Fallin in Love with wedding season

Long post coming up...

I am back from my short vacation to my friends Brian's and Beth's Wedding. Before I did however, I went to the mall to make myself all pretty for the event. I ordered new glasses (which aren't coming in until a few weeks), a new suit, and a haircut. Cost me an arm and a leg to do them, but it was worth it going to the wedding spiffy.

I took a flight up to White Plains and was greeted by my friend Rob and his wife. We took a good 45 minute drive to New Poltz, which was beautiful. Definitely different than the nice warm non-golden leaves scene down here.

I got to the hotel, where I found my friend Brian, who was more than happy to see I made it to his wedding. After a short time to unpack and get a shower in, it was time for the rehearsal dinner.

We went to this golf courses club house for dinner, but before we ate, I had a chance to mingle with the other guests. I knew only a very few, but enjoyed chatting with some people. I didn't drink much (I don't know why--it was an open bar) and we headed to eat. I met up with my friend Jeff's wife Stacie at our table, and got caught up. The couple sitting with us was the bride's uncle and aunt, who happen to own property in the Cape. We discussed why property prices have went down. (Stacie is a real estate agent btw.)

Then came the toasts, which are usually reserved for the reception, but were done that night. One of the many variation that came with this wedding. After a few speeches, I got up and said mine. I basically recalled the way Brian proposed to his wife Beth. Get the tissues out...

Brian had taken Beth to Grand Central Station for drinks before dinner back in December. A subway strike had halted all the trains, so it was pretty much quiet. Brian took Beth to one of the hallway intersections, which was a whispering room. He told her to go to one corner and listen. Brian went to the opposite corner, and whispered I love you into the corner. Beth heard it on the other end. Brian then asked her to marry him. Beth turned around and Brian had the ring out. The met and the middle of the room and she said yes. Wait for it...ahh....

But the speech of the night had to go to Beth's Uncle. He talked about how he asked Brian about basically what he was getting into. The uncle was worried, as he didn't expect Brian knew about the highly matriarchal part of the Foley clan. He had said that he had found a equal way of showing this in the wedding. He would be announced as Brian Foley. And that Beth would be announced as Foley, Brian. Laughs all the way through.

We did a poker party for Brian's bachelor party. I basically lost forty bucks. Some guys "borrowed" some furniture, plants, and paints from the lobby and we had the room all decorated up. Again, a lot of alcohol, no consumption on my part. We ended up going downtown without the groom, who went to bed, and enjoyed myself at a local bar. I was the DD for about nine people.

The next morning came, with everyone getting ready. I volunteered to video tape the wedding, since I had my camcorder and they were taking a lot of stills and no video.

The wedding sight was beautiful. It was an outdoor wedding, and the nice fall colors were in full vibrancy looking down over the hill. The bride came down with no music (another change from tradition) and the wedding was traditional from there. However it was a brief ceremony--about 15 minutes. They took a lot of wedding photos before heading to the reception at the bottom of the hill.

They had a dj instead of having me dj, but it didn't matter to me at all. Didn't drink much and shot a lot of video. Got my mind off of think that I was one of the last of my friends not to be married. One of Brian's friends was the tolken white guy who dances crazy at the wedding. I would up showing some of my dance moves, and danced with the bride a bit. It was a fun night. I crash a bit early that night--just wasn't in a social mood at all.

I left the next day with Brian's parents who went above and beyond to get me back to White Plains and shared a room. We went to NYC for a bit to drop off stuff to the newlyweds place. I passed both the Meadowlands and Yankee stadium along the way.

I took a flight home, was offered a window seat, but won't up in a windowless window seat in the back for the first leg. I met up with Brian in Atlanta between flights, as he was heading to a funeral with his new bride in Mississippi. We talked briefly before I headed home.

I came back and helped celebrate one of my co-worker's birthdays that night and that's about it. I have been in a weird mood ever since--maybe a little bit of a mid-life crisis of some sort. Not to say that I am depressed--just a little, well confused.

That's all for now. laters.