A New Jersey Wedding

Among the myriad professional and social obligations of my week in NYC - some expected and others entirely unanticipated - was the wedding of a friend of mine from high school (actually the third and last high school I attended). The wedding was one of the anticipated events of the week - the happpy couple were engaged for 1.5 years before they married.

My just-in-time approach to things this week did not work so well for the wedding, however, and if I am lucky I will probably be awarded the prize for Most Distracted Bridesmaid of the Year. However, I did make it to the rehearsal dinner and the ceremony on time, and was even able to contribute constructively in the bridal preparation suite (I brought a subtle shade of nail polish and managed to apply it to the bride's fingernails - not well enough to qualify for a career in nail painting, but well enough to provide a sophisticated gloss for the occasion).

Since the happy couple had been living together for 2 years, you may be wondering how marriage has changed things. Well, I'm glad you asked.

Before:

After:
The ceremony itself was quite nice. It was held outdoors, with reeds and a river backdrop. The bridge and groom made both traditional and individualistic vows before family, friends, and a minister. Readings were from 1 Corinthians 13:1-13 ... and a story written by the bride.

The ceremony was also quite short, which was a good thing -- a torrential downpour started just as it ended. The wedding party and guests quickly adjourned to a large tent for the reception. The grassy floor under the reception tent soon became a treacherous muddy swamp; assigned seating was abandoned as tables on the outer edges became inaccessible. At the height of the storm, lighting struck a huge tree about 6-10 feet away from the tent.

Here's the happy couple during the reception. The important thing is that are still happy in the midst of the storm which to some extent threw all their careful planning for a loop.
Luckily, they are known not only for their sincere affection for each other, but also for their love of adventure. And as the bride likes to say, "Attitude is the difference between an ordeal and an adventure".

Here's wishing them the best, always.