Don
and Marsha's Wedding
Story written by Rick Archer
November 2012
On 12 October
2012, the gang assembled for Don and Marsha's Wedding on a
warm Friday evening. The ceremony was held in a lovely
courtyard at the home of Marsha's father.
I would describe
the ceremony as relaxed and informal. The entire
evening had a wonderful charm to it. There were about
60 people in attendance. Some were relatives from
Marsha's family and some from Don's family. The
largest group in attendance were Don and Marsha's
friends from Marla's SSQQ Travel group.
This was the
first time a "land wedding" was followed by a honeymoon on
one of Marla's cruise trips. Many of the people in
attendance on Friday would also be taking a
cruise two days later on Sunday. This was not a coincidence.
Marsha and Don planned to use the Magic 2012 cruise trip as their
honeymoon. As a result, not only did the wedding have the feel of a family
gathering for the fellow travelers, so did the entire cruise.
Over the years,
a group of friends has developed around Marla's cruise
trips. I would like to share the story.
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A Trip Down Memory Lane: Two
Amigos and One Amiga |
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Iqbal |
Marsha first
came to our Travel group in
Hawaii 2007. Marsha was a
last-minute addition. However, as you can see, she
fit right in. One of the people Marsha
met on the trip was Iqbal.
Marsha, Iqbal, Marla, Keith - Hawaii
2007
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Becky, Andy, Marsha, Victoria -
Hawaii 2007 |
Greg, Mara, Iqbal
Hawaii 2007 |
Marsha and Iqbal were back
the following year for
Greece 2008
This
trip was Iqbal's finest hour. Iqbal was very familiar with this part of the world,
so he took the
entire group under his wing and shared his
knowledge.
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Iqbal
was kind enough to lead us through the streets of
Athens and Kusadasi (Turkey) for two straight days. We felt
fortunate to have Iqbal as
our guide.
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This is a map of the Athens
subway system. As they say, it was all Greek to us.
Little did we know that the subway was even more complicated than it
looked. Not only was there a strike that shut down part of the
system, there was a spot where we all needed to get off and go to
another train.
I honestly don't know
how we would have negotiated this subway system without Iqbal.
Most of us would have been forced to spend a lot of money on a
ship-sponsored excursion or take an expensive cab ride as some did.
As for us, we didn't
spend a dime on the ride. Iqbal wouldn't let us. He paid
for the entire group to ride not only a bus, but the subway as well.
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Iqbal took us everywhere. He showed us the
Parthenon, the Acropolis, the National Museum and the Arch of Hadrin.
Iqbal took us to see the bizarre
changing of the guard at the State House, then showed us a great
place to eat lunch across the street. Later Iqbal took us to a
popular shopping area to finish out
the day.
Thanks to Iqbal, we saw twice as much as any excursion for one-tenth
of the cost.
Our
group trustingly followed Iqbal through to convoluted streets of
Athens for the entire day. In the afternoon, one of the ladies in our group
took me aside. First Jackie marveled at
Iqbal's expertise. Then Jackie said she wanted to
thank me for organizing the trip.
As I always do, I quickly explained that Marla had done all
the work, not me. Jackie smiled and nodded that
she understood my point. Then she said she had something she wanted
to tell me. Jackie began by saying
how wonderful it was to feel so safe as we traveled the
twisty, winding streets of Athens
behind our fearless leader Iqbal.
Jackie said that
she signed up for this trip by herself. She said that she had wanted
to visit this area of the world for a long time, but didn't
presently have
anyone in her life at this time who could accompany her.
Jackie said this trip was literally the
answer to her prayer.
Even
though she didn't know a single soul in our
group, the people in our group had been so kind to her!
Now she wanted to say how grateful
she was that a single lady from the other side of the planet could
feel so completely safe in such a confusing environment. Thanks to
us, she was fulfilling a dream.
I smiled and thanked
Jackie for her kind words. Then I added I felt the same
way about today's trip that she did.
Without Iqbal, we would have never had so grand an adventure.
