wedding update
So - my big brother got married this weekend, I have never been so proud of him in all my life. He made it through like a trooper. In the words of old jewish ladies, I was kvelling (definition for "kvell" about half way down) all weekend.
Saturday was pretty fun after morning services, I hung around the hotel lobby greeting family and friends as they arrived, I hung around with my little 2nd cousins for the afternoon, Victoria who is the cutest and sweetest little 9 year old. She is going to be going to my Jew camp this summer, I'm so excited for her. Then there was a dinner (generally referred to as the rehearsal dinner - but there was no rehearsing) for about 100 people. They played my video - I was a pile of nerves before that started to play - not sure why - felt like a tortured artist for the first time in my life. Once the sound started (p.s. Matt I still love you!) to work it went over fairly well, I got so many congratulations and thank yous and wonderful jobs - it was a bit much to handle. Afterwards, a small group of us went out to drink with the bride and groom
Ari got terribly ill on Saturday night, I woke up feeling pretty awful too, but he apparently slept in fetal position till 10 am. I have not seen him look so sickly in ages, I think he caught some sort of fever bug thing, that was only perpetuated by his stress and nerves. I think he deserves a medal for not yelling at anyone the entire day. The event was beautiful, I tried to forget about how sick I was feeling. I nearly fainted during the 48 minute ceremony - which felt like 3 hours. About 20 minutes into the ceremony I was instantly drenched in cold sweat and felt light headed. But I came back to full-ish form in about 10 minutes.
Before the ceremony there are 2 VERY traditional things that happen which really shocked me, because they seem so "old school" first is a Tisch (rhymes with fish) in which, all the men go into a room and try to roudy up the groom, they give him alcohol, Ari's best friend brought him a bottle of scotch. Jared said they did like 6 shots. Bear in mind Ari hadn't eaten anything all day. Then they bring the groom out to see the bride and cover her with the veil - this is called the Bedecken (this goes back to biblical times when Jacob married the wrong sister because he never saw the bride before the veil went on). The rabbi asked if this was in fact Rachelle - and Ari responded "I see 2 of her"
Ari was crying as we were lining up for the procession, which only made me cry, the two of us were a mess straight through the ceremony, Rachelle was fully composed the whole way through. That was impressive! Jared and I walked Ari down the aisle - which seemed to be the most appropriate idea, we have always been each others parents.
After the ceremony - we all cooled off in one of the rooms, and then attempted to join the cocktail hour - but of course pictures were taken straight through cocktails, so I never made it past getting in line at the bar for water. The reception began a while later, the wedding party was announced in, Ari and Rachelle danced to their song "Just the way you are" (side note: I love Billy ... Joel!) Then we all had to dance so I danced with Rachelle's brother Mark (p.s. I don't slow dance - dunno how, totally incompetent, i was pretty much side stepping slowly).
Then the Hora (danced to Hava Nagila) started - that was the most fun I've ever had in a hora. Jews don't have to know how dance to anything, ever, but we are all inherently born with the ability to dance the hora. In the middle they lifted up the bride and groom on chairs and then the parents - my poor mother was struck with shock and euphoria when they lifted her up - I was so proud of her. Martin got lifted up as well. He's the best "Dad" any of us could have asked for.
The rest went by in a blur - i remember eating a bit of chicken, I remember having 3 screwdrivers, I remember dancing with Victoria, and Janna got drunk and was amusing. I remember hugging and kissing Ari a lot. And I think I was wee bit drunk for about 5 to 10 minutes. We decorated ari's car with car paint and shaving cream (I wrote Mazel Tov in shaving cream), and attached soda cans to the back. We took a T-baum family photo that was wonderful it made me miss my grandparents so very much and made me hate my dad even more for not showing up and not letting Alex be a part of this beautiful and happy and loving event.
I made it back to my hotel room last night and was shivering for reasons unknown to myself, I don't get cold like that - I was shaking from exhaustion and illness and who knows what else. But once I got the bobby pins all out of my hair and I could lie my head down I called Janna and she and Rayna paid me a visit. Rayna tucked Janna and I in to my King sized bed and I tried desperately to fall asleep. The whole day was mentally and physically draining that I think I was too exhausted to sleep. At some point I finally passed out. Woke up late this morning, showed up to breakfast late, said hi to the whole family that was having breaky in the hotel restaurant, went to Rachelle's parent's house for brunch - passed out a bit. Hugged the bride and groom, gave Jared my keys, drove back here and I passed out again.
I do hope I feel better in the morning, because I have a 9:30 phone interview and then I am going to try to drive to CT to sit shiva with my friend. I'll be back here Wednesday afternoon so I can fly out to visit Mandi on Thursday morning!
