Thanks for remembering! It is indeed this weekend. The BBQ in our yard tonight went great. Tomorrow is the big day. I am looking forward to sharing it all with you.

GW forum people are the best!

L'Chaim! Major Nachas! Enjoy!

Oh my that came up quick!

Hope today is wonderful and all that you wish for you and yours!

Yes, that did happen quickly. For some reason, I thought the wedding was yesterday and so I was looking for an update, I GUESS I'll have to wait patiently for tomorrow....

Congratulations, and best wishes to the young couple and all the family.

Annie

Can't wait to hear all the details! I'm so glad the BBQ went well. I know you were hoping for good weather and low mosquito count.

Stopped by looking for details and pictures.

Ann

I keep checking too but I imagine gellchom is exhausted and probably still has quests.

Hi, everyone!

eandhl, you guessed it. We are indeed pretty tired, and the last of the guests -- the bride and groom -- are still here until tomorrow morning. Thing Two and my mother left today.

I am looking forward to having time to give you all a full report and to posting some pictures when I can get some (Mrs. Thing One said I could), but for now just let me tell you that everything really did go perfectly, it was wonderful and SO much fun, and you were all there with me.

Thank you all so much for caring!

I can't wait until you're rested to see/hear more! Wonderful!!!!

Congratulations! What a happy time! I'm waiting eagerly for the whole story, with pictures.

Tap tap tap.....waiting!!!

Okay! I finally have a few pictures (see WAY below) from a cousin and a bridesmaid. There are better ones that another cousin posted on facebook, but she hasn't sent them to me yet, and I'm not going to wait anymore.

You asked, so here is a very long (sorry) and thorough account of a very long and thorough weekend. Everything went perfectly! Quite a marathon. There were about 200 guests at the wedding, and about 140 of those were from out of town, so we were busy for days. It was fun having my brother and brother-in-law, my daughter, and lots of friends all helping out and co-hosting.

I've been calling them Chom, Thing One, Thing Two, and Future Mrs. Thing One for years. I guess now it's time to reveal that they do have other names: Jack (my husband), Ben (son), Aliza (daughter-in-law -!-), and Addie (daughter).

As you know, I had been stressing out for months about what if it rained Saturday, because we were having all the out of towners plus local friends who had helped with stuff -- over 150 people -- at our house for a BBQ, and there really wasn't enough room inside. We have a belief in our family that my mom, the famous Bubbie, can control the rain. Of course we aren't really superstitious, but I have to tell you, she has a great -- actually, a perfect -- record. Several times we have had parties where it rained everywhere in town except on us. Our friends even call me and say, "Gell, call your mother!" So she was working on this one for months. But the forecast Tuesday called for thunderstorms on Saturday. I said, "I don't care if it's hot or cold, and I don't care if a monsoon starts any time after midnight Saturday night, just don't let it rain that day!" She said okay and concentrated harder.

Thursday night: Aliza's father treated everyone who was in so far (about 20) to a buffet dinner in a private room at a family Italian restaurant. It really felt like a kickoff to a big happy weekend.

Friday night a group of our friends made an incredible sabbath dinner for all the out of towners who were in by then -- a little over half -- at one of their homes. It was in the mid nineties outside, even in the evening, but it most of the tables were indoors, and it was absolutely lovely, as well as delicious. It was so much fun to see the two families and our friends mixing, especially a charades game with all the kids and a few adults, too. We have such great friends and such a great community! It wasn't just that the food was terrific; you could really feel the history and how much our our little circle loves each other, and I felt so lucky.

Saturday the kidz had an honor at Shabbat services. We didn't have to plan anything, because there was a bat mitzvah, and we were very happy to let that family plan the kiddush lunch without input from us.

