2002-08-18 - 7:44 p.m.

Now playing: "One Hit Wonders" on VH-1.

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So, more about Lindsay's wedding.

Friday morning I lazed around home until 11, at which point I gassed up the car, drove through the car wash, and picked up some lunch at the grocery store along with *cough* the wedding card. I then dropped off some paperwork at the estate lawyer's office and was on my way to Westchester at noon.

The drive down through Connecticut was uneventful; I noticed that the balance and rotation of my car's tires I had done Thursday afternoon made a difference. I stopped at the rest stop on 684 and ate my lunch - I was *extremely* happy to have brought it. It felt kind of weird sitting at a picnic table in the woods next to the highway and eating, but I got over it right quick. It was about 1:45 when I finished - the drive took a lot less time than I thought it would. For some reason I thought it took two hours to get to Danbury - maybe that was the case when I was in college and speed limits were lower - but it only took me an hour and thirty minutes. Of course as I pulled away from the rest stop, it *STARTED TO POUR*. Fortunately it only lasted a few minutes. Driving on the highway in the driving rain, and more importantly all the spray thrown up by traffic, is one of my least-favorite driving experiences. I got to the Westchester County Airport at around 2:15.

I then waited for MC's flight, due to arrive at 3:24. I'd brought a book, so all was good. Just about everyone in that airport had a cell phone - I was highly amused.

MC's flight arrived right on time. However, because of the general ineptitude at the airport, there was no gate for the plane to go to, so she sat in the plane on the tarmac until 4. More airport ineptitude - there was only 1 lane open in the tollbooth to get out. We sat in line there for about 15 minutes. As we left the airport, the skies opened above us and there was torrential rain. Great. Don't know where I'm going, and it's pouring. Feh.

So, I'd gotten directions to the hotel from the airport from the hotel's website. Suffice it to say that THEY SUCKED ASS. It took MC and I an hour to get to the hotel, and it couldn't have been more than 9 miles. It was pathetic. THERE WERE NO STREET SIGNS to tell us what street we were on! It turns out I turned around at the critical intersection - drove back to the airport - drove back to where I'd turned around - and realized I should have just kept going. *sigh* MC was pleasant company so it wasn't all bad. :) We talked about music, FRFF, and our health.

We got to the hotel at around 5:15. MC went up to her room (where Loren and Anna already were) and I went to my room. We agreed to meet in the lobby at 6, as the wedding started at 6:30. I threw my stuff down and jumped in the shower. It took me a while to get dressed because there was just SO MUCH to put on. It took me a while to figure out how the suspenders worked - they were horribly twisted but I didn't have time to fix them. Then it took me a while to fasten the vest claps (of course it was straps in the back) and then I couldn't get the freakin' tie fastened - it too was horribly twisted, but I didn't care. I finally got everything on and all dressed, headed to the lobby at 6:10. I rounded the corner and there were MC, Loren, and Anna, each looking resplendent. I instructed Loren to get better directions to the club than what I had while I got the car, and she and I did our tasks.

We made it to the Coveleigh Club at around 6:28. I used the valet parking (how I love it!) and I attempted to have Loren straighten out my suspenders. It was beyond her abilities, however, so I Got Over It and in we went.

The Coveleigh Club was lovely. We were all thankful that the wedding was indoors and air-conditioned - it was tropical outside. We sat in the last row on the left. The string quartet played nicely, and the processional was Calico Skies by Paul McCartney, whom Lindsay loves. I was expecting the traditional one, though, so I didn't turn around when it started, and hence only saw Lindsay as she passed by. She was radiant. Absolutely beautiful in a corset-style strapless dress. All brides are beautiful, but Lindsay was powered up and was at the next level.

So, it was a dual-faith ceremony - Lindsay is Jewish while Fred is Catholic - so there were both a rabbi and a priest there. It was a beautiful ceremony - the Monsignor had each of them write an essay about why, out of all the people in the world, each of them was marrying the other. Lindsay used a musical metaphor in hers - that when they're listening to a song, Lindsay focuses on the music, while Fred focuses on the words - and that's how they'll go through life, focusing on different parts to make everything complete. It was really nice. The four of us were all verklempt.