I ruefully thought back to how lost I had been in Rome
just two days earlier. Thank goodness we had Iqbal to guide us through
Athens!
Now that our group has
completed its twelfth year, I am able to look back and point out
there have always been people in
the group willing to look out for someone who needs help.
Iqbal's generosity on this day was the perfect
example.
Not only did Iqbal save each person a tremendous amount of money,
but he made us feel secure and at ease. We
spent the day laughing and teasing each other without
a care in the world. We were able to enjoy Athens
so much more knowing that we had someone who knew how to
get us back to the ship and was keeping an eye on the clock as well.
It takes real skill to maximize one's time
on shore.
Iqbal's knowledge allowed us to squeeze
every precious moment out of our trip in Athens and still get back
to the ship on time. Not one second was
wasted. Without him, most of us would have returned
much earlier due to our inexperience.
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John, Carol, Iqbal - Vera Cruz 2001
Brenda, Iqbal - Rhapsody 2002 |
Iqbal
has been a guiding force right from the start. The
origin of our Travel Group can be traced back to
Vera Cruz 2001.
Following my divorce in May of
that year, I organized a cruise trip at the studio
to see if I could recapture the "Group Spirit" we
had once had back in the early days of the studio.
To my amazement, 101 people signed up for the trip. I was
delighted to see my idea worked like a charm. The
energy was very high.
Iqbal was on the trip and so was his friend John.
On a
personal level, I wasn't doing very well. I
started the trip in a very bad mood. I was
lonely and not feeling particularly sociable.
There was a woman on the trip on whom I had
a big crush... a crush that was going nowhere.
This woman
had not paid a bit of attention to me for six
months. My uncertainty over why this woman
kept giving me the cold shoulder was driving me
crazy. That woman, of course, was Marla.
I had clung to the hope that perhaps on this trip I
could penetrate the veils of the mystery.
Fortunately I succeeded. With the misunderstanding solved, Marla and I
fell in love. If you are curious, I have
previously told this story in detail.
Origin of the SSQQ Travel Group
By the
time our next cruise came around in 2002, Marla and
I were clicking on all cylinders.
Rhapsody 2002 would turn out to be a very important trip.
Three people were on this trip who would become
remarkable leaders in our Travel Group. Iqbal
was definitely one of the three.
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Rick, Jill, Marla - Vera Cruz 2001
Rick, Marla - Rhapsody 2002 |
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Joan, John, Iqbal, Lynn, Peggy -
Conquest 2007 |
Over the years,
the main reason our group has grown is due to the fact that
people talk their friends into joining. Here again, Iqbal
is the perfect example. Iqbal talked Joan, his friend and favorite dance partner, into
coming along on the
Conquest 2007 cruise.
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Joan
enjoyed that trip thoroughly. She immediately signed up for our
next trip,
Greece 2008.
Joan turned around and talked her friend Pam into joining
us. Now Pam was part of the family too.
This is how Iqbal's
leadership has helped our group to grow. Not only did
he bring his friends on board, he shared his knowledge
to make the trip safer and more enjoyable not just for Pam
and Joan, but for the entire
group. We naturally wanted to thank him.
Fortunately, the
girls found the perfect solution. As you
can see, there are real benefits that come from being a nice
guy.
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My daughter Sam, Iqbal, Jazzy Joan |
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Mara
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Mara Rivas was the second remarkable leader on the
Rhapsody 2002 cruise.
Mara began to
get to know her eventual husband Bruce on that trip.
However they didn't click right off the bat like Marla and I
did. Their romance would take several years to
incubate. However, Mara and Bruce would go on to have a special SSQQ Love Story of their
own.
Bruce and Mara
had originally met at the dance studio in 2002. They
were both guests on our pivotal
Rhapsody 2002 cruise. However they remained
merely dance buddies on that trip.
