The Wedding
This entry is 100% personal. It has nothing to do with work, teaching or lofty thoughts. It is strictly the thoughts and observations of a very proud father who attended his oldest son's wedding.
A little background - One fall day a few years ago Jay called and asked us to come to Boston. There was someone he wanted us to meet. In a typical "Meet the Fockers" atmosphere (we were nervous, she was nervous) we met Dori and fell in love with her immediately.
When they became engaged they decided on July 1, 2007 as the wedding day - Canada Day. Aside from the convenience - a long weekend in both Canada and the U.S. - this date also guaranteed that their anniversary would be celebrated with fireworks on an annual basis!
The months of preparation were exciting. Although the wedding was to be in Boston Dori and Jay kept us informed and up to date on plans. We were asked to host the Saturday night reception for the out of town guests and that gave Helene a focus. Long distance calls to Joanna at Dante's were frequent but finally the food was decided upon, the location was agreed upon and our friend Danny, the wine connoisseur, helped pick the wines.
On Friday morning, June 29, Helene and Stacey flew to Minneapolis and I met them at the airport. We caught the midmorning plane to Boston. Stacey felt it was a bit early to get up that morning and that problem was compounded by the fact that she was sitting in a middle seat between two strangers at the back of the plane. You get the picture by looking at this picture.
Jay picked us up at the airport. He was relaxed, happy and glad to see us. Mark and Reesa had been in New York for the previous week and were coming into Boston later that afternoon.
We checked into the Hotel Marlowe, got a bite to eat and greeted friends and relatives as they arrived. Jay had a treat for us that night - he had secured a dozen tickets to the Red Sox game that night - an amazing feat!!
The group assembled - Amandeep, Ruby, Matt, Helene, me, Stacey, the Mulatz's, Bernie, Mark and Reesa, and Jay - and took the T to Fenway Park.
The Red Sox played the Texas Rangers and won. We took cabs back to the hotel - the crowd was incredible.
On Saturday more family and friends descended on the hotel - my sister, her family and my mom, my cousin Debbie and her husband Mark (there were quite a few Marks at this wedding), my cousin Harvey and his wife Marcia, my cousin Judy and her fiance George, and my cousin Paul. Our friends Sophia and Michael and Marsha and Julius also appeared on Saturday and all of Helene's family - her Mom and sister and nephew, her uncle and aunt and cousins from Winnipeg, her brother and his family from Florida and Chicago and her Baltimore and New York family.
Saturday night Helene and I hosted a barbecue on the patio at Dante's - the restaurant in the hotel across the street. It was an opportunity to host the out of town guests - basically all of the guests and to have everyone meet and to try to place people in the family and friends tree on each side.
Sunday was the wedding - we all climbed into our tuxedos and gowns and
assembled for the formal pictures.
Jay and Dori invited our friends Rabbi Solomon (Shlomo) and Dorit Truzman to be guests at the wedding and to have Rabbi Truzman perform the ceremony. This was something very special as Shlomo and Dorit lived in Regina for many years and Shlomo had worked with all three of our kids for their Bar and Bat Mitzvahs. Shlomo left Regina to become one of the rabbis in Little Rock, Arkansas and is now a rabbi in Portland, Oregon.
The ceremony was wonderful. Helene and I walked Jay down the aisle, Amandeep his best man was waiting for him, Jeff (Dori's brother) and his daughter (Madison) came down the aisle spreading flowers, Mark brought Helene's mother and Stacey brought my mother down the aisle followed by Ann, Dori's Mother and of course Dori's Dad gave her away.
Shlomo always does interesting services - he has a wonderful cantorial voice - when he sings or chants you always know that he is totally in touch with what he is saying. He explained, sang, chanted prayers and gave a short sermon/speech.
The ceremony ended with Jay breaking the traditional glass.
Then the party. The band was great - very danceable. They chose their music well and had everyone up and dancing for much of the night.
But the surprise was the first dance. After the new couple are introduced it is usual for them to have the first dance - usually a slow dance where they basically stand and sway holding onto each other. Not Jay and Dori!!!
They came into the room - Jay took off his tuxedo jacket and they proceeded to dance the Tango - almost professionally - certainly very seriously. It was a wonderful start to a great party.
