FURTHER: A TRAVEL BLOG: The Wedding

Tiara shows off her Indian wedding bangles

Being a jeans and t-shirt kind of guy, I have never been fond of formal ceremonies. Weddings are one of those ceremonies that I usually try to avoid. However, it is difficult to get through life without attending several weddings, including your own. Often these are solemn, ponderous affairs followed by receptions with rubber chicken buffets, and bad music spun up by a DJ who at some point always seems to play YMCA by the Village People and the Macarena. Yet, every so often a wedding comes along that is the exception to the norm. Followers of this blog know that the wedding we attended in India this year was one such wedding. It was a rare treat to attend that wedding; a once in a lifetime opportunity. I didn't think any wedding would ever top that one. I was wrong.

Last week I attended, or should I say participated in, the wedding of my son Ian and his new wife Tiara. Granted, it was the wedding of my son, but all subjectivity aside, I can't say I've ever had more fun at a wedding.

Saturday, August 8-W day minus one

Deb and I rushed out of the house of our dearest friends, Mark and Patsy, in the Mission District of San Francisco. Our car was jammed with candle holders, crackers (the kind you pull apart with a bang), baskets full of bubbles and various and sundry items for the wedding. It was typical San Francisco summer day; cold and cloudy. We zoomed across the bridge to Berkeley chased by blowing fog. We were off, a little behind schedule as usual, to the wedding rehearsal. After a brief stop to pick up daughter Kate and Sarah (friend of Ian) in Berkeley, we arrived at the Berkeley campus without a moment to spare.

We quickly emptied the car and with the help of Barbara, Tiara's mother, located the rest of the wedding party on the expansive green lawn of Faculty Glade. Bordered by a gurgling creek lined with 100 year old redwoods, it is a green oasis in the heart of the campus. White folding chairs, separated by an aisle, focused on a large oak tree at the bottom of the lawn defined the outdoor wedding" chapel". To the rear, the Craftsman style Faculty Club complimented the outdoor space. After a slight delay while waiting for the fog delayed minister, we got down to business. We worked out the logistics of who, what, where, when and how (we already knew why) and we were finished in less than an hour. With stomachs rumbling we zipped back across the bay for food at Zazies in San Francisco where Deb and I were hosting a post-rehearsal brunch.

My girls

The happy couple enjoy the sunshine

After rounding up the rest of the tribe in the Mission we careened through the crazy streets of San Francisco with my little car straining up the steep hills just to fly down the other side. Against all odds, we arrived right on time after the usual San Francisco parking debacle. A crowd of 30 or so people milled on the sidewalk waiting for our tables to be ready. We were soon escorted to a patio at the rear of the restaurant where the first miracle occurred; the weather gods cooperated and pulled back the fog bank bathing us in glorious sunlight. For those of you who don't know San Francisco summers, this was a miracle indeed.

YUM!

The next hour was a whirl of champagne, introductions, reacquainting, and more champagne. Anyway, I was whirling because it had been at least seven hours since breakfast and don't do well on champagne appetizers. The brunch menu was extensive and delicious. The food was excellent but after several glasses of champagne, I could have eaten anything and enjoyed it. I can highly recommend Zazies (for the champagne if nothing else). After several hours of drinking (Did I mention there was champagne?), I was a little concerned about driving but after I saw the amount on the check I was as sober as a judge.

Proud parents of the bride

Ian makes us laugh!

Sunday, August 9- W day

Wedding day, dawned.... cold and cloudy. I was starting to wish I had brought my down jacket and gloves. After a leisurely breakfast, Deb and I raced down to Glen Park to pick up Ian and head back over to Berkeley. After a quick stop at the Faculty Club to drop off still more stuff, we drove down University Blvd to our favorite Thai restaurant for lunch. We were joined by Tiara and a few other members of the wedding party. After filling up on some tasty Thai food, we rushed back to the Faculty Club to set up for the wedding.

With only two hours to go florists were bustling around setting out flowers and bartenders and busboys were busy stocking the bar on the deck of the Faculty Club. Inside, the wait staff was setting the tables while several family members and friends were rushing around setting up sound systems, a game room, and an eclectic mix of photo boards, pictures of ancestors weddings and an antique typewriter for comments. Noting the time, Deb and I slipped off to dress for the obligatory photo shoot and wedding to follow. The photographer took a seemingly endless series of photos of the bride and groom, the wedding party and every possible combination of family, wedding party, and bride and groom.

Jenny, Kathy, Harry, Val, Richard, and Kate wait for the ceremony to begin

The bride

The Groom

Our family

Finally, the signal was given for everyone to sit down; it was time for the ceremony to begin. Deb and I led the procession down the aisle followed by Steve and Barbara (Tiara's parents) to the accompaniment of some beautiful violin music played by Cindy who was a childhood friend of Tiara's.

