The wedding and reception...

[vakkotaur]

Yes, the post about the whole point of the trip. Also the post about about the high point of the trip. This is just one (or maybe two) person's perspective. As those reading bronxelf_ag001's account know, there was much going on and Jay and I couldn't see everything. In at least one case, that was probably just as well...

We arrived at the right place and whoever was driving managed to find a place to park, which looked to be no mean feat. There were many folk there already and quite a bit of activity. As we really did not know anyone (I knew Bronxelf, and to some degree Mike, and jmaynard. He knew me. That was about it.) and we didn't have a clue as to what had to be done or how, we did the one expedient thing we could do: We got out of the way of the folks who seemed to know what to do and were quite actively doing it. A look around and we found the table we'd be at for the night, so there we were, for the most part.

The hall wasn't air conditioned, but it did have a high ceiling, ceiling fans going fast and seemed to have enough ventilation so it wasn't as bad as I'd expected. And the weather itself wasn't all that bad, which is rather odd considering I like things rather on the cool side and, well, it wasn't cool out. Jay might disagree.

The centerpieces were curious. Bowls with some glass bits (like flattened marbles), water, and a fish in each. And then the twinkies were placed, which is how we found our table as they had the labels for who was at what table. Jay and I wound up at table 12. This was good and bad, for reasons that will become evident. One glitch: there was some duplication. Evidently I was at table 12 twice, for a while. Also little plastic animals with neat mini folded roses wrapped around/attached to them were at each place. Yes, I had a horse. A black one. At least it looked like it to me. Jay seemed to have a koala. Someone else had red bunny.

Then wine was at each table. Two bottles. One red, one white, both domestic. As in New York state. I had a bit of the white and found it good, though I am no connoisseur. I didn't sample the red. Nothing against it, just didn't. (In fact, on the flight home the gal next to me had a red wine instead of a soft drink. I found I like the aroma of red wine, but I had no great desire to drink.) I didn't need nor want much alcohol. I had the white as it was the only cold fluid around at the time. Later we sampled some very good sweet mead (not the oddly dry stuff I seem to always encounter). Evidently that was not supposed to be opened when it was. Oops.

A while after things were scheduled to have started (but not all that long after) the officiant announced something like, "To the amazement of many, this is actually going to happen..." and things got quiet. Not much later things got going and the wedding itself began to take form. Jay and I were struck by the relative brevity of the ceremony - though that view is not universal. Elf and Mike, of course, experienced things rather differently. There was a bit of a pause, but this wasn't bad. I think folks took more pictures. As can and will be seen in various photos, Mike and Elf looked great. The rest of the group looked good, too, but we all know who were the real and deserving centers of attention. Our placement was to the back of Mike, but we could see elf well. And as I said before, it was good to see her happy. The ceremony takes place. Vows take place. The officiant seems more nervous than bride and groom, but gets through it rather well. (Later I find out it was his first ceremony and he had been practicing just before. Which makes what he he did all the more impressive.) Finally, the march is played and the procession proceeds. The march is recognized... and if anyone had still had any thoughts of things be a Standard Wedding they were gone from that point on.

Eventually the introductions are announced. There was a bit of self-serving of drink (heat, thirst, therefore... I think some food was out too) during a break between ceremony and introduction, which might have resulted in things being a bit more confused on the floor than they ought to have been, but it all seems to sort itself out as thing get moving again. The DJ messes up and announces Mr. & Mrs. His-name.. to the audible shock of just about everyone.. he recovers, if barely. After the introductions, a couple people make toasts. The one I really recall told Mike just how lucky he was and also told him, "Mike, don't you dare screw this up!" That amused folks.

Notice that nothing in the last paragraph mentions a certain person or a certain bit of drama. That is because of where we wound up sitting. By sheer luck of our seating position we did not see what happened and were not aware that anything had happened. That was a good thing about being where we were. (After we got back to hotel Jay remarked that nothing seemed to have gone horribly wrong. I replied that we would have known.. we would been inside the blast radius. Evidently things weren't what they seemed.)

