Here Comes the Bride(s)

Some brides delight in paving a new path, while others revel in the tenets of tradition. Bride-to-be Megan Wolf spans both paths while planning her December wedding at the Pfister. Megan’s mother, Lisa, celebrated her 1985 nuptials with family and friends in the elegant Imperial Ballroom.  33 years later, daughter Megan will celebrate her own marriage in the very same room, in a way that is uniquely her.

Megan and her siblings, Chelsea and Tommy, grew up paging through their parents’ wedding album when they were looking for a reason to laugh. The trio found comedy in each page, from the heavily permed hair of every member of the wedding party, to the large eye glasses on guests, and including their father’s mustache; each page gave them an opportunity to poke fun at what was one time the height of wedding chic. Megan, as a little girl who found endless amusement in those photos, never imagined that her own wedding photos would one day feature many of the same backgrounds found in her parents’ pictures of their special day.

Paging through the much maligned album with the mother and daughter, we giggled through the pages, enjoying the walk back through time. I was compelled to defend many of the Lisa’s choices, as they were reflective of the most stylish weddings of the era. When the bride’s headpiece was singled out for ribbing, I rushed to its defense, confirming the hat donned by her mother was the ultimate in elegance at the time, explaining that none other than 80’s style icon Princess Diana was often seen wearing hats of a similar style.

The wedding album perfectly illustrates how times and tastes have changed; the way modern brides celebrate their weddings reflect those changes. Megan has decided to have both her ceremony and reception in the Imperial Ballroom, and decision her mother applauds. When Lisa wed, it was typical for brides to marry in a church, then leave their guests for several hours to take photographs, reconnecting with guests at a later reception. This custom meant the couple wasn’t able to enjoy the company of those who gathered to be part of the special day. Lisa is pleased that Megan will have more time to celebrate with her guests, many of whom will be traveling from significant distances to be a part of the festivities.  The details of these two weddings are notably different. The menus, entertainment choices, dresses, those choices vary between the brides, but what remains the same is the gathering family and friends to witness a lifetime commitment between a bride and groom very much in love.

The love and friendship between the mother and daughter was evident and heartening as we discussed Pfister weddings past and future. The two were happy and easy with each other and when I asked about their bond, the pair attributed their closeness to a true understanding of each other. Both women laughed as Lisa revealed that she understood Megan so well because “all of her good qualities are my good qualities and all of her bad qualities are my bad qualities.” Megan nodded in agreement with her mother’s assessment, adding that, throughout her life, her mother has been “nothing short of amazing,” noting her appreciation that she is always able to trust her mother to listen, rather than react, when she confides in her.

This deep family attachment has been cultivated through the generations. Lisa was very close to her own mother and often says that when her mother “stood at the gates of heaven” the only things that could be said about her was that she was “a good and faithful servant to the Lord.” Megan added that the same could be said about her mother, Lisa. She went on to say how much she admired her mother for being a woman who “dwells in faith.” The legacy of love was apparent between the women and expands in encompass the entire family.

Two generations of Pfister brides; one very happy family.  There is more of this story to tell. We’ll check in with the pair again soon to discover more of the contrasts between the 1985 and 2018 wedding, as well as hear Lisa’s advice for a successful marriage.