The whole photo album can be seen here: http://pictures.penguinsanity.com/ar_wedding
Saturday was pretty fun after morning services, I hung around the hotel lobby greeting family and friends as they arrived, I hung around with my little 2nd cousins for the afternoon, Victoria who is the cutest and sweetest little 9 year old. She is going to be going to my Jew camp this summer, I'm so excited for her. Then there was a dinner (generally referred to as the rehearsal dinner - but there was no rehearsing) for about 100 people. They played my video - I was a pile of nerves before that started to play - not sure why - felt like a tortured artist for the first time in my life. Once the sound started (p.s. Matt I still love you!) to work it went over fairly well, I got so many congratulations and thank yous and wonderful jobs - it was a bit much to handle. Afterwards, a small group of us went out to drink with the bride and groom
Ari got terribly ill on Saturday night, I woke up feeling pretty awful too, but he apparently slept in fetal position till 10 am. I have not seen him look so sickly in ages, I think he caught some sort of fever bug thing, that was only perpetuated by his stress and nerves. I think he deserves a medal for not yelling at anyone the entire day. The event was beautiful, I tried to forget about how sick I was feeling. I nearly fainted during the 48 minute ceremony - which felt like 3 hours. About 20 minutes into the ceremony I was instantly drenched in cold sweat and felt light headed. But I came back to full-ish form in about 10 minutes.
Before the ceremony there are 2 VERY traditional things that happen which really shocked me, because they seem so "old school" first is a Tisch (rhymes with fish) in which, all the men go into a room and try to roudy up the groom, they give him alcohol, Ari's best friend brought him a bottle of scotch. Jared said they did like 6 shots. Bear in mind Ari hadn't eaten anything all day. Then they bring the groom out to see the bride and cover her with the veil - this is called the Bedecken (this goes back to biblical times when Jacob married the wrong sister because he never saw the bride before the veil went on). The rabbi asked if this was in fact Rachelle - and Ari responded "I see 2 of her"
Ari was crying as we were lining up for the procession, which only made me cry, the two of us were a mess straight through the ceremony, Rachelle was fully composed the whole way through. That was impressive! Jared and I walked Ari down the aisle - which seemed to be the most appropriate idea, we have always been each others parents.
After the ceremony - we all cooled off in one of the rooms, and then attempted to join the cocktail hour - but of course pictures were taken straight through cocktails, so I never made it past getting in line at the bar for water. The reception began a while later, the wedding party was announced in, Ari and Rachelle danced to their song "Just the way you are" (side note: I love Billy ... Joel!) Then we all had to dance so I danced with Rachelle's brother Mark (p.s. I don't slow dance - dunno how, totally incompetent, i was pretty much side stepping slowly).
Then the Hora (danced to Hava Nagila) started - that was the most fun I've ever had in a hora. Jews don't have to know how dance to anything, ever, but we are all inherently born with the ability to dance the hora. In the middle they lifted up the bride and groom on chairs and then the parents - my poor mother was struck with shock and euphoria when they lifted her up - I was so proud of her. Martin got lifted up as well. He's the best "Dad" any of us could have asked for.
The rest went by in a blur - i remember eating a bit of chicken, I remember having 3 screwdrivers, I remember dancing with Victoria, and Janna got drunk and was amusing. I remember hugging and kissing Ari a lot. And I think I was wee bit drunk for about 5 to 10 minutes. We decorated ari's car with car paint and shaving cream (I wrote Mazel Tov in shaving cream), and attached soda cans to the back. We took a T-baum family photo that was wonderful it made me miss my grandparents so very much and made me hate my dad even more for not showing up and not letting Alex be a part of this beautiful and happy and loving event.
I made it back to my hotel room last night and was shivering for reasons unknown to myself, I don't get cold like that - I was shaking from exhaustion and illness and who knows what else. But once I got the bobby pins all out of my hair and I could lie my head down I called Janna and she and Rayna paid me a visit. Rayna tucked Janna and I in to my King sized bed and I tried desperately to fall asleep. The whole day was mentally and physically draining that I think I was too exhausted to sleep. At some point I finally passed out. Woke up late this morning, showed up to breakfast late, said hi to the whole family that was having breaky in the hotel restaurant, went to Rachelle's parent's house for brunch - passed out a bit. Hugged the bride and groom, gave Jared my keys, drove back here and I passed out again.
I do hope I feel better in the morning, because I have a 9:30 phone interview and then I am going to try to drive to CT to sit shiva with my friend. I'll be back here Wednesday afternoon so I can fly out to visit Mandi on Thursday morning!
The whole photo album can be seen here: http://pictures.penguinsanity.com/ar_wedding