Margo's Thanks

There are no words. . .

that can express how overwhelmingly grateful we feel to everyone in this amazing congregation! What can we say that will speak to the many hours of preparation so many of you gave in order that we would have a perfect wedding concert, ceremony, and reception?

The weeks before the wedding were filled with planning and bustling; so many details, so much scheduling, and so many things to make sure were ready by July 1. Little of this was done by us; rather, it was almost all done by the members and friends of Chalice! And the result was that the night of the wedding was a magnificent gift to us!

The setting of First UU Church of San Diego was so very beautiful; the concert - every part of it - was spectacular beyond our wildest hopes and dreams; the chapel was overwhelming with the fragrance of flowers and twinkling lights; every person who gave of their time, talents, and finances, to create this for us has left us with full hearts and tears of gratitude! We are not even able to thank all of those who made this service so powerful and personal, because the list would take up the rest of the newsletter.

The ceremony was exactly what we had dreamed for our wedding evening: a candlelight service; being walked down the isle by a family member and a Chalice member to represent the importance of both in our lives; a longtime and close friend, Jared Fulton, to perform the wedding ceremony and thus continue to share in a deep friendship; the opportunity to share more of ourselves through our symbol of unity was an honor; the music chosen for this part of the service was personalized and powerful; and the presence of so many people whom we deeply cherish bearing witness of our commitment to one another. All of these we consider gifts as well!

And the reception, though chaotic due to space issues, was joyful, beautifully decorated, and filled with the most wonderful food , as well as the best band in San Diego – GRUNION RUN! (Not that we are biased!) We were only sorry that we did not get to spend much time at the reception to enjoy the music and food, and we are sorry we had even less time to speak with each and every one of you. We have decided we will simply say, “Thank you for being present, and we hope you had a wonderful time at the reception party!”

We returned from our honeymoon to hours of opening cards, cards filled with an outpouring of support and love for us, as well as best wishes for a lifetime of love toward and connection with one another. These cards, with their warmth and bigheartedness, are just as valuable to us as the cards with financial support for the generous “honeymoon fund.” We thank the generous spirit that each and every one of you has shown toward us at this important time of our lives – whether that be with a card, a financial gift, a specific gift, hours of volunteering, sharing musical talent, or even all of the above combined, as well as a myriad of other gifts that we cannot think of right now.

The hundreds of hours spent volunteering, organizing, creating, practicing, and laboring , as well as attending our wedding - all to provide us with a perfect wedding - as well as financial support for a perfect honeymoon - is deeply treasured by us! We find that there are no words to fully express our gratitude for your love and support.

With respect and affection,
Tom Brower and Margo McKenna Brower