Shannon here: Heather Greer shares the little things that went wrong at her wedding, plus a chance to win a copy of her Historical Romance, Window of Opportunity. Comment or answer the question in this post to enter the drawing. Deadline: Jan 21st, 11:59 pm central time. Here’s Heather:
When my then-boyfriend asked me to marry him in July, I knew we weren’t waiting until June for the ceremony despite it being the wedding month of the year. Six months seemed right. But January is so blah. February, however, is all about romance. But not the fourteenth. That would be too cliché. February seventh. Perfect.
And despite roses being way more expensive, thanks to Valentine’s Day, it was a beautiful day for a wedding. Though winter can be tricky in southern Illinois, the roads were clear for guests to arrive. But as we left the church, instead of pictures filled with birdseed or bubbles surrounding us, we were able to get photos of snowflakes swirling around us. Beautiful.
Beautiful but not perfect. The florist was late. The punch at the reception was more like a thick slushie than punch. My new step-daughter kept the crowd entertained, as young children tend to do at weddings, throughout the entire ceremony. Oh, and did I mention, my ex-boyfriend showed up?
As I sat with my dress spread out around me and over a chair in the church basement, my maid of honor rushed down the steps to tell me of his arrival. What? How? I knew he wasn’t on the guest list. Apparently, he was friends with one of my fiancé’s friends and tagged along with them. My aunt said she would tell him to leave, but I said no. The last thing I wanted was to cause a scene on my wedding day.
I couldn’t decide which was worse, that he showed up at all or that he didn’t seem to connect the dots and realize he was at an ex-girlfriend’s wedding. True, we hadn’t known or dated one another for more than a few weeks, but still. He could have had the decency to at least remember we’d dated and slip out the back door. Instead, he sat on the end of a row and will forever be remembered as a guest since we have video of my walk down the aisle, right past him.
As I said, my wedding day was beautiful but not perfect. I don’t think any of them truly are, and that’s okay. Romance isn’t perfect. Love, at least our love, fails sometimes. I could have cried over each snag in my wedding day plans. Instead, the reason for the day gave me perspective.
It didn’t matter that the flowers were late, the punch was frozen, I was upstaged by my step-daughter, my
ex showed up, and all the other little things that didn’t go the way I planned. On February seventh, I married the man I loved. We began an equally imperfect life together. Now, almost twenty-six years later, we’ve laughed, grown, struggled, shared, and fought for and against each other. In short, we’ve loved each other as imperfectly as people do. But we’ve also trusted God together and allowed Him to bring our marriage, our relationship to a stronger, better place. It’s still imperfect, but that doesn’t make it any less beautiful.
While my wedding day didn’t happen exactly as I planned, I had it far better than Evangeline does in my new book, Window of Opportunity. Forced by circumstances beyond her control into a marriage of convenience, Evangeline loses all she has known for a man she barely knows. No friends celebrated the happy couple. There was no gift-laden reception. She didn’t even have an awkward honeymoon trip to try to learn more about the man she married.
Evangeline’s marriage begins on a less than happy note. Far from perfect and filled with misunderstanding, the events leave Evangeline wondering if she’s doomed to a loveless marriage. But hope, love, and faith are powerful things. And it’s going to take all three for God to turn her bleak circumstances into something beautiful.
About Heather: Heather Greer writes contemporary and historical romance from her home in southern Illinois. A preacher’s kid and a pastor’s wife, she is blessed to share her faith through her stories. She prays her stories encourage and challenge readers to live their faith every day, in every area of their lives. While she loves that God’s allowed her to use her passion for reading and writing to minister to others, her greatest blessings are her family and friends. Heather loves spending time with her husband and four grown children, but being Gigi to three littles is especially sweet. Learn more & connect:
Heather’s Website & Blog Heather’s Facebook Heather’s Pinterest
Heather’s Twitter Heather’s Instagram
About the book – Window of Opportunity:
Faith and duty drive Evangeline Moore to protect her father’s pristine image as a judge in Harrisburg, Illinois. Her resolve’s biggest test? Dot, her childhood friend. With Evangeline beside her, Dot’s desire for the Roaring Twenties’ glitz and glamor leads the pair into questionable situations.
Born into a Chicago mob family, Brendan Dunne understands duty, but faith puts him at odds with his father’s demands. Even when his brother James’s propensity for trouble lands them in Harrisburg, the truth is undeniable. To their father, the lines he won’t cross mean Brendan will never measure up.
When circumstances push Brendan and Evangeline together, unexpected events create opportunity to break free of family expectations. Will they be brave enough to forge their own path before the window closes on their chance to change?
Can’t wait for the drawing? Worried you won’t win? Interested in Heather’s other titles?
Get your copy/copies now!
Window of Opportunity Heather’s books
Come back Jan 13th for Betty Woods!
book sounds great!
I have a winner! Kim Hampton won the drawing. I appreciate Heather for being my guest and everyone else for stopping by.