The bells, the bells!
Wedding bells, that is.
My unSister got married this last weekend. And lo, as is characteristic of any observance around her, the weather was unseasonable. A max of 35C, a good 7-10 degrees higher than that of the two days on either side.
And as is traditional, it was a Very Long Day.
Firstly off early to the venue to help set up the table centrepieces. Little rough crystal points (amethyst and citrine, to match the theme colours) and rock salt for Earth, armfuls of native flowers for Wood, electric tea lights in round paper lanterns for Fire, filled vases for Water, little bells for Metal and the odd feather for Air. Plus touches of the bride's personality: ceramic and glass teapots, bowls of gravel-shaped chocolate pebbles, graceful arcs of ribbon, and scattered paper cutouts of punctuation marks.
(I threw in some fertility symbols for the bridal table too. The first of the season's white peaches and some ears of wheat. Nature also helped with this, conjuring up some very noisy mating parrots and a nicely timed termite hatch.)
Then it was back home to get laced in. I had put my foot down at the thought of wearing a bridesmaid dress, only to cave when unSister suggested she give me the fabric to make something of it. As the joke goes, I wound up spending more on my outfit than she did (she did make the gown, the bridesmaid dresses, and the cake herself after all) - enough to pay for a couple of reception tables and more. Oops. :P Then off to her place to get made up, and ride off in the limo. First bride I've ever known who was on time.
The reception was a little cramped, and I had a few niggles with the chef's catering to the vegetarians, but the food was pretty good. The magicians and 'fire' dancers were great, and the wedding cake was fantastic. I also managed to slip away during dinner to watch the decoration of the groom's 'getaway car'. There are photos of his expression, I believe. I didn't get to see it myself. Feathers were involved. Many, many feathers.
It was fun to watch the plundering when the guests were told that just about everything in the centrepieces were available for souvenirs. Several guests just grabbed the vases and their contents, walking them bodily out the door. Definitely saved on the packing up afterwards.
Got home after midnight, and I was a zombie at work the next day. But it was worth it. From what I saw, most people had fun. And it was one of the least stodgy weddings I've ever been to.
This entry was originally posted at http://delicious-irony.dreamwidth.org/220325.html. Please comment there using OpenID.
My unSister got married this last weekend. And lo, as is characteristic of any observance around her, the weather was unseasonable. A max of 35C, a good 7-10 degrees higher than that of the two days on either side.
And as is traditional, it was a Very Long Day.
Firstly off early to the venue to help set up the table centrepieces. Little rough crystal points (amethyst and citrine, to match the theme colours) and rock salt for Earth, armfuls of native flowers for Wood, electric tea lights in round paper lanterns for Fire, filled vases for Water, little bells for Metal and the odd feather for Air. Plus touches of the bride's personality: ceramic and glass teapots, bowls of gravel-shaped chocolate pebbles, graceful arcs of ribbon, and scattered paper cutouts of punctuation marks.
(I threw in some fertility symbols for the bridal table too. The first of the season's white peaches and some ears of wheat. Nature also helped with this, conjuring up some very noisy mating parrots and a nicely timed termite hatch.)
Then it was back home to get laced in. I had put my foot down at the thought of wearing a bridesmaid dress, only to cave when unSister suggested she give me the fabric to make something of it. As the joke goes, I wound up spending more on my outfit than she did (she did make the gown, the bridesmaid dresses, and the cake herself after all) - enough to pay for a couple of reception tables and more. Oops. :P Then off to her place to get made up, and ride off in the limo. First bride I've ever known who was on time.
The reception was a little cramped, and I had a few niggles with the chef's catering to the vegetarians, but the food was pretty good. The magicians and 'fire' dancers were great, and the wedding cake was fantastic. I also managed to slip away during dinner to watch the decoration of the groom's 'getaway car'. There are photos of his expression, I believe. I didn't get to see it myself. Feathers were involved. Many, many feathers.
It was fun to watch the plundering when the guests were told that just about everything in the centrepieces were available for souvenirs. Several guests just grabbed the vases and their contents, walking them bodily out the door. Definitely saved on the packing up afterwards.
Got home after midnight, and I was a zombie at work the next day. But it was worth it. From what I saw, most people had fun. And it was one of the least stodgy weddings I've ever been to.
This entry was originally posted at http://delicious-irony.dreamwidth.org/220325.html. Please comment there using OpenID.