Perhaps the spark should
have happened on that trip, but it didn't. Cupid even had
some help - Mara's friend Joanie kept insisting that Mara
pay attention to Bruce. Joanie
proclaimed, "Mara, that's a
good-looking man! And he's single! You need to go get him, darling!"
But Mara kept her distance on that trip. Who knows. Maybe Mara wasn't
ready. Maybe Bruce wasn't showing interest.
Nevertheless I have a hunch that at some point during
that trip Mara at least put Bruce up on her radar board.
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Mara and Bruce - Hawaii 2007 |
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Joan, Betty, Rose, Gary, Mara, Marla,
Maureen, Bethany - Rhapsody 2002 |
Rhapsody 2002 was notable because it marked the start of an important
friendship - Mara and Marla.
These two ladies
realized they saw eye to eye on all sorts of things.
Back in those
days they were known as the M&M's.
I believe that
Bruce and Mara started dating in late 2006. One night
Mara was at our house for a Christmas dinner and she
couldn't sit still.
Mara confided to
Marla there was a new man in her life... and she had a date
with him right after dinner! Once Marla found out it
was Bruce, a big smile came over her face. Marla
really liked Bruce.
Marla and I had
the privilege of watching the two of them fall in love right before
our eyes.
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By the time the
Hawaii 2007 cruise came along that next summer, Mara and Bruce were
definitely a couple. They would go on to get
married in December 2008.
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Mara on her triumphant
Champagne Night
Wedding Rhapsody 2004 |
Right from the start, Mara assumed a leadership role on our
cruise trips. One of her best ideas was Champagne
Night. Her inaugural event took place on
Wedding Rhapsody 2004.
That was trip
where I married Marla in an oddball ceremony we labeled our
"Oops Wedding". The entire day was full of mishaps,
but the trip itself was wonderful.
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Marla and I shared our honeymoon with the group. Since then, several
couples have done the same thing.
Don and Jean
Taylor shared their honeymoon with us on
Conquest 2007. Gary and Tracy did the same thing on
Greece 2008.
For Magic 2012, not only did Don and Marsha share their
honeymoon with us, so did Thomas and Cathy Purcell.
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During our 2004
trip, Marla had a bottle of champagne sent to every cabin as
a "Thank you" gesture for sharing our honeymoon. Only
one problem...
One of the men
who was sharing a cabin with another man complained to Mara
that he didn't want to drink the champagne with his
cabin mate. Wrong message. So what was he supposed to do with this bottle
of champagne?
Mara suggested
we all pool our bottles of champagne and have a party on
Formal Night. What a great idea! Not only was
the party a smash hit, some of the guests got very smashed
indeed.
And that's how
the tradition started.
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Patty and Joe, Kurt and Jean - The Gang Grows |
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Thank goodness
Mara was at our 2004 wedding. Mara was instrumental in
keeping Marla glued together during all the Wedding Ceremony
issues.
Also present at
the ceremony were Joe and Patty. They were not on the
cruise itself, but came down for the wedding ceremony.
Both
Patty and Joe were stunned by the beauty of the ship.
When Joe saw how
sad Patty was when it was time to go, he had an idea.
One day at the studio Joe surprised Patty with a birthday
present. He announced to Patty they were signed up for our next cruise.
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Marla
had become friends with Patty in dance class. Patty
enjoyed Marla's smart mouth quips at my expense.
Mara
and Patty would soon become friends as well.
In 2009, Bruce and
Mara met Kurt and Jean in dance class.
The two couples
would go on to become inseparable best friends.
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Mara has a special
talent. She is a born hostess and an excellent organizer.
Never were her
talents more apparent than on the
Barcelona
2009 trip, my favorite.
The group had many
very special moments together.
This picture shows the
group out dining. That is Rick E aka Zorro, Jean, Joan,
Fran, Gus, Albertin, Kurt and Bruce. |
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The picture on
the left shows the group with Barcelona's incredible Sagrada
Cathedral in the background. Albertin, Claudia, Joan,
Zorro, Jean, Bruce, Rick A, Kurt, Patty, Joe, and Marla are
pictured. Mara took the photograph.
