So yesterday I went to the wedding.

Rice was the best man, I was a bridesmaid and Avadore was the ring bearer.

Memorable moments:

Rose petals all over. The colors were black and red, which actually worked very well. The bride is really into theater so there were half Phantom masks on all the tables.

The bridesmaid dresses were dark red, A-line skirt, with straps and a black bolero jacket. They were pretty dresses. Everyone had a bit of problems with their straps -- yay for safety-pins and tape. I needed help with my dress. I was "partners" with a very old friend of mine who has appeared in this journal before. I said, "Randy, are we good enough friends that you'd help me tape my underwear to my dress?" He was very helpful.

Most everyone had problems with their tuxes. Avadore's shoes didn't fit. He refused to wear them. He walked down the aisle in his black tennis shoes.

Another Avadore memory: He's growing and therefore is constantly eating. He showed up at the pre-wedding preparations and started eating. There were some chips and things in the room where the bridesmaids and bride got ready and where we all lined up for the processional. When it was time for Avadore to get in line, he freaked out just a little bit from stagefright. Also, he was still eating. We let him walk down the aisle with the pillow and rings in one hand and chips to munch on in the other.

These things are only cute when one is three.

Randy walking up to me, putting his shoe just under the hem of my dress and saying, "These shoes aren't shiny enough." *Groan*.

The bride and groom shoving cake in other people's faces -- and the people they chose saw it coming.

All the great 80's music.

All the bridesmaid shoes were size 10. I wear an 8, 8 1/2. I stuffed my shoes with Kenny's extra socks. Others stuffed theirs with toilet paper. It was hilarious.

The dinner:

In the end, I put out our cooler and decided we'd hit the grocery store as we left town. I had put the cooler right by the door and thought Rice would get it. I also had my little makeup case, which, for some reason beyond me, Rice thought was the cooler. A cooler with a mirror. Fabulous!

I grabbed some semi non-perishable stuff when we stopped off at the grocery store: a huge beef stick, sharp cheddar, three cheap knives that cost a dollar (*eek!*), grapes, bananas, apples, orange juice, baby carrots, cheese and crackers, Reeses peanut butter cups, and minty gum for those who didn't bring a toothbrush. We fed six adults, Avadore and the baby. Several more adults also snacked on the "dinner" for the rest of the night.

In the spirit of recent posts, yesterday I was told I look like the following:

Geena Davis
Violet Baudelaire from the Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events movie.
And Dorothy from the end of the original The Wizard of Oz with Judy Garland

I can't think of a larger dichotomy than Violet and Dorothy.

Someday someone will tell me I look like myself... And at least it wasn't the President this time.

Dancing with my brother. Dancing with Rice. Dancing with the bride. Dancing in a circle trying to sing a Jewish traditional.

Rice in a tux.

My brother looking incredibly handsome. (And yes, the bride was lovely.)

The slam dancing/mosh pit.

Captain Jack's and J-Spot's Kung Fu.

The Moses' arrival and visit. (Some old family friends.) There's another story here, but that's for another day.

Everyone had pretty much gone home and it was primarily the wedding party cleaning up and hanging out. It came out that J-Spot and K-Spot were going home after the wedding, and would eventually get a honeymoon some other day. I thought that was a bit of a bummer (as did the Matron and Maid of Honor who had already tried to pool some cash from some other people), so a bunch of us pooled our resources and got them a hotel room for the night and money for dinner. It was so great -- there were people there who don't have a lot of extra cash but gave what they could. One person has no job, but gave the two dollars they had. Those are the things that mean a lot. J-Spot and K-Spot looked like they were really touched with the gesture.

The get-away-car complete with streamers, paint, balloons and Oreos. Blowing bubbles at about 10 o'clock at night as the bride and groom went to the car.

In the very end, the people who were left were the close friends (and some family) of the couple. Not a ton of us, but some of the people who love them most. That was the best time of the whole night. That's how it should be.

J-Spot called me on his cell from where they were getting dinner. He related the order back to me -- lots of hot peppers and things. My cholestoral went up just listening to what they were having for dinner. Fine celebratory food. I, in turn, gave some wedding night advice. We all got a good laugh out of it. Heh. Yeah, like this is the first time and he doesn't know what he's doing. *snicker*



And now Rice has left and is headed back up north for a couple days before we begin the Thanksgiving festivities.

Yay for family. And I get the feeling my family has increased by several people: my brother's new wife and his friends.