On May 30 1976, we stood in front of friends and family at the Rotary Sunshine Camp in Rush, NY to proclaim our never-ending love to each other.

There we were on Sunday, May 30, 1976, in the middle of freakin' nowhere at the beautiful Rotary Sunshine Camp where Mindy was the camp nurse. I was quite proud of my powder blue leisure suit and my hippie love bead necklace although I obviously overlooked running a brush through my scraggly hair. My best bud, Garry Manuel, my partner in "Sunup" took care of all the tunes from his big honkin' reel-to-reel tape deck.

Mindy was stylin' in a white gunny sack dress which I thought was absolutely stunning! It was a beautiful Sunday morning as we served our family and friends coffee and donuts as they were arriving.

Mindy's Maid of Honor was her best friend, Cathy DePinto her roommate at the Genesee Hospital School of Nursing and her Man of Honor who was her best male friend, Harry Howe. I chose my brother, Steven as my Best Man and my best female friend, Diane Chichelli as my Woman of Honor.

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We weren't able to find a Rabbi who would marry a Jew and a Gentile so we opted for a Presbyterian minister who pretty much let us take control of the ceremony as we saw fit. I do remember Mindy asking the minister to "Please do not say "Jesus" as part of the ceremony, or my Grandmother will have a heart attack!" We also asked him to wear a suit instead of his traditional church robes. Regrettably, I forgot to pay the Rev which of course is incredibly rude and I still beat myself up on a semi-regular basis.

We did write our own vows for the ceremony but afterward, Mindy told me she had written hers the night before like she was cramming for a test at the last minute while drinking several wine coolers. My vows were very mushy and "Yes" I've saved them for the last 42 years.

"I have learned how to love because you have shown me that to love another, there must be confidence and love for oneself. I choose to take you as my friend, lover, and wife to love and cherish as we grow together and individually. I promise to be honest with you and always available whenever you need a hug or my help. I take you Mindy as you are and ask that you be no one but yourself. I love what I know of you and trust what I have yet to learn."

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After the "I do's" were proclaimed, we started making out like the world was coming to an end as our friends and family looked on awkwardly. Thank God the recessional tune "When I'm 64" from the Beatles began playing from the reel-to-reel tape deck we had set up. From Rush, NY we all climbed into our cars for the 45-minute ride to my mom's backyard in Fairport, NY for a hippie style wedding reception that couldn't be beat featuring Bill Wahl's Fried Chicken served on paper plates. Believe it or not, after all these years we're still madly in love and on most days, we actually still like each other.

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One of our favorite sayings comes from King Solomon's 'Song of Songs.' which in Hebrew translates to, "I am my beloved's and my beloved is mine."

"Ani L'Dodi V'Dodi Li"

Photo Credit - Ebay Seller 123quoo
Photo Credit - Ebay Seller 123quoo
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