Charming coincidence: Three

Yes, the day had seemed so very charmed, even before the late afternoon ceremony. Brilliant streaks of morning sun had shined through the window of the bridal suite I shared with my daughter, the hours before the wedding. Alone, I might have unraveled a bit, but her joyful anticipation was contagious.

Before the room pulsed with bridesmaids and photographers trying to snap the intimacies of bridal party preps: scenes of primping, light feasting, and secret notes passing from groom headquarters to bride headquarters, and back again, Em and I stole a quiet moment. One in which she opened my tiny gift to her, a charm to slip onto her bracelet of beaded memories. This one meant to commemorate her wedding day.

In this quiet time between hustle and bustle, Em immediately realized what I had realized the night before, when she and her groom presented their parents with tokens of their affection at the Rehearsal Dinner. My gift was an autumn-scented Yankee Candle, set on a glass plate, covered by a  crackled glass shade. The simple acrylic sketch of a fall tree etched on  the plate and shade displayed oversized leaves in chestnut brown, burnt orange, and sage green.  Emily’s wedding hues.

It was as if the leafy candle design had shrunk to the size of a sunflower seed, to fit the surface of the bead in Em’s gift box. 

We had surprised each other by exchanging almost exact symbols in honor of her autumn wedding day. 




And now on to the biggest charmer of them all. . .