40 Years of Love, Laughter, and a Little Divine Timing

On Saturday, July 13, 1985, Tina and I stood hand in hand on her family’s country acreage near Hubbles Lake, Alberta, ready to leap into the mysterious world of marriage. We were young, full of dreams, and completely unaware of what we were actually getting into. Reverend Short, who lived up to his name only in height, not heart, was there to officiate. All was set… until Mother Nature decided to test our resolve.

At 5:00 pm, the sky unleashed a good old-fashioned prairie rainstorm. The chairs got soaked. Spirits sagged. Tina, glowing with anticipation and just a touch of panic, said, “I am not getting married in the garage.” The universe apparently agreed. The rain stopped, the clouds parted, and the sun made a grand entrance. Every bath towel in the house was put into emergency service to dry the chairs. At 6:00 pm sharp, we got married under blue skies, surrounded by family, friends, and the unmistakable scent of damp grass. The reception in Stony Plain was a blast, with enough love and laughter to fill an entire stadium.

Fast forward to Sunday, July 13, 2025. Same date. Same two crazy kids, just with a few more laugh lines, a little more wisdom, and a lot more gratitude. This time, we renewed our vows at Unity of Calgary. The setting was peaceful and sacred, and the love in the room could’ve lit up the city.

In what now feels like tradition, the skies opened again right before the ceremony. But unlike 1985, we had an indoor venue and zero bath towels were required. It was a gentle, cleansing rain, like a wink from the heavens, a little divine rinse before the big moment.

Reverend Monika Krammer officiated with her signature grace, warmth, and presence. The moment Tina and I decided to renew our vows, we looked at each other and said the same thing, Rev. Monika. She was the perfect choice, and she brought a great deal of heart to the ceremony.

Many of our original bridal party showed up, which was both touching and a little surreal. Lori, Tina’s sister, sent her love from Australia, reminding us just how far our connections reach. And my entire family showed up too. I’m still deciding if they came out of deep affection or to see if Tina was going to recommit herself to me after forty years. Either way, it meant a lot.

To our original bridal party—Dean, Tim, Ron, and Michele—thank you for showing up not once, but twice, and still smiling through it. To my family, Glenda and Landon, Sherry (Pepe), Doug, Kellie, Olivia, Cathy, and Leslie, thank you for your ongoing love and support, and for keeping me grounded, even when I was probably acting like a goofball. To our wonderful parents, Doug (my dad) and Mickey (Tina’s mom), thank you for being with us on this winding, beautiful, and occasionally chaotic journey. Your presence means more than you’ll ever know.

And to those of you I may have accidentally forgotten to name because my brain sometimes runs like a Windows 95 machine, please know this: you are seen, loved, and appreciated. If I forgot you, I will remember at 3:00 am and wince. Thank you for being there and for sharing in this moment with us.

Tina and I began this marriage with a whole lot of love, a dash of courage, and zero idea what the future held. Forty years later, we are still laughing, still learning, and still deeply in love.

Here’s to the next forty. I promise to keep making you coffee, laughing at your jokes, and being your favorite weirdo for as long as you’ll have me.

With a full heart,
Neil

Ceremony

Luncheon Before Ceremony