Thirteen years ago today, my wife Marilyn and I were married in the Queen Wilhelmina Garden in Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. With the Dutch Windmill towering above, the Pacific Ocean only a few steps away, and flowers covering the landscape, the location couldn’t have been better for a wedding.
The garden is named after Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, who donated the windmill to the city of San Francisco in 1902. The windmill was originally used to pump water to nearby flowers, shrubs, and trees, but today is no longer in use. In the spring, tulips, a Dutch symbol of peace, cover the garden in many colors.
Although San Francisco is famous for its cold, foggy summers, our wedding day was perfect. The fog lifted early in the day, giving us blue skies, warm temperatures, and a gentle sea breeze that made the flowers dance. After the wedding ceremony and several rounds of pictures, friends, family, and relatives headed up the beach to the Cliff House Restaurant, for the lunch and Champagne reception.
With thirteen years now behind us, this past weekend we drove down to San Francisco to visit this special place once again and to celebrate our anniversary. The weather, again, was beautiful, much like our wedding day. We mused at the price we’d paid to have our wedding in this special location back in 1999. Seventy-five dollars, including the flowers!
Congrats to y’all! Love the sketch!
Thanks Steven! it was fun traversing our old footsteps around San Francisco and remembering all the places we use to go. This garden hasn’t changed a bit since we got married here thirteen years ago.
Congrats on your anniversary! I love your sketch.
It’s beautiful, honey. And such a wonderful memory. I love you!
Thanks very much Cheryl!
Thank you Marilyn! I love you too! : )
Richard seem to miss your posts on twitter – different time line recently I guess. I always enjoy your work – but also the little story you post adds more meaning! – Congrats to you and your wife!
Thank you Luisa! I enjoy writing stories about my sketching adventures. Glad you like them!
What a lovely sketch to mark the momentous occasion. Happy anniversary to you both. I’m glad to hear the spot is unchanged in 13 years. Too often we go back to a place and find it changed, and not in a good way.
Thank you Jean! Yes, the spot is quite lovely and to be able to return to the same spot and have it so well kept up is really special. It’s beautiful!