Saturday night was the BBQ, and it was PERFECT! We had a big tent in the back yard, and tables on the side patio and a few in the front, too. Our house has a very deep front yard with a circular drive. We'd moved all the patio furniture into the grassy area in the middle of the drive (got it?). Our friend and neighbor, who is also our gardener, really outdid herself. She'd done a great job all spring and summer making the beds look great, and she did up little colored flower pots with colorful plants for centerpieces, and she sprayed the yard for mosquitoes. Then she also brought over tons of stuff from her own yard: big potted plants, tall plant stands and trellises, like that, and she made the front look like a gorgeous outdoor living room. I am strongly considering taking advantage of the sales now and permanently keeping furniture out there. Several friends loaned us tiki torches and such, and I had cans of OFF! and lots of packets of OFF! wipes, and I think we really did lick the bugs. So we had burgers, really good hot dogs, chicken, and my favorite: lambchops! And of course the Jeni's sorbet that I told you about, courtesy of David (). After dinner, we got everyone to the back, and Jack took the microphone around and everyone introduced themselves. Bubbie did a parody of a song she used to sing Ben when he was a baby, Ben's a capella group sang (with a surprise solo for Ben), and a college pal of mine wrote a sonnet (the first one ever with the word "mentsch" in it, said Jack).

But what about the weather, you ask? Did Bubbie pull it off?

Of course. There wasn't a cloud in the sky all day Saturday. It was 97 degrees, even in the evening -- but it didn't rain. After we went to bed that night, we heard a thunderclap and the first few raindrops, and I swear to you that I looked at the clock, and it was ... 12:01. It poured pretty much all night, and off and on a lot of the next day, too, but miraculously not the two moments when we were moving from the hotel to the synagogue and back again. Do not mess with that woman; she obviously controls the forces of the universe.

So finally, we're up to the wedding day itself. It really did all go perfectly. The ceremony was at the synagogue and the reception at the hotel. Bubbie looked great (several people said "hot" -- she's 82). Everyone seemed to have a marvelous time. The band was a klezmer band that also does an excellent job at standards, and people were up dancing all the time. Ben and Aliza danced their first dance not to the band, but to Ben's college a capella group -- it was charming. The food was great (really great), the flowers were beautiful, and a lot of the younger guests stayed and partied in the hotel bar and then the lobby all night (we didn't). Ben and Aliza were very happy with everything, and the guests all seemed to be having a great time. And I still love my dress.

Fun fact: President Obama had stayed in the room Ben and Aliza had for their wedding night.

The next morning we had brunch in the hospitality suite, which had worked out great the whole weekend. Several of our friends baked really good stuff, and people were definitely hanging around in there the whole weekend.

You'd think that would be all, wouldn't you? Nope. One of the young couples had their car towed for some Labor Day rally and couldn't get it out until Tuesday -- so we had extra overnight guests in addition to my mom, Addie, and "Benjaliza." Eventually, by Wednesday, the last of them left -- except the honeymooners' dog, who is with us for the duration of the honeymoon.

It was wonderful, and we all enjoyed every minute. Isn't life great?

Thank you all for caring and for sharing it with me. I truly did feel your presence there.

Awww. Those are wonderful pictures, gellchom, all of them and I love the green dresses. Green is my favorite color! You look beautiful, it's so good to finally "see" you.

congratulations to everyone!

Annie

Everyone looks beautiful, the bride, the honor guests & your mom, wow! You look fabulous - and your dress is stunning. Everyone there looks so happy, such a wonderful celebration.

Great pictures of everyone. Looks like lots of fun. Congratulations to the happy couple!
It is good to see you after all these years, and you look lovely. I can't believe that your mother is 82!

What a beautiful bride. She and her twin sure do look alike!

I just love all the traditional ceremonies, like the bride and groom hoisted on the chairs. They are a great looking couple.

The chuppa (sp?) is so pretty.

And you are just gorgeous! I love your dress. You look like you could be the sister of the groom. Wowza.

Thanks for the wonderful pictures.

It sounds like it was a wonderful celebration! Thanks for sharing the description and the photos -- everyone looked gorgeous (and Bubbie does not look 82 and I LOVE her dress) So beautiful and so much happiness -- wishing them the best always and wishing you a long, peaceful nap! :)

What a party!! And indeed Bubbe does look "hot"!!
Beautiful bride, handsome groom and gorgeous group!!
Does the chuppah have a story? The reason I ask is because I have known some which did.
Mazal Tov!!
Linda c

Gell, by the way, you can easily download your cousin's wedding pictures from Facebook. Under each picture is the word Download. Click on that and save it wherever you can find it easily on your computer.

