6.20.2009: Weddings!

Wedding in Madison...

I celebrated with Sarah and Taylor, my friends from the restaurant world, last night at a lovely reception at the Overture Center. It was unseasonably hot and humid on the rooftop of the art museum for their ceremony, but me and my "fake" date Dave survived (Dave and Heather are good friends of mine who just got engaged - Heather has moved to Seattle with Dave to follow shortly and, since I am once again date-less, he graciously agreed to be my escort). Women may have to shave their legs and buy tampons and put on makeup, etc. etc. etc., but we don't have to wear suits outside in the summer. I think we win.

Wedding in Chattanooga...

And a few weeks ago, my best friend Kate and I met up in Atlanta for the wedding weekend of our good friend Amy. It was a fantastic trip kicked off by renting a car at Enterprise a few days after someone had driven through their plate glass windows. "We had to run for our lives," drawled the desk clerk. Apparently, a mom had screaming kids in the back and floored it instead of hitting the brakes. She totaled a car in the parking lot, totaled the car they were in, crashed through two plate glass windows, rubber-burned tire tracks on the carpet and crashed through two offices in the back. No one was hurt, but the family did want to rent another car. Needless to say, they were denied. We managed to get to Chattanooga and back without a scratch. I had never been to Tennessee before and was really impressed with the charm and friendliness of Chattnooga (perhaps a future Cuzfest locale?).

It was a gorgeous day on top of Lookout Mountain. The ceremony was in the yard of Ben's parents' neighbors and my friend Amy could not have looked cuter if she tried. Check out those emerald green peep-toed pumps! 

The reception was at "Fairyland" country club in this old castle-like building hanging off the

 side of the mountain. We could see seven states from the pool deck... or at least we could before the party started. Then it got dark and there was an open bar, so no one was seeing much of anything after awhile. They had an amazing band and tons of fun friends from all over the country. It was the most fun reception I've been to in a long time (probably since Kate's wedding this past December in DC, actually... see pics below - another great band, another beautiful location in the heart of DC, more great people. I have really lucked out with amazing friends marrying wonderful people ... and throwing great parties). 

We spent the next day lounging around on the rooftop's pool and doing the New York Times crossword. It was a perfectly lovely weekend, but it was very hard to come home. There is at least one more wedding this fall for a friend from high school and then I think the baby showers will pick up speed. 

Wedding in DC...

Kate and Brian were high school friends who met up again after they had moved to Colorado a few years ago. He couldn't love her more if he tried and they are two of the happiest people I know. Their wedding was at Brian's high school's church in downtown DC and the reception was at a hotel near the Mall with a fantastic Irish pub where we all went every night before bed. I love Kate's family and have known her for years since our first summer at Choate. It was absolutely beautiful and so fun to celebrate with such fantastic people. 

The church where they were married - so beautiful!

The row houses where I stayed with my friends from Choate who got married a couple of years ago, are lawyers in DC, and are now expecting a little girl.

Me and Mitch, the nephew of the 

groom who became the best man when Brian's 

brother got sick. His toast brought the house down - one of the best I've ever heard.

The morning after the wedding a bunch of Kate and Brian's friends snuck away with the happy couple and had breakfast before taking a walk on the Mall and visiting the Native American museum. Everything was within walking distance, including the gorgeous church where they were married.