Deb and I step off

The parents were followed by Ian and Tiara's attendants who took their place flanked by beautiful orange and gold floral arrangements beneath the towering trees. After a rather pregnant pause, (don't read anything into that phrase) everyone was anticipating the start of the wedding march but the violinist was not playing. As the minister stepped up to the microphone and proceeded to demonstrate how to play a kazoo (yes a kazoo) everyone soon realized that this was not your normal garden variety wedding. (Pardon the pun) The idea was that all of the guests would participate in the processional by playing the wedding march on.....a kazoo.

Minister Steve instructs in the art of playing kazoo

The violinist played a brief introduction to set the key and tempo then all hell broke loose as the guests started to play. A cacophony of kazoos (try and say that three times real fast) heralded the arrival of the bride and groom as they strolled down the aisle grinning and trying not to wince at the awful sound of the unpracticed "orchestra".

Ian and Tiara walk down the aisle accompanied by the kazoo "orchestra"

Ian and Tiara applaud the orchestra as they prepare to tie the knot while minister Steve chuckles.
(Teo is not reaching for a gun, he is just checking to make sure he has the rings)

The actual ceremony was short and sweet. Ian and Tiara read vows that they composed themselves. Ian vowed to always give Tiara the last strawberry. Tiara vowed to always give Ian the last piece of chocolate and to picnic and sleep in the sun with him. It all seemed to be in good fun until Ian, overcome with emotion, started to get a little teary eyed. At that point, I don't think there was a dry eye in the house. I am still getting teary eyed as I write this. After some words by the minister, rings were exchanged and they were pronounced husband and wife. Then they kissed to the clanging of cow bells.

Prelude to "the kiss"

The newlyweds walked back down the aisle through a cloud of bubbles courtesy of the guests. (We couldn't find Lawrence Welks old bubble machine so we did it the old fashioned way) The minister then invited the guests to join the couple up on the deck to be served hors d'oeuvres and cocktails and, of course, champagne.

The bubbly recessional

After an hour of noshing and imbibing a waiter circulated advising everyone to move inside as dinner would soon be served.

Dinner was served in the Great Hall of the Faculty Club. The Great Hall is renowned as one of the finest examples of Arts and Crafts architecture. The design is often credited to Julia Morgan but was in fact designed by Bernard Maybeck, one of the most prominent and innovative designers of the Craftsman structurest. The soaring ceiling of the Great Hall is an incredible tour de force of redwood beams, paneling and trim. These elements are tied together with intricate joinery which is a hallmark of the Craftsman style.

Dinner in the Great Hall

Steve and Bess enjoy the party

Are these guys happy or what?

Prior to dinner being served, I introduced the crowd to what has become a holiday tradition in our house; crackers. These are brightly wrapped tubular devices which, when pulled apart, explode with a loud pop. Inside are usually toys and paper crowns. Jokingly, I told the crowd that Ian and Tiara would like everyone to wear their crowns. It was quite a sight with over one hundred well dressed people wearing silly multi colored paper crowns.

The guests chattered excitedly as they dined on steak and salmon accompanied by fine wines followed by a dessert of, what else but, wedding cake. Ian and Tiara cut the cake in traditional style supervised by Charlie, the chocolate doll, who had accompanied the couple on their round the world trip last year. You can see him hiding discreetly in the flowers at the base of the cake if you look real hard.

Tiara and Ian cut the cake

After dinner, the newlyweds were feted with many rounds of toasts. The two most memorable toasts were by Steve, Tiara's dad, and Gary, one of Ian's attendants and high school friend. In a long and eloquent monologue, Steve toasted the new couple providing the guests with insight into the skills, character, and attributes of Ian and Tiara. Even though I know he had to be as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs he carried it off with the aplomb of a seasoned toast master. Gary's toast was hilarious (for those that could hear or understand). Gary himself made reference to his Chinese/Canadian/American accent which was even more compromised by the amount of alcohol he had consumed. Nonetheless, his speech had most of the guests laughing hysterically.

Yao-man toasts the couple

Tiara's attendants toast the couple

Next up was the inevitable dancing. The first dance, as tradition dictates, belonged to the bride and groom who had obviously practiced some very intricate moves. They danced a foxtrot danced to the classic tune of Guilty of Loving You sung by Rudy Vallee. If you want to hear the music follow the link http://www.edisondowntown.com/main.htm

First dance

Are they a classy couple or what?

The couple was soon followed onto the floor by parents, family and friends thanks to the irresistable dance mix put together by Ian's cousin Teo. For the next three hours we danced to everything that spanned the genre from Chubby Checkers to Lady Gaga. Even Tiara's ninety year old grandmother was seen swaying to the music. Way to boogie Bess!