Oh, thank you! I didn't realize it because my Facebook language is set at "Pirate" -- now I know what "pillage" means.

No, Linda, it's not a special chuppah. Just one of the two the synagogue owns decorated with fabric and flowers. I have some friends who made gorgeous ones, but I just didn't have the energy (or the talent).

Okay, dedtired, you created a picture-posting monster. Here are some more pictures, both from my cousin and also from the wedding photographer.

Here goes --

I'd like to promise no more, but when the photographer posts more, there may be others I can't resist. So far I think she did a great job.

Beautiful images! Lovely capture of a joyous occasion. Thank you so much for sharing.

MAZEL TOV!!!

Great photos and great story! I'm so glad to read about how well things went. That dress you picked could not have been more perfect! It complimented the bridesmaids dresses beautifully!

I'm so glad the weather cooperated! I love that your mother controls it!! LOL

And believe me, more pictures will be great! More More!! I wanna see! So please, keep posting!

Gell, all I can say is wow. Your synagogue is so lovely.

I love the twin pictures. I bet they had a good time playing "switcheroo" when they were kids.

Glad the download worked for you. Ha ha, pirate language. I had that for awhile too.

Whatever happened with the other wedding? How did the family choose which one to attend. Looks like everyone who mattered was at yours.

Oh my I am glad I waited to post. Gellchom, what a lovely, lovely event and simcha. Everyone is glowing, the chuppah didn't need the special lighting (but I loved that detail!)

This one had me cracking up and nodding my head furiously in commiseration/agreement: Saturday the kidz had an honor at Shabbat services. We didn't have to plan anything, because there was a bat mitzvah, and we were very happy to let that family plan the kiddush lunch without input from us.

Can we ask for wedding food details, grin?

What a lovely wedding, Gellchom, it really looks like everyone was having such a happy time. I wish Aliza and Ben a long and happy life together!
Your Bubbe the weather witch :-) reminds me of a dear friend, and you remind me of a younger, shorter Sigourney Weaver :-)
Glad everything went off well!

Thank you, everyone!

Okay, lowspark, if I get any more really good ones, I'll post them.

Of course, jessy, the food! After all, this is the cooking forum. And the food at the wedding was wonderful. I really wasn't involved with planning it: because the wedding was here, there was so much that we had to plan, and so little that Aliza's mom could do, that I decided to restrain myself whenever I could so that it wouldn't be so much like we were the only hosts. Not to mention what happens when too many cooks ... So when Ben, Aliza, and her mom were here for Passover, and they went the day before for the tasting lunch, Bubbie and I stayed behind, even though they asked us along. "Too busy cooking" was my excuse, but it turned out to be true. My brother and his partner went, too. They all came piling back through the door raving about the food, especially the squash ravioli entree.

During the cocktail hour there was a table of vegetables, dips, and cheeses and such, but not worth filling up on, because the passed hors d'oeuvres were really great:
roma tomato crostini with goat cheese
wild mushroom tartlets
Asian tuna tartare
tomato soup shooters with fried chevre cube
(the last two were unbelievably good)

At dinner, there was a nice salad, then a choice of that ravioli or 5 spice grilled salmon (I think -- I chose the ravioli based on the above, and it really was stupendous). I don't remember what the side vegetables were.

Dessert was individual cheese cakes, and the wedding cake was the best I've ever tasted, a spice cake. Aliza really wanted cheese cake, and I was hoping they would do that for the wedding cake and have Jeni's ice cream for the dessert, but when I tasted that cake -- wow -- I saw why she chose as she did. We ate leftovers all week (in addition to the top two little layers that are in the freezer).

For the BBQ Saturday night, we had really great hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken, and LAMB CHOPS!!!!! with grilled vegetables, fruit skewers, and, thanks to my wonderful brother, we had Jeni's after all: her award-winning cherry lambic sorbet (he pointed out that it's non-dairy, and he paid for it, too!). The only way it was affordable was to buy 1/2 gallon tubs from the "factory" and scoop it ourselves. Our caterer kindly gave us cups and lids and loaned us a freezer. Addie enlisted a couple of her friends, and they nearly wore out their arms scooping the week before. She was such a huge help the whole week. I especially appreciated her keeping a good attitude because I know she was going crazy worrying because her Israeli boyfriend's visa to visit, applied for months earlier, hadn't come through (it did, the day after the wedding).

