Thursday, September 6, 2007

We Came for a Wedding...





The wedding, on Sunday, was simple but elegant. The reception was at a posh hotel in Boulder, beginning with the cocktail hour (or "time to eat little munchies" where we come from) on the outdoor terrace with a stunning view of the Flatiron Range.

Now, I knew we had a wonderful dinner coming, and even though I was hungry I had determined to go easy on the wee munchies (hors d'oevres to the pinky-up crowd). The first little tray to come around had tiny pieces of seaweed with "tuna tartare" on and a dab of something tasty. I'd never had the tuna before, and I really liked them. Managed to stop at two. I love trying new things, but harbor the secret dread that I'll pop something in my mouth and go "GAAAGH" and let it roll off my tongue into my lap while scrubbing, teary-eyed, at my tongue with my napkin, Mr Dearling's shirt-tail and the tie of the guy next to me. Fortunately Breeding Tells and I've never had the experience.

The next Handsome Lad who came around with a little silver tray blew my resolve. He had spears of fresh asparagus with some sort of something good around the bases which were then wrapped in prosciutto. I believe I politely, delicately and elegantly shovelled about six of them in before the chimes (which sounded like the old "N-B-C" chimes) announced seating for dinner. To my credit I did not actually stick out a foot and trip the guy with the asparagus. I AM a lady.

Dinner was as anticipated. I had filet mignon and Mr Dearling had chicken, so we could trade bites. We did, once...and then I finished up my steak with minimal smacking of lips. The cake was cut and the dear newlyweds earned my respect by tenderly feeding each other a taste, representing (as I understand it) their willingness to feed one another, body and soul, throughout their lives together. NOTE: I don't know where the smash-cake-in-the-face deal started, but I find it altogether offensive, ugly, destructive and mean, and it often seems to end up with a beautiful wedding gown stained with frosting and a bride bravely trying not to cry. I was much relieved to see that our young relatives apparently saw it that way too.

Incidentally, it was very good indeed that we came; Mr Dearling's cousin (father of the groom)is very sensitive, and he was deeply moved that Mr Dearling represented the only blood relative in attendance excepting his sister. I was very pleased we were there, delightful company, darling couple and asparagus spears notwithstanding.

Monday morning we got up and prepared to go to Longmont to visit our young friends, whom we had not seen in quite a long time, during which they had gotten married, lived and taught in France for a time, returned to Colorado and had a baby girl! We were very excited, to say the least.

Because I still don't have this picture thing down very well, I'm writing about this trip in lumps, in order to insert appropriate pictures; therefore, the Longmont section is coming next. However -- to say that this is a beautiful and inspiring part of our country is to do it a disservice. It is so much more than that.....I am convinced that one could find the Land of One's Heart's Desire within the borders of America, no matter what that might be.

5 comments:

Alyson said...

Thank you! I think that cram-cake-in-the-face thing is a revolting development entirely. I threatened Travis with immediate annulment ("The judge is still here") if he even tried it. (Okay, I did dab a tiny bit of frosting on his nose after the initial feeding, but that was more just a nod to our playfulness.)

I went to a wedding where the groom crammed so much cake in the bride's face that their wedding video includes a snippet surreptitiously obtained while she tried to blow cake out of her nose in the bathroom. She was such an elegant lady, too, so it actually pained me to see that.

Anonymous said...

You may be struggling with the picture thing but a reader would never know that by looking, they're great! And that cake is so adorable!

Elizabeth said...

Sounds like a great trip all around.

Diane said...

That sounds like a wonderful wedding. You were very kind to the asparagus lad. I would have told him his shoe was untied, offered to hold the tray while he tied it, and then run off into the ladies room saying, "MINE! MINE! MINE!"

I don't get the cake smashing thing at all. I've promised to love and honor you thru thick and thin for ever and ever and after all the touching words you smash cake in my face? What a guy!

Anonymous said...

Well, darn it all to heck. We missed the window. And you were even in Longmont! Oh well, maybe you'll come this way again someday, or I'll be in your neck of the woods.

I agree, I absolutely love living here and have difficulty imagining living anywhere else.