Chapter 1. The Wedding

The focus of my writings is usually not my family, but I have to make an exception.  My youngest son got married this past weekend and I am still on Cloud 9.  To see my son marry the girl of his dreams and to be the happiest I have ever seen him, made my heart sing. 

The wedding weekend (who celebrates for only one day anymore?) was centered arounbd our summer home in the mountains.  It started with the rehearsal dinner (or as we like to call it, the Welcom Dinner) at a local restaurant.  I decided that this was the best time to unveil "THE CHUPPAH".  No one had seen it before except my husband and the almost 100 women at my quilt guild!  So it was a surprise for everyone.  It also gave me the opportunity to explain how meaningful it is in the Jewish marriage ceremony.

The bride and groom

Whenever you have an outdoor event, the big elephant in the room is the weather.  We tried not to talk about a PLan B, thinkging a positive attitude would keep bad weather away.  The days before the wedding, it was stinking hot and there was a threat of thunderstorms.  But it tuned out to be one of the most beautiful days ever.  It had rained a bit the day before and that cooled it off.

As MOTG on the wedding day, my list was short. First, I directed my son, Roger, and his buddy Scott, on the hanging of the flags in the yard. Loren and I had made the 150 flags during their visit on  Memorial Day weekend. 

While we were setting up the yard, my DH was doing one of the things that he loves to do - teaching a child to fish:

My great nephew's first fish  (Don't you love that red hair?)

My second job was to set up the chuppah. My DH and I had a plan that we had been working on for 2 weeks.  We thought it was a great plan.  (Tomorrow's post will give all the details of how it was set up with some close-ups.)  We even had  a plan to deal with the wind, anchoring the chuppah to the dock so that it would not act as a sail.  But wind can be mighty. It took a bunch of us and a bit of adjusting to make sure that the chuppah did not end up in the lake.  Even the Rabbi got involved.

Thankfully it did not blow away before the ceremony.

Rabbi Hyman is a family friend.  He has known my son since he was 12.  Currently the rabbi at Temple B'nai Israel in Easton, MD, he drove over 4 hours to perform the ceremony.  He then turned around and drove back home to perform another wedding in MD the next morning.  We love him and he made the ceremony so meaningful and personal.  At one point he stepped outside of the chuppah to talk to all the guests about the symbolism and what it means in the Jewish religion.  Roger wore the tallit that we bought on our trip to Israel.

Before the ceremony, we were talking about  some other items we brought back from Israel.  One of them was a handmade mezuzzah that we had not mounted yet.  It has a scroll inside with a handwritten prayer that blesses your house.  So the coolest thing was the Rabbi said, where is it?  I'll hang it for you.  OMG  Did he mean that? 

Yes he did! And he blessed it too.

After the ceremony, we all headed to a restaurant/hotel in the town of Hawley, called The Ledges.
There are multi-level decks with a view  of a waterfalls.  The bride designed the tablescapes and they were gorgeous. 

On one of the decks was the band. 

The first dance.

 I think I talked non-stop during the Mother/Son dance because I wanted to forget that everyone was watching us.

The bride bought the cake topper on etsy.  It fit the woodsy theme perfectly.
And the cake was delish.  I waited all night for a piece.

A friend of the bride's family decorated the car.

I am so excited for this couple to begin their journey together with a lifetime of love and happiness.

2 sons + 2 wonderful wives = happiness

Chapter 2. - The Chuppah

Details to follow tomorrow.