Friday night our friends cooked. One had to drop out due to conflict and another because she had just started chemo that day, so a third one picked up their jobs and got her favorite caterer to help. The dinner was at the home of the kidz' godmother, and she was picky, for kosher reasons, about where the others cooked. So some of my friends not only cooked for 80 or so people, they had to do it in others' kitchens, too. They made:
A gorgeous appetizer spread of hummous, eggplant, flatbreads, vegetables, etc.
Brisket and turkey breast
garlic roasted tiny potatoes
the famous rice salad (it's at EVERY event we do)
grilled vegetables
challa (I made that!)
nice wine :-)
and probably a green salad; I honestly don't remember
Dessert was a cherry amaretto crisp, and it has a nice story. The friend who made it knew it had been a favorite of the kidz' godfather, my very good friend and law partner who died suddenly a few years ago. It still felt like he was a co-host in absentia; he and his wife were famous as the best hosts in town. So it was so nice that she thought to make that one -- I think she had based it on a recipe she got from him in the first place many years ago. I felt bad that she made SO much of it -- and the ingredients aren't cheap, and she had to start it at my house and finish it at someone else's -- that even though we kept putting out the leftovers in the hospitality suite all weekend, we still ended up taking four full pans to the shelter with the more prosaic leftovers. They were VERY appreciative!

Our friends also baked, for the hospitality room and bags, homemade chocolate babka (amazing), nut rolls, excellent brownies (some plain, some grand marnier), and my favorite: rosemary cookies. Mmmmm.

I won't put the brunch menu -- it was your basic last-morning brunch. The memorable part was when the hotel guy in charge of the buffet was wondering why they couldn't replenish the sesame and onion bagels fast enough, but the pile of blueberry ones sat there untouched (along with the strawberry cream cheese). We had to explain that most of the guests were Jews, who generally find the whole idea of sweet bagels really weird, like chocolate chip rye bread or something: if you wouldn't put onion and lox on it, it has no business being a bagel and should go be a muffin someplace.

I can only imagine how much weight I gained, and I don't care!

Okay, now this is a food post. :-)

P.s. --
Here is the gift I got most of the friends who cooked and helped (I got something a little bigger for the friend whose house they used, and I got glass business card holders for the guys). We collect art glass, so I thought they would like something glass from us. I found a talented, nice, and FAST artist who made these for me in a few different colors. It's a ring holder -- an important item for the kitchen of any serious cook!

Mazal Tov! Stunning in every way! Thank you for letting us share.

I'm late to the party because of stupid internet problems--couldn't see the pictures till now :-( -- but I came back to check, and I'm overwhelmed, seeing the excitement and happiness on all the faces. Beautiful bride, handsome groom. And such a lovely mother-of-the-groom, too! And Bubbie looks amazing--beautiful at any age!

Mazel Tov!

Sue

I have been following this post for a long time and the payoff has been worth the time. It looks like EVERY aspect of the event was spectacular!!

Thank you for sharing all the written details and the beautiful pictures.

I'm so glad I decided to check in here. Loved reading about the wedding and the pictures are great.
Thanks for sharing a very special event.

Nancy

I got so excited to finally see the pictures, I forgot to tell you, HOW WONDERFUL!!!!!! tears of joy for you.

Many additions since my last posting! The ring holders are lovely and the menu soounds...soooo good.
Perhaps you could start a thread on "The other side" about either wedding foods...or foods for showers....or breakfast/bridal brunch foods.
And please start with that Amaretto cherry crisp!!

Oh....and I'm not Jewish but I sure agree on blue berry bagels or chocolate chip bagels or heaven forbid cinnamon crunch bagels!
Linda c

It all looks beautiful! Best wishes to the newly weds!

ML

It all looks and sounds wonderful! You family is beautiful. All my best to the bride and groom.

Sally

Thank you for sharing, what a wonderful and joyous celebration! Mazel tov to all!