My sister's wedding
So, last weekend, my sister, annanov and 
CoachJGB, got married.
It still feels a bit odd to say. My sister, the youngest of hettie_lz's children, got married. A part of me will always think of her as "my little sister" - even if she is, arguably, the most mature of us - and she got married. There's even talk about kids... It might be a few years, but I'm going to have a niece. Or a nephew.
Mind-boggling.
I haven't really talked much about my siblings on this livejournal. Aside from people who came upon this livejournal by the way of my mom, most people I know through Twitter and Facebook never met them, let alone talked to them. So this entry is mostly for the benefit of the few of you who did.
The ceremony was pretty much what I would expect from annanov and
CoachJGB - emotional, not altogether traditional and didn't take itself completely seriously. Instead of maid of honor and a best men, they had a man of honor and the best lady. The ceremony was officiated by a reverend from the Unitarian church
CoachJGB's family belonged to - but it was more secular than religious.
it was the kind of ceremony that featured readings from the Coriinthians and a children's book and included musical interludes played on a ukulele. A ceremony where, before annanov and
CoachJGB exchanged vows, the rings were passed around, so that everybody in attendance had a chance to give blessings.
After the vows were exchanged, vladiatorr and I read Blessings for a Marriage by James Dillet Freeman. Vlad, who handled the DJing duties for the ceremony, arrived on stage struggling to maintain composure and barely maintained it all the way through. It fell to me to be the calm one - and I would up hugging him after we were done reading.
(I didn't tear up during the ceremony - but I did cry a bit before. Reading the program, I saw that Grandma Kima and my cousin, Petya, were along the people listed in the "in loving memory section.
I've written about Grandma Kima on this LJ, but Petya...I've been thinking about Petya a lot over the last few months. We grew up in the same neighborhood, and he died far too young, for something that seemed so profoundly unfair that I still can't help but feel angry about it. When my cousin and his younger sister, Iya, got married back in June, I found myself thinking how awful and unfair it was that I will get to see my sister getting married and he never will...
So yeah... I did legitimately cry)
And after Vlad and I finished reading, Vlad raced back to the music set-up, because it was his job to play "Higher and Higher" as annanov and
CoachJGB walked out.
After the ceremony, there was a reception. Complete with some great food. Iya, her husband, and her younger brother, Tima, were at the same table. So was Grandma Nina - the only member of our family from Russia to make it to the wedding (but I'd rather not elaborate on that part in the public entry).
One big, scary unknown we faced before the ceremony was the big C word. My third chemo session was scheduled for two days before the wedding and the day before we were supposed to travel to the wedding. Given the past two cycles, nobody was entirely sure how much I would be able to each, how much I would stay awake... And, of course, there was the heightened risk of infection due to chemo-compromised immune system. The last one didn't become an issue. As for the usual side-effects... I was able to stay awake longer and ate more than usually did post-chemo. My mom had a theory that a lot of it was psychological, with my body marshaling its resources just to make it through my sister's wedding. And considering that I slept through most of Monday and that it took longer than usual for residual nausea to go away... She may be on to something.
Oh, and for the record, I did dance. Like an idiot, but it's my sister's wedding and I'll dance how I want to. :)
And now, some pictures (only some of which are mine).
The bride, a few hours before the wedding:
The bride and her mother:
The bride and the groom, the day before the wedding
What the guests saw as they entered the wedding venue
The groom with his Best Lady
The groom sees his bride in a fancy dress and all made up for the first time:
The bride and groom leave the hall where the wedding ceremony took place:
The reception hall:
Vlad makes a speech at the reception:
The table of presents at the reception:
The bride and groom, dancing at the reception
The bride and her brother, dancing at the reception:
The couple cuts the cake
The rings:
CoachJGB, got married.
It still feels a bit odd to say. My sister, the youngest of hettie_lz's children, got married. A part of me will always think of her as "my little sister" - even if she is, arguably, the most mature of us - and she got married. There's even talk about kids... It might be a few years, but I'm going to have a niece. Or a nephew.
Mind-boggling.
I haven't really talked much about my siblings on this livejournal. Aside from people who came upon this livejournal by the way of my mom, most people I know through Twitter and Facebook never met them, let alone talked to them. So this entry is mostly for the benefit of the few of you who did.
The ceremony was pretty much what I would expect from annanov and
CoachJGB - emotional, not altogether traditional and didn't take itself completely seriously. Instead of maid of honor and a best men, they had a man of honor and the best lady. The ceremony was officiated by a reverend from the Unitarian church
CoachJGB's family belonged to - but it was more secular than religious.
it was the kind of ceremony that featured readings from the Coriinthians and a children's book and included musical interludes played on a ukulele. A ceremony where, before annanov and
CoachJGB exchanged vows, the rings were passed around, so that everybody in attendance had a chance to give blessings.
After the vows were exchanged, vladiatorr and I read Blessings for a Marriage by James Dillet Freeman. Vlad, who handled the DJing duties for the ceremony, arrived on stage struggling to maintain composure and barely maintained it all the way through. It fell to me to be the calm one - and I would up hugging him after we were done reading.
(I didn't tear up during the ceremony - but I did cry a bit before. Reading the program, I saw that Grandma Kima and my cousin, Petya, were along the people listed in the "in loving memory section.
I've written about Grandma Kima on this LJ, but Petya...I've been thinking about Petya a lot over the last few months. We grew up in the same neighborhood, and he died far too young, for something that seemed so profoundly unfair that I still can't help but feel angry about it. When my cousin and his younger sister, Iya, got married back in June, I found myself thinking how awful and unfair it was that I will get to see my sister getting married and he never will...
So yeah... I did legitimately cry)
And after Vlad and I finished reading, Vlad raced back to the music set-up, because it was his job to play "Higher and Higher" as annanov and
CoachJGB walked out.
After the ceremony, there was a reception. Complete with some great food. Iya, her husband, and her younger brother, Tima, were at the same table. So was Grandma Nina - the only member of our family from Russia to make it to the wedding (but I'd rather not elaborate on that part in the public entry).
One big, scary unknown we faced before the ceremony was the big C word. My third chemo session was scheduled for two days before the wedding and the day before we were supposed to travel to the wedding. Given the past two cycles, nobody was entirely sure how much I would be able to each, how much I would stay awake... And, of course, there was the heightened risk of infection due to chemo-compromised immune system. The last one didn't become an issue. As for the usual side-effects... I was able to stay awake longer and ate more than usually did post-chemo. My mom had a theory that a lot of it was psychological, with my body marshaling its resources just to make it through my sister's wedding. And considering that I slept through most of Monday and that it took longer than usual for residual nausea to go away... She may be on to something.
Oh, and for the record, I did dance. Like an idiot, but it's my sister's wedding and I'll dance how I want to. :)
And now, some pictures (only some of which are mine).
The bride, a few hours before the wedding:
The bride and her mother:
The bride and the groom, the day before the wedding
What the guests saw as they entered the wedding venue
The groom with his Best Lady
The groom sees his bride in a fancy dress and all made up for the first time:
The bride and groom leave the hall where the wedding ceremony took place:
The reception hall:
Vlad makes a speech at the reception:
The table of presents at the reception:
The bride and groom, dancing at the reception
The bride and her brother, dancing at the reception:
The couple cuts the cake
The rings: