As the sun began to set and the tide rolled in higher and higher, DS and I decided it was time to call it a day and leave the beach. We had spent the whole day there, leaving only for a short time to eat at our favorite restaurant and do a little shopping. We had been building a sand castle, each of us working quietly, lost in our own dreams. As we turned around to head up the beach, we were suprised to find we were uninvited guests at a wedding.

It was a small wedding, an extremely intimate ceremony with less than a dozen people. I was a bit embarrassed to find myself there, but minister said "join us", so we did. There was no way we could have left anyway, a white runner had already been laid out from the beach access steps to where our chairs sat, blocking the exit. DS moved the chairs back and sat down in one, I stood next to him and watched.

Descending the steps came 4 Marines in their dress uniforms, their sabers glinting orange in the last rays of the setting sun. The reached the bottom and stood at attention, 2 on each side, as the groom, also a Marine in dress uniform, descended the steps followed by his best man in a black suit. I studied his face, full of excitement, pride, and love. He spoke to the minister and then spoke to his best man until movement at the top of the steps caught his eye. Mine followed...

The first bridesmaid descended wearing a scarlet sun dress carrying a basket of scarlet roses. Her hair was pulled up and she was barefoot. She was followed by another bridesmaid, this one in a black sun dress, carrying a basket of the same roses, her hair pulled up, barefoot. The mother of the bride descended wearing a beige suit, the wind blowing her short hair, she was also barefoot. She was walking with the flower girl, a child of perhaps 4, with beautiful blonde hair and big blue eyes in a cream colored gown trimmed in scarlet. She tossed scarlet rose petals reluctantly from her little basket.

The groom's eyes lit up then as his bride stood at the top of the steps with her father, a dashing man in a black suit with a scarlet tie. She was beautiful in her cream colored gown trimmed in scarlet, a bigger version of the flower girl, but she wore ballerina slippers. It was obvious that the child was her daughter, the resemblance was uncanny.

The Marines pulled their sabers as they passed by and stood there at attention, proud and silent. It was a short ceremony, the vows interrupted by the flower girl who was feeling a little left out. It was simple, it was beautiful. I cried.

The minister announced the new couple, the Marines crossed their sabers to form the Arch of Steel, the 2 at the far end forming their X to block the path of the couple until they stopped under the arch and kissed. The sabers then raised, they passed through and the bride received the traditional swat on the backside and the greeting "Welcome to the Marine Corps, Ma'am!" They saluted the guards, his very professional, her's a little awkward...but it was a salute she'll remember the rest of her life for it's the only time she'll ever salute them.

When it was over DS said "now that's the way a wedding should be...short!" I could only smile as I wiped away my tears.

Today would have been my 25th wedding anniversary. I remember how desperately I wanted to be married on the beach at sunset, but with a Grandmother in a wheelchair and family coming from "way up north" who would melt in the NJ summer heat, it never happened. Until now. Although it wasn't my wedding, it was my dream played out before me. And sometimes a dream is all you need...

Maryanne