The Wedding!

A beautiful, memorable, masterfully planned occasion, 150 souls from across the globe creating a fleeting but somehow also lasting community on a scenic California hilltop. 

It was a wonderfully mixed crowd, the bride’s family Iraqi immigrants of Armenian descent, the wacky Moorenado, quirky Tveterites, and loads of 20 somethings—all dressed up and ready to party and dance big time.  And we did!  

People rose to the occasion by dressing up.  Here are T and I in action.

K's dear friend L, doing make up

Call me Bond

The finished product with one of the many supportive women who made it happen (thanks L and T and M and B and E and L2!)

Here is the wedding party:

youngest members of wedding party

Bride's brother and mother

And the ceremony

 A fine ceremony under the gazebo, conducted by B's pastor from UCLA days, when he attended North Hollywood Christian Church. 

After, there were many family photos while guests took advantage of the full bar on the outdoor terrace. The DJ started the music and there was so much enthusiastic dancing he hated to stop it but he had to--there was more on the program: a formal welcome by B, partly in Arabic which drew wild cheers, three excellent speeches, by the bride's father, the groom's brother and father, and the formal dances,

Bride's Dad giving speech

Mr. and Mrs.

Groom and mom's dance  (for video see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXYS3wy6Gnc)

Lots of fun dancing!

People stopped dancing long enough to enjoy dinner choices that included prime rib and salmon with scampi.  

Alas, the bride and groom skipped dinner. Their prime rib was served but before indulging they opted to make the rounds from table to table greeting guests and never made it back to their meals.  Ah, but 11:30 brought an In ‘n Out burger truck.  Here they are with their double doubles, ready to board a town car for their hotel and, the next day, a Tuscan honeymoon. 

There was such good feeling and a communion of well-wishers.  We so enjoyed reconnecting with old friends of Ben from high school, college and grad school days, relatives, and friends from Tacoma.

 Bride and groom had spent months planning the event and it showed.  So many details.  “Goody bags” were made and delivered beforehand to each guest staying at a hotel. A complete list of family photos to take following the ceremony was prepared for the photographer. Tables were named for places on the UCLA campus that had meaning for them.  Photographs of those buildings were transformed into line drawings, blown up and printed, with an explanation of the place’s significance on the back, and placed in the center of each table.  Diddy Reiese (a local tradition) cookies were given to each guest  with their place cards. A photo booth and coffee station were arranged, and a bucket list placed for guests to suggest life experiences. Shuttle vans were arranged to take guest to and from the wedding venue.  I know I've neglected to mention any more details. It was a tour de force and all went well. 

Happy guests leaving on the party bus (shuttle to hotel):