The Barcelona
trip was indicative of the energy Mara has invested in
making the cruise trips fun and meaningful for a great number of people.
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In addition,
Mara has done the group a marvelous service in hosting
several parties at her home throughout the year.
This is a picture of a
New Year's Eve Party that Mara hosted for her group of friends.
I think there were men at that party too, but they weren't pretty
enough to rate a picture.
Ever
since I closed my studio in 2010, I think Mara has done the
group a
remarkable favor by helping people maintain very close ties
throughout the year.
Like Iqbal, Mara is a
person who deserves great credit for her leadership.
Mara's finest hour came
on our 2011 Cruise Trip to the Eastern Caribbean. Mara put in
countless hours organizing one special event after another for the
group.
I think the pictures
tell the story.
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The courtyard of
the beautiful Hotel Convento, Virgin Islands 2011
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Kurt, Tiffany,
Jean, Ryan outside Hotel Convento, Virgin Islands 2011
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Group Trip to El
Yunque Rainforest near San Juan, Virgin Islands 2011
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A Day at the Beach
in Saint Thomas, Virgin Islands 2011
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A visit to Morro
Castle in San Jaun, Virgin Islands 2011
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Formal Night on
the cruise trip, Virgin Islands 2011
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A tour through Old
San Juan, Virgin Islands 2011
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A tour through Old
San Juan, Virgin Islands 2011
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Bio-Bay, Virgin
Islands 2011 - "Damn it, Joe!"
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The picture on the right was taken during our tour of the El Yunque
Rainforest outside of San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Our guide, Louie, turned
the girls into tropical runway models with the use of a very large
leaf found in the nature preserve.
It is trips like these
that have helped these women form close friendships that continues
on a year-round basis back in Houston. Mara deserves
tremendous credit for creating and preserving these ties.
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Gary |
We have spoken of Iqbal. We have spoken of Mara.
A third person who
has shown great leadership over the
years is Gary Richardson.
Like Mara, Gary and Betty's
first cruise took place on
Rhapsody 2002.
Gary loves to dance. On the 2002 trip, Gary was
especially frustrated
because there were not enough opportunities to dance. This
drove him nuts because the Rhapsody possessed a terrific
dance floor. In fact, as we would learn through experience,
the Rhapsody had the best dance floor of any ship we would
ever travel on. Except what good is a dance floor if you
can’t use it?
Gary created a
unique solution. After the band quit playing at
Midnight, Gary would plug in his boom box and invite his
friends to stay and dance in the deserted room while
everyone else went to bed. Our group now had this
wonderful dance floor all to themselves. What a treat!
Over the years,
Late Night Dancing became a very important tradition on
every cruise trip. This was the
time when people could dance to their heart's content and make
many close friends in the process.
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There was only one
problem. Dancing late into the night had consequences.
Naturally they got
up so late the next morning they missed breakfast in the dining
room.
No problem – the
buffet room stayed open all morning long just for that problem.
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Gary and Friends
basically time-shifted for the rest of the trip. They would
dance into the wee hours and sleep through the morning till
10 am or so. This arrangement worked like a charm. It
also led to two more traditions.
The first
tradition was Gary's three-hour breakfast. Gary would sit
in the Windjammer all morning long talking to people. You
have no idea how much laughter and friendship was created
during those long mornings in the Windjammer.
This tradition
transferred nicely to the Conquest starting in 2007.
The other
tradition Gary established was cruise photography. Gary was
a photo enthusiast long before the day of the digital
camera. Gary would bring his camera into the
Windjammer and take pictures all morning long. People
LOVE having their picture taken! Even better, Gary
loved taking people's pictures.
Gary made many
friends on the
Rhapsody 2002 trip. His dancing, his
photography, and his hours spent in the Windjammer were much
appreciated by everyone. They weren't the only ones who
were happy. Gary returned home with a big smile on his
face. He was hooked on cruising!