The grandmas hosted the breakfast the next morning. It was a great, relaxed way to say good bye. Helene and Stacey and I headed for the airport just before noon
And before I knew it the weekend was over
A little background - One fall day a few years ago Jay called and asked us to come to Boston. There was someone he wanted us to meet. In a typical "Meet the Fockers" atmosphere (we were nervous, she was nervous) we met Dori and fell in love with her immediately.
When they became engaged they decided on July 1, 2007 as the wedding day - Canada Day. Aside from the convenience - a long weekend in both Canada and the U.S. - this date also guaranteed that their anniversary would be celebrated with fireworks on an annual basis!
The months of preparation were exciting. Although the wedding was to be in Boston Dori and Jay kept us informed and up to date on plans. We were asked to host the Saturday night reception for the out of town guests and that gave Helene a focus. Long distance calls to Joanna at Dante's were frequent but finally the food was decided upon, the location was agreed upon and our friend Danny, the wine connoisseur, helped pick the wines.
On Friday morning, June 29, Helene and Stacey flew to Minneapolis and I met them at the airport. We caught the midmorning plane to Boston. Stacey felt it was a bit early to get up that morning and that problem was compounded by the fact that she was sitting in a middle seat between two strangers at the back of the plane. You get the picture by looking at this picture.
Jay picked us up at the airport. He was relaxed, happy and glad to see us. Mark and Reesa had been in New York for the previous week and were coming into Boston later that afternoon.
We checked into the Hotel Marlowe, got a bite to eat and greeted friends and relatives as they arrived. Jay had a treat for us that night - he had secured a dozen tickets to the Red Sox game that night - an amazing feat!!
The group assembled - Amandeep, Ruby, Matt, Helene, me, Stacey, the Mulatz's, Bernie, Mark and Reesa, and Jay - and took the T to Fenway Park.
The Red Sox played the Texas Rangers and won. We took cabs back to the hotel - the crowd was incredible.
On Saturday more family and friends descended on the hotel - my sister, her family and my mom, my cousin Debbie and her husband Mark (there were quite a few Marks at this wedding), my cousin Harvey and his wife Marcia, my cousin Judy and her fiance George, and my cousin Paul. Our friends Sophia and Michael and Marsha and Julius also appeared on Saturday and all of Helene's family - her Mom and sister and nephew, her uncle and aunt and cousins from Winnipeg, her brother and his family from Florida and Chicago and her Baltimore and New York family.
Saturday night Helene and I hosted a barbecue on the patio at Dante's - the restaurant in the hotel across the street. It was an opportunity to host the out of town guests - basically all of the guests and to have everyone meet and to try to place people in the family and friends tree on each side.
Sunday was the wedding - we all climbed into our tuxedos and gowns and
assembled for the formal pictures.
Jay and Dori invited our friends Rabbi Solomon (Shlomo) and Dorit Truzman to be guests at the wedding and to have Rabbi Truzman perform the ceremony. This was something very special as Shlomo and Dorit lived in Regina for many years and Shlomo had worked with all three of our kids for their Bar and Bat Mitzvahs. Shlomo left Regina to become one of the rabbis in Little Rock, Arkansas and is now a rabbi in Portland, Oregon.
The ceremony was wonderful. Helene and I walked Jay down the aisle, Amandeep his best man was waiting for him, Jeff (Dori's brother) and his daughter (Madison) came down the aisle spreading flowers, Mark brought Helene's mother and Stacey brought my mother down the aisle followed by Ann, Dori's Mother and of course Dori's Dad gave her away.
Shlomo always does interesting services - he has a wonderful cantorial voice - when he sings or chants you always know that he is totally in touch with what he is saying. He explained, sang, chanted prayers and gave a short sermon/speech.
The ceremony ended with Jay breaking the traditional glass.
Then the party. The band was great - very danceable. They chose their music well and had everyone up and dancing for much of the night.
But the surprise was the first dance. After the new couple are introduced it is usual for them to have the first dance - usually a slow dance where they basically stand and sway holding onto each other. Not Jay and Dori!!!
They came into the room - Jay took off his tuxedo jacket and they proceeded to dance the Tango - almost professionally - certainly very seriously. It was a wonderful start to a great party.
The grandmas hosted the breakfast the next morning. It was a great, relaxed way to say good bye. Helene and Stacey and I headed for the airport just before noon
And before I knew it the weekend was over
posted by Cyril Kesten at 8:04 AM
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