The ceremony lasted maybe forty-five minutes. As we were sitting in the last row, we were the last to leave the room and go through the reception line. The club by this point was sending waiters around with hors d'oeuvres to those in line. I passed on the tuna tartare - what was I thinking?? - but I did have the little wild mushroom puffs - which were delicious. Anyway, I finally got to meet Lindsay in line - and we were each all smiles. Plus, she's tall, so she's a good hugger. :D Fred is my height - this was my first time meeting him, too - and everyone was just all smiles and bonhomie. They went off to have pictures taken, and we four went out to the patio, where there were more hors d'oeuvres and an open bar. I got a drink - my first cocktail since December - a gin gimlet. Damn, was it good. Loren got wine and MC and Anna got amaretto sours, I believe. We wandered around a bit, eating and drinking and chatting. We looked out over the sea, and admired the beautiful swimming pool and grounds. We were totally snarky the entire time. It rocked. MC had originally thought the mushrooms were escargot, so we milked that for a lot of jokes. It was when I saw black stuff on Loren's teeth that wasn't there that I realized I should stop drinking, so I did. Plus, it was still hot and muggy, and I was dying in my tuxedo.

Dinner was announced, so we went in. We four were seated at a table with four couples made up of college friends of the happy couple, plus one of those couples' infants.

The band was playing - a nine-piece jazz band called Bock & Blu. They were really good - at times I forgot they were live - they sounded so smooth I thought it was a CD. MC and I slowed danced for a while, and then the music changed, so we danced normally, with Anna joining eventually and Loren begrudgingly joining us after much persuason (I picked her up and carried her onto the dance floor).

After we danced, dinner started, and we enjoyed the delicious food - mesclun salad with a balsamic vinaigrette, then lemon sorbet, then the main course (beef or mahi mahi), coffee and cookies, and then a bit later, wedding cake.

I, of course, had ordered the beef, but when MC said she wished she'd ordered it, I traded my beef for her mahi mahi. I'd never had mahi mahi before, and it was good - I didn't regret my swap at all. I had the waiter fill my 2 wine glasses with ice water in addition to my normal water glass, so I was well-hydrated. :D They were very good about keeping the glasses full - either of water, in my case, or of wine. The centerpiece on the table was a bowlful of differently-colored roses, and the favor was a heart-shaped sugar cookie (yum) with the appropriate cookie cutter and recipe.

After dinner all the traditional stuff was done - Jewish circle dancing, the chair dance, the bouquet toss, and the garter.

Well, of course, this being MY life, and everything always being a challenge, I was one of like only six single men there. *grump*. The 15-year old kid who caught the garter threw it at me and ran off - I couldn't believe it! I was so shocked I didn't catch it. After a few seconds I realized what was happening, snatched it up off the floor, and did the whole garter thing. The woman (who I later found out was Fred's sister, Amy) wanted no part of any of it, so I was very discreet and only hammed it up a little for the camera. I left it right above her knee and pulled her dress down for her. We got it over with as quickly as possible.

So we all danced some more - I danced more at this wedding than any other place I've been, I think - it was fun! Sadly, they played no Fruvous or Patsy Cline. I think we all had a great time just chatting with the people at our table and amongst ourselves. Quotes of the dinner were "Stop shaking your meat in my face!" and "Honey, I'll eat your fish anytime."

Eventually, it got to be midnight, and the band finished. We said our goodbyes to Lindsay and Fred, and drove back to the hotel, transporting one of the couples from our table with us. Good thing I have a nice roomy Taurus. :D We got back to the hotel around 12:45, I'd say, and we took a few pictures, and then went our separate ways, the women to their room, and me to mine.

I was so happy to get out of that hot tux! I collapsed into the king-sized bed (only the second time in my life I've ever slept in one) and read for a while, and finally fell asleep around 2:30. I had thought ahead and brought a fan with me, and I was glad I'd done so since the A/C unit was across the room from me, making no breeze at all near the bed.

Sunday morning I awoke at 8:30, which sucked since I'd gone to bed so late. However, once I wake up, I usually can't fall back asleep, and there was no exception in the offering for me. So, I got up, showered, packed, and got a cup of coffee from the lobby. At 9:30 I called the others, who told me to give them a half-hour, but it was more like an hour. :D We all checked out around 11, and then had brunch at the hotel restaurant. At around noon MC's friend Alex arrived, who was transporting MC to Philadelphia where she was house-sitting for Fred and Lindsay. We hung out together for about another half-hour, and then said our goodbyes. :( It was a lot of fun and I was sorry that it had to draw to an end.

The drive home was uneventful except for the half-hour of stalled traffic I hit in Waterbury, grrrr. I got home at 3.

And thus ends my wedding report. I'm going to go eat the favor sugar cookie! I'll try to post pictures somewhere when I get them.