Lisa Carnley is managing editor of the Lampasas Dispatch Record. Though skeptical at times that true love really exists, her son and his new bride might have convinced her it's possible. The wedding of the century -- at least of my century -- is over, and that has its good and bad points. Not that it wasn't a gorgeous ceremony; it was. But it has been a long year since the engagement of my son, Zach, and his new bride, Courtney.

When Zach popped the question to Courtney and they decided to wait a year for the actual ceremony, it seemed like a dozen years.

I found out a lot of planning goes into these sorts of extravaganzas. There are details I didn't even know about -- actually had never heard of.

Weddings have changed a lot since my simple ceremony a gazillion years ago in front of a relative's fireplace and a justice of the peace.

Now, weddings contain oodles of exotic flowers with foreignsounding names, thousand-dollar wedding gowns, string orchestras, satin-covered reception chairs, jumbo shrimp the size of forearms and personalized M&Ms.

It still amazes me to look at chocolate-covered candy and see the face of my son and his intended staring back at me. (I'm sure it would be even more amazing if I could see the picture clearly because it is so small). I can't bring myself to eat them, even though M&Ms are among my favorite candies.

The rehearsal dinner -- staged and paid for by Zach's dad and me -- was a wonderful Mexican fiesta complete with a buffet and a large cake.

In my day, rehearsal dinners weren't widely utilized. You just showed up at the church, synagogue or fireplace, in my case, and said your 10-minute vows, followed by a honeymoon trip to a nearby theme park in your old Datsun B-210, and a stay in a $25- a-night hotel room.

My son and his bride were fortunate to have taken a wonderful wedding trip to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, flying first class there and back. They stayed in a resort for a week, swimming and lazing by the water, jet skiing, sightseeing and eating nice dinners in beautiful restaurants.

My own wedding trip consisted of a hotel with off-and-on air-conditioning, a game arcade, a swim in the hotel pool and dinner at McDonald's.

Those were the days when you paid for your own trip and arrived at your destination already nearly broke, with just enough money to get into the theme park and eat at a couple of fast-food spots.

My, how things have changed.

Weddings have become so expensive. And honeymoons even more so. I don't begrudge my son and his wife their beautiful wedding and trip (and since I didn't pay for any of the ceremony or honeymoon, I really can't).

A wedding is a beautiful thing; from the planning and the execution to the reception. It is a time for families to gather who may not have been together for a number of years. It is a time for two families to meld into one. It is a joyous occasion.

It is amazing how quickly the last year flew by. Now, the newly married couple can get on with their daily lives.

Courtney, a fourth-grade teacher, has started back to work, and Zach, a funeral director and embalmer, went back the day after returning from his honeymoon.

It has been several weeks since the wedding, and as anxious as I was for it to get here, I'm almost sorry it is over.

I continue to replay pieces of it in my mind. What I mostly see is the joy on the faces of two young people as they exchange their vows and promise to love one another from this day forward.

I'm a real sucker for youngsters in love. Especially these two. They graduated college, got good jobs, purchased a house and then got married. They did it in the right order.

And I see nothing but blue skies ahead for them ... and hopefully more grandchildren for me -- especially girls. They promised me...