Brother Gets Married

Whew what a few days we've had!  We flew to a far away destination via two plane flights of several hours each.  Delphinium did a fabulous job on the way there, and a great job for the first flight on the way home.  Then came the final flight, and things broke down a bit.  The trouble lies in traveling past her preferred bedtime.  Naps are all fine and good, but when it gets to evening she wants a real sleep in a real bed, and no amount of cuddling or coddling will change that fact.  She did not cry the whole way, by any means, but she woke up and complained from time to time.

That all being said, it was entirely worth the trip.  The entire slate of wedding-related events went off without a single problem.  Everyone was good-natured, kind, and beautifully dressed to boot.  It's worth remembering that one's family cleans up very nicely when the situation demands.  My brother and his new wife were, of course, the jewels who stole the show.  They practically glowed, and I am not over-stating the point even one little bit.  The grounds of the museum where they held the ceremony were lush and green, and the small number of guests were people who truly know and love the couple.  Much crying ensued as soon as the first glimpses could be caught of the bridal party.  I am really not sure who cried more, the groom or his mother.

The dinner that followed, on the balcony of a favorite restaurant, was again perfection.  The decorations were simple, but festive, and the cityscape outside was just right.  Vegetarian party food can be hard to come by since so many caterers and restaurants think that celebrations equal meat.  However, this vegetarian couple chose very carefully, and the menu included all sorts of delicious choices.  I had the appetizer trio (mmm, mushrooms!) tomato salad (well really I got a the few pieces that Delphinium didn't scarf first) and fried green tomatoes with polenta and black-eyed peas.  Then there was a dessert trio (and the waiter gave the baby her OWN PLATE!) AND cake AND the cookie table.  What's the cookie table?  That's another post.  Let's just say that both of my nieces were in sugary heaven.

In the end we rode the trolley back to our hotel in a state of complete satiation.  The toasts, the food, the setting, the people were all just right.  The next morning my brother and amazing new sister looked relaxed and happy as they sent us off to the airport.  I can say with absolute certainty that it was my second favorite wedding of my adult life, and that is really saying something.