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Sometimes the beauty and tenderness of a wedding can take your breath away. Even before Karen Herbaugh and Dick DuBois got to their ceremony, their wedding was destined to be breathtaking. The chosen location, an extraordinary wood and glass chapel magically situated in the Bella Vista, Arkansas countryside (like it had been waiting there forever to ascend from primordial roots, sending its chorus of arches heavenward) is an unexpected, transfixing sight for anyone coming round the bend along a woodland trail.
"My mother took me to the chapel a few years before—she always had it in her mind that this 'meditation space' would be where I married..."
"Dick was really moved and all of my bridesmaids gasped in unison at their first sighting. You come upon it so unexpectedly from the pathway," Karen shared. "My mother took me to the chapel a few years before—she always had it in her mind that this 'meditation space' would be where I married—and I've loved it ever since. It has even become like a pilgrimage now to take our son when visiting family in the area," Karen explained. So for her wedding in 2003—"it was a gorgeous fall day"—what could have been a more beautiful and tranquil spot than this magical chapel in the woods?
"We only had three months to plan our wedding and this was the only date the chapel was available, so it was perfect," Karen explained. "Dick and I live in Dracut, Massachusetts and it was a very hectic time for me work-wise, so my Mother, who lives in Alabama, handled most of the wedding decisions over those busy three months." Other things fell into place as easily—even though some choices were not what Karen had imagined.
Other things fell into place as easily—even though some choices were not what Karen had imagined. When I asked Karen about her gown, she laughed and said: "My whole life, the only thing about my wedding that I always imagined was that I would try on lots and lots of dresses! As it turned out, I bought the first one I had tried on—it was the sample that fit perfectly and no time to special order—in a store where I went to pick out bridesmaid dresses."
I told Karen that I always shared with customers in my former shop that a woman's intuition is heightened as a bride and not be surprised if things like that happened. "I not only bought the first dress," Karen continued, "but all the accessories that came with it! So I still have this little fantasy that one day, I'll go to bridal shops and pretend I'm getting married and try on lots of gowns!" It seems the meditative spirit of the chapel influenced Karen from near and far. "I actually became more at ease as it went along.
It seems the meditative spirit of the chapel influenced Karen from near and far. "I actually became more at ease as it went along. Dick was involved with the planning—he handled all the music—and we just had so much fun." And the peacefulness continued on her wedding day. "I was very relaxed. Everyone left me alone for awhile that morning and I remember watching 'The Munsters' on TV."
I asked Karen about other special memories of the day: "All of my friends were there!" she said immediately. "I was the last of my friends to marry," (Karen was 35) "and they live all over the country. I was concerned since it's not an easy place to fly into and it was on short notice. But many even brought their children, so the day was full of fun and family." Karen's story reminded me how everything can be perfect, even if it's not how you imagined.
Karen's story reminded me how everything can be perfect, even if it's not how you imagined. Just relax, trust yourself, and declare it to be so! "Since my mother planned many things locally—I didn't even know what the flowers or reception hall looked like—I just let go and trusted. It made things so easy." And Karen's wisdom showed in the spirit of the day. "My face hurt, I smiled so much! The chapel's space is small and intimate so I could look into everyone's face as I came back up the aisle. I expected to be emotional and teary, but I couldn't stop smiling—and they were all smiling back. I looked at a friend and I could see me in her face." 
PHOTOGRAPHS BY: Jason Hudson |
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