Gary wasn't
alone. So were a lot of
people. Taking cruise trips with friends was turning
out to be a lot more fun than anyone could have ever
imagined.
Gary had one
more trick up his sleeve. At the end of the trip, he
handed me a copy of the pictures he had taken. Gary's
gift helped me discover the importance of photography in telling
stories. Thanks to Gary, we not only have
pictures to document the highlights of every cruise,
we also get to see what we looked like ten years ago.
In the years
since I closed my studio, Gary has helped keep the cruise group
together. Not only does Gary offer weekly dances
every Tuesday at the Westwind, he sponsors popular
public dances at the Pavillion. It is these kind of
activities that have helped keep the group tight-knit in the
recent years. Mara, Gary, Iqbal... and many others...
have gone out of their way to maintain the ties within our
Travel Group year-round.
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The Gang |
Thanks to Gary's
photography, I was able to document the exploits and hijinks
of our many colorful guests. This picture is famous.
These were the Usual Suspects. The picture was
taken on the
Rhapsody 2004 Wedding Cruise. There was a lot
of mischief that took place on that trip that has NEVER been
documented. Wait till the book comes out.
Several of the
people sitting at the table became leaders in their own
right. For example, on many trips, Steve Gabino was our
official Cruise Photographer as
well as the DJ for our Late Night Dancing.
Mr. Handsome,
sometimes known as George, has gotten more publicity than any
other person in SSQQ Cruise history. He has deserved every
rotten thing I said about him too... although he will deny
everything. George started our Hot Tub tradition... as well
as all the awful things that happen in there.
Phyllis Trouble
began her Legend on this same trip. More than anyone,
Phyllis was wonderful at making the new people feel like
part of the group. She was especially good at stirring
up Trouble in the Hot Tub.
Gary Schweinle,
my wonderful friend, was a huge supporter of our cruise
trips. He died an untimely death in 2008, but while he
was alive, no one was a bigger supporter of Marla's travel
program than Mr. Hat. Today Gary's love for the trips
is carried on by his graceful wife Tracy.
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Jean,
Leslie Alph, the Great Gabino, Eva, Leslie Grapevine,
George Mr. Handsome, BK, Gary Mr. Hat, Phyllis Trouble, Gina |
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Conquest 2011 Pre-Cruise Party |
The story of Don and
Marsha begins with the Conquest Pre-Cruise Party in 2011.
At this point, Marsha
was a fixture in our Travel community.
Marsha had started with
Hawaii 2007 and Greece 2008. Marsha was having so much fun she
decided to try one of our dance cruises. Marsha signed up for
Conquest 2008.
Marsha had an absolute
blast. In quick succession came Conquest 2009 and Conquest
2010.
Along the way she
acquired her distinctive Marsharita nickname due to
her willingness to make the Margaritas at our land parties.
Trust me, her particular kindness was always much appreciated.
That goes for me too.
Marsha once made a
Margarita for me at a New Year's Party that absolutely snapped me
out of a serious funk.
It wasn't so much the
alcohol as it was the gesture. Marsha saw my long face and
went out of her way to cheer me up.
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Liana,
Sherry, Nina - 2011 Conquest Precruise Party |
Maite,
Rowena, Andy, Charley, Phyllis |
George |
Marsharita,
Ed, Karen - 2011 Conquest Precruise Party |
Ray, Mona |
Rowena,
Charley, Liana, George, Dee, Sam, Lori - 2011 Conquest Precruise
Party |
Eileen,
Imre - 2011 Conquest Precruise Party |
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Andy, Mary
- 2011 Conquest Precruise Party
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In August 2011,
Marla and I hosted a Pre-Cruise Party in our home for the
guests for our upcoming
Conquest 2011.
The buzz in the
air revolved around Marsharita's new boyfriend. As
Marla explained it to me, Marsha had been dating Don for
about a month. I believe (could be wrong) they had met
through a rodeo committee activity.
One problem.
Marsha was going on this upcoming cruise without Don.
