Two Cakes and a Wedding

We got married August 1, 2015! After a 15-year test run, Chris and I finally tied the knot.

 

It was a picture perfect day, an adorable little white church, our best friend officiating, our precious niece and nephew witnessing, two adorable flower girls, wedding vows written from the heart and inscribed on our hearts forever, our home filled with 100, stunning music at the church and our home, tons of outstanding and delicious gourmet food and wine, an 11-year old bottle of Veuve Clicquot Champagne given to us upon our engagement, beautiful white flowers, candles, twinkle lights, two cakes and the photos to prove it…all contributed by our friends.

Believe me, we are counting our blessings. This event and feast would not have happened, had it not been for the talents and generosity of our dear friends. We are so fortunate.  That’s what made this day so special – it was a celebration of all our friends and family. The ones who have walked through this journey with us, who were there when we met, when we fell in love and who were there when we needed to cry and have a helping hand. There was the sister and her fiancé, the niece and the nephew, the sailors, the musicians, the church friends, the neighbors, the childhood friends, the old friends from the single days, the new friends, the reporters and journalists, the advertising executives and publicists, the food friends, the loving people we’ve assembled that have been woven into our lives like a comforting blanket.

It turns out when you are surrounded by a group like that, you can draw from their talents to create the most special day that you can imagine…and that was how our Wedding Day came to be the most amazing day that we will remember. Thank you Tracie West and Emily West for the beautiful flowers that you showered upon us and gave my hands something to hold on to when they might have been trembling.  When I insisted on simplicity, you found a way to weave together the elegance of our white flowers in unexpected locations that made me smile. Even catching the bridal bouquet did not escape you.  The dried bouquet is ready for you now!

Thank you my niece-like a daughter, Liz Garrison for making me look beautiful, doing my make-up and hair and touching up my French manicure that happily made it through the day without chipping. The girl bonding goes without saying.

Thank you my nephew-like a son, Michael Garrison for getting Chris out of the house and for making sure you both showed up to the church on time. We’ve enjoyed every minute of the past six summers you’ve spent with us and thrilled that you are becoming a California boy. Go UC San Diego!

Thank you new sister-in-law and fiancé, Ellen Woodyard and John Dusenberry for all the preparation on getting our home ready with chairs and tables. Ellen, you have been a sister to me for the past 15 years and now it’s official!

Thank you Father Peter Rood, our dear best friend for all the years of counseling with the Bombay Sapphire and Tonics and patiently helping us create a Marriage Ceremony that reflected who we are as a couple.

Thank you Margie Wakeman Wells, who keeps the Holy Nativity Parish ticking, for creating an artistic and beautiful Marriage Ceremony Program that will remind us of our beautiful day.

Thank you Natalie Dalschaert and Brice Martin for blessing us with your stunning piano and flute music, particularly your own piece, the touching “You are the Road” that nearly made me cry and the selections from Robert Schumann’s Kinderscenen, the music that brought Chris and I together.

Thank you to the greeters, Karen Kuchel and Pete Franzetti, the lectors Dr. Brad Elliott Stone, Brenda Mitchell and Mary Pat Curran, and Alcolyte, Ted Weidemueller for blessing our Marriage Ceremony in the Anglican Episcopal tradition.

Thank you Abby Pejsa and Leilani Krantz for walking down the aisle with flowers in your hair and touching our guests with the flower stems that appeared everywhere in our guests lapels and hair.

Thank you Dave Eriksen for keeping my piano in tune and for serenading us with the Dave and Denis Duo jazzy music all evening long.

Special thanks to Judy Lyness, my new food blogger friend, who I KNEW I HAD TO HAVE cater this important event after tasting her food for the past three years and seeing her work at events. Judy, the food was better than I ever expected. You are a true artist in the kitchen. Judy blogs at My Well Seasoned Life and will do an amazing job catering your next event.

Thank you Bondzi Bonney, Hannah Poyourow, Emily West and Gio for serving the drinks to all the waiting guests on line to greet us, for getting the food out on time, never having an empty bowl or platter and for the clean dishes and kitchen I found at the end of the day.

Thank you Viktor Benes Bakery located at Gelson’s in Marina del Rey. This hidden gem produces old European-style pastries in the Viennese tradition. You don’t remember me, but whenever I’ve needed a special occasion cake, you were always there. I’ve never been disappointed. Thanks for the timely delivery to our home as I was walking down the aisle.

Thank you Mike Gitchell, my sailing buddy and Jefferson Graham of Graham and Graham Photography and USA Today for etching our Wedding Day in digital film so that we may reflect and be reminded of how much we enjoyed every single minute of this historic day.

Thank you Dave and Mi-Ai, Kathy and Hal, Cindy and David, Brenda and John, Dave and Laura-Lynne, Judi and Mike, Stephanie and Ed, Judy from AMI and Jeff the neighbor…our dear old, but young friends for travelling over the miles to experience this day with us.

Last, thank you Chris Woodyard, my partner in life, my husband, my Sweetsie, my Dearie for making every day an adventure, for loving me and making me laugh and for vowing to “Obey”! Yes!

Wow! The power of this day was like none other. It’s because of the love of everyone participating that made this day so special, our Wedding Day, a day that will forever be lodged into our brains.