The last outdoor (almost) wedding of the season

Today's wedding was supposed to be in the gazebo at Spring Lake Park, which overlooks the lake and the hillside all a-flame with October's red and gold. But this morning, I woke up to...

...leaves in puddles, rain showers, blowing mist
and a 50-degree temperature reading.

While a misty, 50-degree day may be good for stomping around the Irish countryside or staying inside with hot tea and a sweater and a good book, it's definitely not playing-the-harp-outdoors weather. Especially not the Lyon & Healy, which I needed to play because the soloist would be singing the Malotte "Lord's Prayer."

It was heartbreaking to get the call from the bride telling me the wedding was moving indoors. She sounded so sad. I could tell that the dream of her outdoor wedding was gone. But it was also a relief that I wouldn't have to wear mittens while playing or bundle up or worry about the harp getting rained on, going out of tune or breaking strings because of the weather.

Even inside, it was a lovely wedding.

The bridal party dressed in black, the bridesmaids wore goddess-style dresses and carried autumn-hued flowers, and the music sounded great in the Kato Ballroom, which was decked in white lights and its usual great atmosphere.

And the bride was smiling radiantly when she walked down the aisle. A happy ending after all.