They both had mixed feelings about this. After all,
Marsha had booked the cruise six months earlier. The
timing didn't permit Don to join her.
So where was Don
tonight? Why didn't Marsha invite him to our party? Marsha said Don had other commitments, but might be able to
drop by.
Just as the
party was starting to wind down, a man I had never met before entered the room and
promptly gave
Marsha a big hug. This was Don. He warmed up to
us quickly. As you can see, Don felt right at home!
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Our
surprise guest Don!!
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Peggy,
Carolyn, Pam, Ann, Mike - 2012 Dominica Precruise Party
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Don
and Marsha at the 2012 Dominica Pre-Cruise Party
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2012 Dominica Cruise |
2012 Dominica Cruise |
2012 Dominica Cruise |
I liked Don the moment I met him. So did Marla. The entire group felt the same way. Don is a friendly,
outgoing guy. He is very easy to like. Everyone
stepped forward to shake his hand and introduce themselves.
Don grinned.
I think he appreciated the warm welcome.
While he was at
our house, Don told us all he wished he could have joined us
on the Conquest 2011 cruise. Marsha saw her cue and
smiled.
"Well, gee,
Honey, Marla has another cruise coming up next March.
Let's take that one!"
Don nodded.
It sounded like a good idea. So Don decided to take
the cruise plunge. He and Marsha signed up for our
Dominica 2012 cruise in
March.
I could be
wrong, but I don't think Don had ever been on a cruise
before. We all promised Don we would take good care of him.
Don said he wasn't worried. "I've got Marsha to show
me the ropes!"
I think Don
enjoyed his first cruise. Every time I looked, he was
smiling. That's always a good sign.
And guess what? On the Dominica
2012 cruise, Don and Marsha announced their engagement.
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Don and Marsha's Wedding |
Don and Marsha
were married on Friday, October 12th, 2012.
As I mentioned
earlier, Don and Marsha had three families at the wedding.
There was Don's
Family, Marsha's Family, and then there was the Travel Group
en force. This was a
happy moment for all of us.
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Patty,
Barbara, Iqbal, Larry, Eleanor, 3 ladies I don't know,
Clark in back, Tim, Nina, Sherry, Karen, Nina, Edward behind
Jeanne
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I think the one
regret I heard Marsha say was that they didn't have
room to invite more people.
Many friends had
to be left off the list.
Don and Marsha shouldn't
feel too guilty. They certainly did the best they
could.
I would guess there were at least 30 people from
the Travel Group in attendance, perhaps even 40.
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Steve
Gabino, our resident photographer, taking pictures
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On the other
hand, I saw their point.
Don and Marsha had as many of
their friends at this wedding as the courtyard could
possibly hold.
As you can see,
it was pretty crowded out there.
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Jackie,
Rowena, Patty, Barbara, Iqbal, Eleanor, Jack, Rick E, Charley,
Joe, Larry
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The Ring
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Joanne,
Joel, Vivian, George, Liana, Clark
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Just
married! Don and Marsha |
Peggy,
Vivian, and Kurt. Jean and Tiffany are barely peeking out
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Jean and
Marla
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Sherry,
Karen, Tracy, Ed
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Phyllis,
Rowena, Marla
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Jean,
Marsha, Kurt. This was a happy night.
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Joe,
Patty, Jeanne
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Magic 2012 - Don and Marsha's
Honeymoon |
Front:
Andy, Liana, Marsha, Mona, Kristy
Back: Toni, Marla, Karen, Sherry, Nina, Fran, Mary, Joanne,
Joan, Tracy, Karen, Phyllis
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Don
and Marsha on the Magic Bus |
Back:
Joan, Sherry, Tracy, Marla, Rowena, Peggy, Joyce, Anne
Middle: Vivian, Mona, Phyllis, Patty, Sharon
Front: JoAnne, Andy, Marsha, Kristy, Liana |
At the
Welcome Aboard Party, the First Dance |
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In the
pool at Freeport, Bahamas: Vivian, Steve, Sharon, Karen,
Richard, Rowena, Marsha, Don, Charley, Kristy, Gabino
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Don,
Marsha, Jo Anne, Sherry, Jeanne, Fran, Mary |
Marsha and
Don on Formal Night |
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Late Night
Dancing: Liana and Gary on the floor. Eleanor and Larry to the
left. Barbara and Joseph in front.