There was dancing by the various members of the wedding party and then Dead Man's Party was played, as expected. It became apparent, alas, that much wasn't played that ought to have been and much was played that ought not to have been. Elf borrowed my pen (I've carried one with me at almost all waking times since one job that called for writing at annoying times) to change the play-list. Or maybe to threaten the DJ. It's one thing I left in NYC.. for all I know it's lodged in the DJ. If not, he's luckier than he ought to be. Jay found one rap (or was it hip-hop, and what is the difference anyway?) work recognizable only as it was the base for one of Weird Al's tunes on Poodle Hat. I'm not sure if White Wedding was there intentionally for irony or something, or if it there was because of the DJ. Its presence was rather.. jarring.

Throughout the evening elf was dancing, on and off, and looking great. And looking very happy for the most part. (There were the DJ times, in which things were a bit more.. deliberate.) I didn't dance, for a few reasons. Like being clueless about it and I really didn't want to end up stepping on anyone's feet. Especially not elf's bare feet. And somewhere in all this I gave elf a couple buttons which I'd picked up at AnthroCon. I'm not sure what became of them. She might have them, or judged them more fitting for someone else. As long as whatever happened made her happy, that is all that matters. And I'm not saying what is on either of them, myself. Also, when she was still wearing the ruby shoes, I had to tell her not to click her heels or she might end up in Kansas. She replied it could be California. I doubt she'd appreciate sudden unintended transport to either.

The food was good, and though not all of it made it out, it was plentiful. If anyone left the reception hungry, it was their own fault. I have been told that I am a picky eater (granted, I have no known allergies - just many things I simply don't like very much) and I had more than enough. The meatballs were quite good. The pineapple with them was a strange thing to me. There were carrots prepared in a way I can't describe. Seemed to really change the flavor of the carrots. Jay might disagree, but he doesn't care much for carrots to put it mildly. There was also plenty to drink. Not just alcohol, but tea, water, colas (regular and diet), and so on.

We knew spinach pies had been in the plans, but evidently they never made it out (or made it to the hall?). Jay had been looking forward to them. I might have sampled a bit. I'm not big on spinach pie, myself, but maybe it's just the one recipe I've been exposed to. There was, however, blackout cake. This is chocolate to the chocolateth power. Very very good. And very dangerous, I am sure. My one minor glitch was getting a bit on my shirt and then getting my shirt all wet trying to get the spot less prominent. Luckily it was later in the evening and that went mostly if not completely unnoticed.

Eventually, as things seemed to be winding down, Yakko's World was played and a few of us tried to sing along with it. I faked most of it. I can get into it, once I hear the first couple countries of each breath, but I do cannot do it from memory. At least not past Peru. When it was over, tables were already being cleared and the little plastic animals on our table were gone. Aww. I'd expected to have that black horse sitting atop my monitor or something now. I did manage to find the folded flowers from one the animals and pocket them, and they are atop my monitor now.

Elf expressed happiness that we'd managed to make it. Several times was this expressed. She also apologized for our being placed so close to the speakers. Also more than once. "That wasn't supposed to happen." I was ready for it. I had taken some naproxen before leaving the hotel (one reason I was avoiding alcohol and drinking a lot of other fluids) and I had a set of earplugs I used at times. And well, someone was gonna end up there. She also saw to it that we were with someone who could guide back to the hotel. It was unusual to be called delicate, but in NYC... I probably am. Good and not sure about which thing "...he's midwestern that way..." were also nice to hear.

Now, I've made more than a few (comments) and mentioned things that went amiss. Aside from the one we did not see, I considered all of them to be glitches, and minor ones at that. Glitches happen. The only thing that really affected me in a non-positive way was the spot on my shirt and that was my own damn fault. It was [insert as many positives here as you know, then add more] good to see elf happy. When we first met, while I might have seen her smile from time to time, it was clear that she was miserable where she was - which was on the far side of the Mississippi from NYC. That night she was home, New York City, and it showed. It wasn't just the wedding. It was the wedding in her City.

All the problems I had with NYC were gone for the duration. The hall was an island apart, for me. I had a good time. And if anyone thinks I'm not happy (thrilled, etc.) for elf and Mike, something is seriously wrong with them. I do feel a bit guilty now, though, having done nothing but show up, really. So many did so much to make it all work as well as it did.

Oh, there was one omission, besides the spinach pies. I don't recall seeing a single shrimp fork...

Comments

[bronxelf-ag001.livejournal.com]

I will send you horses.

And there were most DEFINITELY shrimp forks. Just wait til some of the wedding party recaps their swag... *L*

[vakkotaur.livejournal.com]

Thank you.
And evidently I simply did not notice...