This past Sunday our eldest son married his long time love, Alice. As is so often the case, the time leading up to the wedding was far more focused on what was to be done than why we were doing it. Thankfully, the actual event had the attention appropriately focused on the joining of two people, and as a result, two families.
The day was perfect. The weather was glorious, the garden was perfect, the chuppah was decked out in flowers, the ketubah was beautiful, the cantor was awe inspiring, the string quartet played peaceful music that set the tone, the rabbi looked as happy to be officiating as the family's were to be there.
We love Alice, and we joyfully welcome her into our family--in many ways that was accomplished long before the wedding took place. Just two weeks before the wedding we were at a masterfully planned and executed bar mitzvah of one of our nephews. Despite the fact that it was two weeks before their wedding and there were many tasks left to complete, Jake and Alice attended, and had their full attention on the celebration at hand. At the party to celebrate, when the disc jockey played the Sister Sledge song 'We Are Family", Jake's cousins danced around Alice with the enthusiasm they shower upon each other. On the one hand, we are a close family. But on the other, we know how to open our arms to new members. We all benefit from new blood, it turns out, and we know it.
But there are risks attendant to weddings. Celebrating these momentous life events comes with a high bar of expectation, and the real possibility for disappointment. One ingredient to that mix for us is the food. My spouse and I, along with some of our closest friends, were responsible for the lion's share of the food. I really struggled over the month leading up to the wedding with how to balance all the various components of food and festivity to meet the expectations of all the major players. No small task. Preparing the menu for such a big event when you are not a chef by either training or profession is at times difficult to wrap your mind around. Worse yet, all the advice you get isn't particularly helpful when it comes to the variety and quantity of food you need to meet all your hopes and dreams for a successful event. In the end, I was satisfied with the results, and I can say with confidence, no one went hungry.
Tuesday, June 19, 2012
Wedding Ingredients
This past Sunday our eldest son married his long time love, Alice. As is so often the case, the time leading up to the wedding was far more focused on what was to be done than why we were doing it. Thankfully, the actual event had the attention appropriately focused on the joining of two people, and as a result, two families.
The day was perfect. The weather was glorious, the garden was perfect, the chuppah was decked out in flowers, the ketubah was beautiful, the cantor was awe inspiring, the string quartet played peaceful music that set the tone, the rabbi looked as happy to be officiating as the family's were to be there.
We love Alice, and we joyfully welcome her into our family--in many ways that was accomplished long before the wedding took place. Just two weeks before the wedding we were at a masterfully planned and executed bar mitzvah of one of our nephews. Despite the fact that it was two weeks before their wedding and there were many tasks left to complete, Jake and Alice attended, and had their full attention on the celebration at hand. At the party to celebrate, when the disc jockey played the Sister Sledge song 'We Are Family", Jake's cousins danced around Alice with the enthusiasm they shower upon each other. On the one hand, we are a close family. But on the other, we know how to open our arms to new members. We all benefit from new blood, it turns out, and we know it.
But there are risks attendant to weddings. Celebrating these momentous life events comes with a high bar of expectation, and the real possibility for disappointment. One ingredient to that mix for us is the food. My spouse and I, along with some of our closest friends, were responsible for the lion's share of the food. I really struggled over the month leading up to the wedding with how to balance all the various components of food and festivity to meet the expectations of all the major players. No small task. Preparing the menu for such a big event when you are not a chef by either training or profession is at times difficult to wrap your mind around. Worse yet, all the advice you get isn't particularly helpful when it comes to the variety and quantity of food you need to meet all your hopes and dreams for a successful event. In the end, I was satisfied with the results, and I can say with confidence, no one went hungry.
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