Seated: Victoria, Mona, Ray, Linda, Vivian, Steve, Maureen,
George, Mary, Marsha, Sherry
In Back: Danesh, Andy, Don, Anne
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Don and
Marsha on the Dance Floor
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Smooching
for the Paparazzi at the Sunset Party
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They
certainly aren't shy around the camera
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Dinnertime
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On the
Magic Party Bus
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In the
Spotlight Lounge |
A Happy
Honeymoon Indeed |
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The Magic 2012 Sunset Farewell
Party |
Eileen and Imre Kondor, 2003 |
Bruce and Mara, 2008 |
Jean and
Don Taylor, 2007 |
This year's Sunset
Farewell Party had deep significance for me. This delightful tradition
was the idea of Iqbal. I have noticed that as
our Community continues to grow, this event gains importance on each
trip. It is our way of saying "Auld Lang Syne" at sea... let
us not forget old acquaintances.
On this trip, Don and Marsha
joined a very exclusive club. They were
one of 12 different couples on this trip who met through
the cruise trips and the dance studio and decided to get
married.
Seven of those
couples are pictured here. Don and Marsha make eight. Besides these twelve, there
are many other married couples who met at my dance studio
who have been on other cruise trips. All told, I count
over 50 couples in our Travel Group who met through the
cruise trips and SSQQ-Bissonnet.
Perhaps just as
significant,
there were at least another dozen couples traveling on this
trip who look like they may join this club someday. I prefer
to let them have their privacy during the formative stages
of their relationships, but their commitment seemed equally
as strong as the married couples. They are clearly
well past just the "dating stage".
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One amazing
thing about our group is that these couples and the singles
continue to co-exist in perfect harmony. Nevertheless,
the pendulum has clearly shifted. Once our trips had
more singles than couples. That is not true anymore.
Basically our group isn't quite as "wild and crazy"
as the Sizzling Hot Tub days of yore. I suppose this means we
have all settled down a bit. In fact, don't tell
anyone, but we are
dangerously close to becoming "respectable". You would
be hard pressed to find a church congregation with a higher
percentage of committed couples than our own Travel
Community.
Why do so many
couples come on these trips? Not only do they enjoy
the company of other couples like themselves, but they have
learned something along the way. Many of our
friends have discovered that the cruise
experience is a powerful way to keep the romance alive.
Don't ask me how
the formula works, but the pictures make it very clear that
these cruise trips have turned us into a very
big family.
I am grateful to
Marla for her work. Without her guidance, this
community would not even exist.
|
Virginia
and Gerald McEathron, 1997 |
Toni and Richard Greason, 2010
Richard
took many of the pictures used in this story.
I would like to express my appreciation.
|
Ed and Tracy Akin, 2012 |
| |
|
The Newlyweds
|
I thoroughly enjoyed participating in Don and Marsha's
Wedding and Honeymoon. I am glad they chose to share such
an important event in their lives with us.
I know I speak for a lot of people when I say
how much fun it was to bask in the glow of their big smiles all
week long. How they kept up their energy is a mystery
beyond me.
I doubt Don and Marsha
got much privacy, but maybe that's not what they wanted.
Personally, I think they enjoyed the attention. They
both seem comfortable in the limelight.
Don
and Marsha were already a big part of the Travel Family
before
the trip even began. However,
thanks to the key role they played on this trip, Don and
Marsha are now in a position to become leaders if they
choose to. I hope they use their influence wisely.
I look forward to the next chapter of the
SSQQ Travel Adventure. It could be interesting.
Rick Archer
November 2012
|
Don and
Marsha Wicks, 2012 |
|
|
