Imagine planning your daughter’s outdoor wedding in August, in Iowa, on your own acreage, with only the sun and wind for power. What could possibly go wrong? Rather, what could not go wrong?
A summer of records rains, the most oppressive heat in recent memory, mosquitoes everywhere and a lack of stored energy turned out to be the least this Mother of the Bride (MOB) had to worry about. Instead, days filled with researching mysterious dragonfly swarms, tracking down the owner of a small plane determined to buzz overhead, wondering about a husband’s concerning new penchant for burning what he thought was unwanted furniture (The “where is the couch, dear?” moment), and managing a young, ambivalent “whatever” bride, is what occupied this MOB.
So, when she finds herself ditch diving for flowers in the days before the wedding with her very pregnant daughter-in-law driving the get-away car, this perfectionist-leaning MOB had come to realize that even the most careful planning was no guarantee things would go as expected.
THE PLANNING OF LULABELLE’S WEDDING UNDER THE WILLOW is a creative non-fiction story complete at 10,000 words. Think Green Acres meets My Big Fat Greek Wedding. It is a look at the unique obstacles and unpredictable challenges one mom faced when trying to provide her daughter with the Perfect wedding under the willow.
If you are interested in the status of my current projects, I’d love to hear from you at bclark@iowareflections.com