So, Jean and I got married last weekend and I’m happy to say she is now Jean Erasmus. Whew, it was a lot of work, but it was worth it. The ceremony was held at the legislative assembly and the reception was at the Chief Drygeese Center in Dettah. And many people told me it was an awesome, entertaining, and happy event.
Jean was simply stunning in a dress that will be used more than once. What I mean is she refused to buy a dress that she would only use once and then hang in the closet to be pulled out once in a blue moon to show her friends or to see if she can still fit it. Instead, she bought a practical dress that can be used for many occasions. Eschia!
We were honored to have Winston Wuttunnee come from B.C., with his partner Geri, to perform our ceremony and to be our emcee. The consummate entertainer, Winston kept us laughing throughout the day and evening as he kept coming up with unexpected surprises.
We were lucky enough to have friends and family come from all over western Canada to witness our ceremony. People mainly came from Alberta and B.C., but some also came from Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and from various places in the NWT. We really appreciated the time we were able to spend with loved ones, who came to our place to eat and visit, to the ceremony, and the wedding. Some people came several days before the wedding and others stayed well beyond our special day.
We were also lucky to have our children heavily involved. Jean’s son Ian walked her down the aisle and her daughter Akina sang at the ceremony and again at the reception. Meanwhile, Roy and Cody walked me down the aisle. My cousin sent me a picture of us three standing at the front and he said, “It was good to see your boys stand by your side ... life doesn’t get better than that.”
The reception had no alcohol and it was down to earth with a lot of fun and good music by North Country Rock and other entertainers. There was so much laughter and countless special moments. Many people, including the photographer who laughed along with us, commented on how it was such a joyful event, and several said it showed that “people don’t have to drink to have a good time.”
It was a lot of work and stressful, but we didn’t allow that to affect us in a negative way. In fact, it emphasized how well Jean and I work together ... as long as she remembered who was the boss. Mwahahahaha. Just kidding. Actually, we took care of different things and consulted with each other a lot. Team Erasmus, baby!
Even the weather was terrific, with lots of sunshine and a high of around 15C for several days. Just wonderful for this time of year. And of course, the Northern Lights capped off an incredible day by putting on a brilliant display on our way home. They were moving dramatically like I haven’t seen for a while; cars were parked all over, and every time we stopped we could hear people oohing and ahing ... just as we were doing.
We are sending out a huge thank you to all of the people who we received help from. This includes the planners, decorators, entertainers, and people who moved things like tables, chairs, and scaffolding to and from Dettah. Of course, we can’t forget the people who took down the decorations, the caterers, people who donated wild meat and fish, and those who were kind enough to put up our family and friends in their homes. If I left anyone out, it wasn’t intentional.
Yes, it’s true, we tied the knot ... and I’m a lucky man as I get to spend my life with a kind, respectful, and loving woman that I adore and who adores me.