The Bride Wore White

Sorry about the delay! I've spent the last few days horking up my lungs. Perhaps you've seen one laying around? If so, please wash it off and mail it back. Kthxbai!

The Big Day started off the way all Big Days seem to. The bride runs off to get her hair done with assorted friends and/or family members and runs late. Or maybe that's just my family?

Apparently Don King is doing hair these days. Eek!

Even I got my hair done and when I say Done, I mean it took one stylist a good hour to straighten it. Of course, there are no pictures of it on my camera. My sister didn't take any.* Eric didn't take any. There's one picture that my kid sister took after the ceremony, but you don't get the full idea of how straight my hair was. Crazy man!

Before the straightening.

Then it was time to rush back to the house and get the bride and her entourage ready to go.

Matron of honor with her new hairdo and dress in background.

Children swirled under foot as adult women jammed together in front of limited mirror space putting on makeup.

Peek!

Mom helps Cindy with her necklace.

Four out of five cousins pictured here. Logan was running off with the remote control, most likely.

Jason, my brother-in-law, gets his tie on.

Daniel is ready to go.

Caitlin is all grins.

Dad is ready to roll.

Interestingly enough, even though I wasn't in the wedding party, the shirt I chose to wear exactly matched the color of my father's tie! Serendipitous? I think so!

Ooh, but before we head off to the church, let's ogle the cake, shall we?

Beautiful and tasty, too. My mom made it.

I come by the baking obsession in a direct genetic inheritance. Although I don't make cakes like this.

That's rolled fondant over vanilla, chocolate and marble cakes. There was also a vegan groom's cake (I forgot to photograph it!) and a Jamaican fruitcake that was cut up as a keepsake and went into tiny boxes.

When the bride was ready, she and the folks went off in their car, while my kid sister and I schlepped a bunch of wedding gear over to the church.

Dawn is ready to go!

After a bit of this and that at the church, it was time to get all the ducks in a row and strike up the organ music.

Yolanda, Dawn and Cindy.

Dad awaits his cue.

Cindy led the march down the aisle.

Dawn was escorted down the aisle by both mom and dad.

Unveiling the bride.

Kissing mom goodbye.

The ceremony was an interesting mix of Christian and Jewish ceremonies. There was a female rabbi and a male priest, a chuppah, wine and a glass to crush for luck.

The best part, to me, was during the "I do"s and the "I will"s, Dawn projected loud and clear all over the church while Matt was very quiet and got his lines mixed up a bit. Fortunately, we all know he meant Yes!

"Oh, yes you will!"

Mazel tov!

I think I was the only one to say Mazel Tov! when he crushed the glass. This was a tradition we included in my wedding ceremony ~13 years ago, as well as the wine drinking. Maybe Dawn and I have more in common than I thought!

Then they sealed the deal with a kiss.

Mmm-WAH!

Dawn and Yolanda hold hands during the signing of the marriage certificate.

Finally, when it was all over, it was time for the mugging for photographs and cake eating portion of the day!

It was a good ceremony, even if I only heard parts of it. The short people I brought with me needed to be removed every now and again for loudness. Eric took Logan out for most of the wedding and I had Emma. It's very tricky to take pictures while fending off baby fingers from your lens. Fortunately for me, Emma was willing to lap surf from me to mom to dad and back again.


I have to admit that I always appreciate when couples feed one another cake very gently. If there's going to be cake smashing, both parties should probably agree to it ahead of time or someone's gonna get their feelings hurt.

After we were done jawin' and chewin', we headed off to the reception site and dancing.

She really, really likes him!

Dancing with dad.

I got all choked up over the song they used for the the father-daughter dance.

Then Matt got his mom up out of her wheelchair to take a turn with him and it was lovely.

Matt and his mom.

When they opened the floor up to everyone, I got a nice shot of mom and dad dancing with the newlyweds in the background.

It was a good night. An auspicious beginning.

Congratulations Dawn and Matt! May you have many long and wonderful years together!




* Updated to add: one picture has surfaced of me with straight hair! Eric and Logan are bonus features.