain had officially melted and I was ready to hide under the bed. I heard Meghan and Renee walk and open a bottle of wine. They were waiting for the bride to come downstairs and take me to get married. I sat on my bed, not knowing which muscle would be the first to make a move. It seemed as if everyone had a plan with the exception of Chris and I. At the point my phone rang and all I heard was” Jesenia, will you marry me?” And just like that, we finally had a solid plan.
A little after 6p.m I walked into a house that had no power, but was lit up with candles that sat in dozens of pumpkins that had been carved days earlier by all the boys. There was no mirror to do a final makeup/dress check. Meghan’s beautiful voice lead me to the top of the stairs where Chris patiently waited. And just like that we became husband and wife. Thank you to all that decided that there would be no snow that would keep you from joining us that night and to all those were ready but no able to make it.
It is know that fire ants can survive a flood by forming a ball together so tight with their bodies. They can float up to 2 miles in this ball and even if one was to throw it up in the air, it wouldn’t come undone. Well this weekend our family and friends were our fire ants. We couldn’t of done it without you. To all that were involved, thank you so much for having our backs and not being afraid of taking action in all the places needed. We love you.
P.S. Somehow in all the unorganized chaos, Chris and I never had a camera with us. We would love any photo taken last weekend
Jesenia
Jesie,
Congratulations for making it all work. We all wish you and Chris every happiness together. You’ll never forget your wedding day.Thanks for letting us know what happened after the storm.
Ronnie
Hope the wedding went well! Do let us know. Have you got power and heating now? Yes, astonishing to have snow on Halloweens!! Stay warm.. 😐
I hope the salon will be open again soon. The town it’s located in still has no power, the schools are still closed, and we’re hoping they get back to normal soon.
Thanks for your comment.
Ronnie