The "Wedding on the Beach" Story

It was an ordinary day. We were sitting on the beach waiting for a piece of wedding cake. The "We" is Jerry, Just Sue, Carol and me. Seems that last night we decided to go on a sailing trip. We scheduled the "Sunset Cruise" trip which is on a large catamaran. We left from Christiansted, St. Croix at about 5:30 PM for our cruise. The cruise included sailing from the Christiansted dock, along the coast to the east for about an hour, then reversing our course and sailing west into the sunset until it disappeared in the horizon. Also included a small snack and all the rum punch you could drink as well as island music. Since most on the cruisers hadn't eaten supper yet, the rum punch was working fast. The seas were choppy and several people took to the side of the boat or the john before long. I know how they felt, because I have been sea sick a few times myself and you wish you were dead when you get like that. The sunset was gorgeous as it usually is when you're on vacation. We got to talking to Justin and Heather who also were passengers and in their twenties. They were from the states and were getting married the next day. We asked them where they were getting married and they said the Divi. "Funny, that's where we're staying," I said to them. We talked some more with them and then they asked us, "Would you be our witnesses for our wedding? We don't know anyone on the island and they charge you a fee to have witnesses." "You bet we will," we all replied. I even volunteered to take photos for them. And so, here we are, seated on the beach waiting for the wedding to begin. 5:00 PM wedding. Jerry and I put on the best shorts and shirts we had and the girls got all decked out in their island dresses. The wedding music comes from a fellow playing the steel drums. How cool was that! Then the musician breaks into the wedding march on the drums and here comes Heather down the aisle, or sand I should say, in her beautiful wedding dress. Justin is standing next to the minister in the shade of the palm trees. Wow! No, make that double Wow!! I'm snapping away and loving it. Behind them, in the Caribbean sea is a jet skier who is having a ball doing jumps to show off for the half dozen guests at the wedding. They meet in front of the minister. Justin has written a song for his new bride and plays it on the guitar as he sings it. The guy is pretty good. Why didn't I think of writing and playing something for Carol when we got married? Oh, yeah, I can't play the guitar, but I could have played the harmonica, but then again you can't play the harmonica and sing at the same time. Oh, well. And then, the minister pronounces them Mr. and Mrs. Cleary, the groom gives the bride a big kiss, and the drummer breaks out with some island music. I arrange for some photos after the service as if I know what I'm doing, then the wedding cake arrives. Had to take photos of that before, during the cutting, and while we were eating it. I'm not sure who is enjoying this more, me or them. I promised them I would email them all the photos as soon as we got home, which I did. And, they turned out beautiful. Lucky for me. Even got a nice note back from them telling us how they were doing, thanking us for participating in their wedding, and for the photos. It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy. PS - pixs from the top are: Cruisers Carol and LDub on the left and Jerry and Just Sue on the right, steel drums being played, Heather walking down the aisle, Justin playing the guitar, cutting of the wedding cake and photo on the beach after the ceremony.