Daily Archives: June 8, 2006

MICHELLE THORNE: Briana Got Married…

I don’t have any children, but I do have a “child of my heart” Her name is Briana and she walked in to the bookshop one afternoon and asked if we needed any help. She worked at the florist across the parking lot and she really didn’t like the job and she loved books. I had a good feeling about her from the very first and she worked for me on and off for about 5 years. She helped move the store twice (no easy job) and she has almost worked me into the ground on numerous occasions. The girl is no slacker. Bree comes over to the house about every six months and MAKES me clean out my closet and then she take the bags with her when she leaves so I won’t go back and recover something that is “just too good to give away”. She knows me well. We both love old Audrey Hepburn movies, vintage clothes stores (read thrift stores), great handbags, pizza and Luis. Luis is her brand new husband, and I love him because he adores her and that’s as it should be.

Briana’s dad was very strict and protective and he had chased off every guy who had come around, but Luis wouldn’t go. He hung in when both Briana and I thought he would just give up and say, “This is just too hard.” It took 3 years of dating and a year of being engaged but Bree’s Dad finally just couldn’t fight everyone any longer.

Briana and Luis got married on Saturday March 25, 2006 at the Beau Arts Theater in Glendale and it was the most special wedding I have ever attended. Luis and Bree did everything themselves from finding this great old venue, to decorating and making the favors. Both of them. This was their wedding, and it was glorious.

The theater was decorated like an old nightclub with round tables with palm tree votives and fresh gardenias. There were vintage post cards of old movie stars scattered around and chocolate champagne bottles for wedding favors. There was even a candy “cigarette” girl. There were large screen plasma TV’s that had a collage of Briana and Luis’s lives from baby pictures to engagement photos. It looked so pretty and so very Bree and Luis. Fun. Hip. Very Cool.

Bree wore her Mothers wedding dress for the ceremony as a surprise and then she changed into the dress she bought for the reception. It looked like the dress Audrey wore in “Funny Face”. Bree wore my grandmother’s pearls as her “something borrowed.” She was possibly the most beautiful bride ever. The pearls are hers now to have and to hold forever because she is my girl.

The day seemingly went off without a hitch. There were, in fact, a few problems. But they were tiny and no one knew but the happy couple and they didn’t care. No crazed “bridezilla” moments. We all drank and ate and danced and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. It was a day that anyone who was there will always remember because Luis and Briana were so happy and so in love. A moment of perfection in an imperfect world. Everyone was warmed by their happiness and I think I know why.

They wanted a marriage not a wedding.

Michelle Thorne
Bearly Used Books…123
Home of A Great Read
123 So First Street
Historic Old Puente, CA 91744
(626) 968-3700