‘What’s not to like about a wedding?’

In my humble opinion, weddings are simply the best parties ever. You get to dress up, eat free food, drink free wine, and dance like a crazy person. All for the price of a wedding gift.

I can honestly say that I have never met a wedding I didn’t like. I’ve been to weddings in old New England Churches that smelled like mold (the churches, not the weddings), “hip” weddings with folksy preachers and awful guitar playing, weddings where the proceedings were so thoroughly photographed and filmed that you almost couldn’t see what was happening, weddings in back yards and on lawns and even involving hot dog stands (that would be mine to The Dude). And I’ve enjoyed each and every one.

“I Sabrett you to be my lawful wedded husband”

I even went to a wedding in the Vatican, which was pretty darned spectacular. That one got its own story, “La Dolce Vita and Me”, which you might enjoy reading. (Britney Spears makes an appearance — though, sadly, not the Pope.)

Well, this past weekend I went to a wedding that was no exception, thoroughly-enjoyment-wise. It was the marriage of two thoroughly enjoyable young people, one of whom is my own personal nephew.

That’s the groom on the left (my own personal nephew). And my own personal Child on the right. (Photo not taken this weekend)

Of course I checked the invitation for details, but I almost missed the fact that this wedding was going to be held outside. See, I almost didn’t check the wedding website, which clearly stated: “Ceremony will be held outdoors, rain or shine”. (Wedding websites are the only thing I actually don’t like about weddings. I often forget to check the darned things, and thus risk missing important details like this one.)

I did check the weather, though. And the forecast was, alas, for rain. So, along with my party shoes I packed my rain gear. I figured what the heck; with a beautiful bride on the scene, who’s going to look at me, much less my big ole rubber boots?

No, there was no one in that gazebo. And not because it was raining. There never is anyone in a gazebo. (And yes, I’ve written about that too)

And sure enough — the morning of the wedding it was raining. Not hard rain, but still. Now I know they say it’s good luck when it rains on your wedding. I say it’s just, well, damp.

In the gazebo, waiting out the rain while checking out the birds

Well, the Wedding Gods were on our side because just before the ceremony was set to begin, the skies cleared and the sun came out. (Yes, this happened in time for me to ditch the rubber boots.)

The sun shines on the bride and groom. (Awning and rubber boots no longer required)

And yes, this wedding was just as fun — if not more fun — than I expected it to be. Free food: check. Free wine: check. Dancing like a crazy person: check check check — and check.

Incidentally, two of the guests at this shindig were also the stars of an outdoor wedding ten (gasp) years ago. Yes, another much-adored nephew of mine was married back then — without rain, thank you very much O Wedding Gods — in a beautiful outdoor setting on Martha’s Vineyard.

The sun also shone on The Vineyard that day

And of course, these two were also in attendance to see this wedding go off without a (sorry, I just can’t help myself) hitch.

Me, plus ten-years-ago Outdoor Bride and Groom

Speaking of years-ago ceremonies, the picture at the top of this post is of me and last weekend’s Mom of the Groom, AKA The Dude’s Sister, at another long-ago cousinly wedding. I believe, if I am not mistaken, I have already regaled you readers with tales of this event. This was the Epic Wedding where we guests were not only partaking of free wine, we were actually scoring our own bottles of Moet et Chandon from which we were swigging freely.

This was the wedding where the Current Groom’s Brother (and Best Man) attended in the arms of his mother. He was an adorable baby at the time, and kept getting passed around from guest to increasingly-champagne-infused guest. Until at one point in the festivities, we were asking “Where’s Matt?” “Who has Matt?” And, finally, “Has anyone seen Matt?” Well, Matt, it turned out, was fast asleep in his portable crib at our house. To this day, no one remembers just how he got there.

That’s once-lost-baby Matt (left) with Mom, Brother/Groom and Bride

Well, this time no one passed Baby Matt around. And, as far as I know, no one was passing around bottles of bubbly. But Epic it was, and thoroughly enjoyed by me and everyone else. Here’s hoping the Bride and Groom show up ten years from now at another (fingers crossed) rain-free event. Perhaps it’ll be the wedding of one of the Whitmores in the picture below, which was taken the day after the wedding at the Farewell Breakfast. Which was also free. Like I say, what’s not to like about a wedding?

The wedding was not on the rocks. But these Whitmores (plus non-Whitmore BF of Child) certainly were

New York City. October 2018