Weddings and such…

The weather has been iffy all summer long, but for the wedding of my granddaughter Helen Matheson and her fiancé, Wyant Wharton, it was gorgeous.

As a family, we have been waiting for Wyant and Helen to marry. It is a happy melding of families and of two beautiful people. It is always fun to be part of someone’s joyful event. This was extremely happy! Nearly everyone in the family came. All the cousins except Moseley and Coleman made it from all over the place.

Earlier on the day of the wedding, all the bridesmaids were at the Scout House where they spent the night after the rehearsal dinner. A young woman named Marci Cotten runs a business called “A More Beautiful You,” which does hair and makeup for bridal parties all over this part of Virginia. She was hired to do makeup and fancy hairdos for all of the bridesmaids and me before the wedding. It was fun to be made up and have my hair intricately woven into a bun, showing off the remaining turquoise tinsel in my hair. Marci and her partner are marvelous at getting the best look possible for each girl (and older women). Like any bunch of young women together, the conversations were constant and the mood ebullient. Helen has a gaggle of friends who love her and wish her the best… The positive energy palpated through the house. As they gradually transformed into gorgeous bridesmaids and traded their short, matching dressing gowns for soft green bridesmaid dresses, the mood shifted. Happy anticipation filled all of us. Show time was approaching. Susie’s Mother and I walked together to the church, which was a block and a half away. The temperature was perfect, so we never broke a sweat or mussed our hair. We arrived in plenty of time to sit and gossip before the guests arrived. We relaxed in the cool nave, soaking up the ambiance and letting ourselves feel relaxed and at peace.

The wedding was held in the lovely Christ Church on High Street here in Charlottesville, VA. It is a traditional-looking church that hosted a traditional wedding service. All the guests were dressed up and looked sharp. The several grandmothers, including me, were spiffy and clearly put thought into their outfits. I was wearing red!!! This is certainly not a traditional grandmother color for a wedding day. I asked my daughter-in-law, Susie, for permission first. I knew it was inappropriate, but it was such a pretty dress! It turned out Susie didn’t wear a traditional mother-of-the-bride dress either. Hers was chartreuse and looked like a sundress, with strappy shoulders and a sleeveless bodice. She was radiant. All the grandmothers were wearing pretty dresses. The temperature was dropping, and we all carried wraps, which we needed badly later.

The service was over before we knew it. There wasn’t much extra besides their vows and a reading or two from the Bible. It is a lovely church and the wedding was traditional. The bridesmaids were lovely, and their dresses were so stylish that I bet they wear them again just for fun (and to look glamorous)

We drove from mid Charlottesville to Blue Cedar, Murdoch and Susie’s gracious stone house in Keswick. The house sits high on a small mountain, with a spectacular view. We walked through the chic house and admired Susie’s wonderful taste on our way out the back. Suddenly, the rear view opened up again, and the extensive backyard stretched into the distance. A huge tent stood in view, with a dance floor, bandstand, tables, and chairs. Music filled the air along with friendly chatter and the hum of voices. Everywhere one looked, festive seating areas, a large circular bar adorned with brilliant flowers, and servers passing delectable treats filled the space. Guests wandered about, gathering drinks and fabulous tiny hors d’oeuvres. Oh! Near the house, an oyster bar drew guests who were busy eating oysters. Everything was generally wonderful. The evening sun streamed in colors not normally seen late in the afternoon, unless a storm was brewing. And perhaps there was one somewhere in the area. Rain did fall after everyone had eaten dinner at tables under the tent. By that time, most people did not even notice.

After a decent “drinks and photos” period, with guests strolling around the open space, people were encouraged to sit at their assigned tables under the tent. We sat down and began talking to the others at our tables. Then we went to the buffet for a delicious array of food by the Caterer, A Pimento. I skipped doing this for myself as one of my sons brought me a plate of extraordinary variety. I wasn’t as hungry as I would have been if I hadn’t eaten so many oysters!!! My! They were good!!!! All the food was simply marvelous.



I only discovered it was raining when I put my arm around my son Murdoch’s shoulders. “You are very wet!” I exclaimed when I touched him. He told me it was raining and that he was wet because he had been outside lighting “firepits” for guests to sit near. However, the rain put out the fires, and people didn’t sit outside because of it. No one cared.


The band, The Wynn Brothers, was so good that people danced constantly. Of course, the drastic temperature drop may have crowded the dance floor. Those girls in bare tops must have been freezing! So they danced! The whole party danced, and the band only got better over time! Several of my grandsons asked me to dance. It was so much fun.

Did I mention the toasts and the bride and groom’s wedding dances, plus dancing with their respective mothers and fathers? All the traditions were met. Murdochs’s toast to the couple was epic. He is a good speaker, and his speech was dear, funny, and a tearjerker all at once. There was even a cheering section for Woodberry Forest and Episcopal High School! The joy was ubiquitous. The energy so positive you could feel it thrumming along with the music. Everywhere one looked, smiling faces and positive body language flashed across one’s eyes. Weddings like this are priceless. We have been blessed over and over with friendly weddings among families that get along and understand each other. It certainly makes things go smoothly. And it is FUN!

Helen was gorgeous in her Mother’s wedding dress for the ceremony and earlier part of the evening. Susie wore that same dress when she married Murdoch so many years ago. However, the veil was new. It was one of the prettiest bridal veils I have ever seen. Later in the evening, the bride went upstairs to change into a dress made entirely of rhinestones. It must have weighed 15 pounds! But during the second half of the party, Helen was spectacular in the “dance dress” she changed into. Her figure is perfect, and she exuded an aura of pure delight which made everyone happy just to be near. Helen and Wyant fed each other cake and clearly had fun with the entire cake thing. The young flower girls loved it. But so did the grandparents and all the guests. 

I left after that, so I cannot give a first-hand account of what happened next. However, one of my houseguests never came home until morning, so you can draw your own conclusions. It is safe to say it was a wedding to remember! The newlyweds left a day later for their honeymoon in France. They returned safely two weeks later, glowing with pleasure and happy to be home.

I wonder who will be next?/

Copyright©. 2026 Bonnie B. Matheson