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Tuesday, August 15, 2006
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Our wedding was spectacular - way beyond our wildest expectations. I thought it had the potential to be pretty nifty. But, it was so far beyond nifty. We are so lucky - Peter and I have the best friends and family in the world and that's why we had such an over-the-top unbelievably fantastic wedding.
Here are some highlights:
- The Weather!!!!!!!
On Thursday, it started raining. Friday, the heavens opened up and it was complete and total Ark weather. Saturday morning, it was still raining. But, around Noon, the rain started to let up and by 3:00 PM, the rain had quit and patches of blue sky could be seen. By ceremony time at 6:00 PM, the sun was actually shining!!!!! The weather was gorgeous, the 10:00 PM sunset was striking and then at 11:00 PM just after we finished The Hora, the skies opened up and it started pouring. It has been raining ever since: 5 straight days of rain with one 7 hour interval for our wedding!
- The Blue Angels.
Our wedding weekend coincided with the Arctic Thunder Air Show at Elmendorf. Government Hill is right next to Elmendorf and whenever there is an air show, the jets perform directly above my house. The Blue Angels show started at 3:30 PM. So while the wedding setting up activities were occuring, we were treated to a very loud, fantastic air show. It was totally cool - our own private wedding performance of the Blue Angels.
- Brad, David and the Grand Marnier.
Brad (my flower person) and David arrived at the house at about 3:45 PM. They asked how I was doing - I told them that I was totally nervous and was regretting that I had forgotten my bottle of Grand Marnier - I had planned on using the Grand Marnier as a little nerve soother. Brad and David immediately offered to go pick up a bottle but I said, "Nah. I'm tough". Well, a half hour later, I was up in the master bedroom with the bridesmaids watching Cheri make last minute dress preparations (which were very funny, by the way) when Brad knocked on the stairwell and asked me to come over. When I peeked around the corner, there was Brad with a champagne flute 1/2 filled with Grand Marnier in one hand and a bottle in the other hand!!!!! Eureka!!!!! The Bridesmaids and I availed ourselves of the libation for the next 45 minutes.
- I Didn't Cry!!!!!
The day before, at the Wedding Rehersal, I just sobbed my way through the vows. I'm definitely a sobber and there is nothing like reciting wedding vows to totally trigger the water works. I really did not want to cry during the ceremony. I was anxious about the sob factor all day Saturday. But as the ceremony approached, I began to get very excited - in a good way - and realized that this could actually be a grand time. It could be totally fun. And with the added little boost of Brad's Grand Marnier, I was absolutely ready to go out there and nail those vows. And I did!!!!! Yipee!!!!
- The Dress
My wedding dress was drop dead spectacular. Cheri and Kirsten did an amazing job - the dress was of couture quality. That dress and I were made for each other. The breathless compliments it received were beyond count. I can't tell you how many people said it was the most striking wedding dress they had ever seen. And it all started from a picture in a magazine. There is no doubt: Cheri is pretty darn fantastic.
- Songya's Belly Dance.
About a month and a half ago, Songya sent me an email asking if she could perform a belly dance at the wedding reception. Well, that was certainly an unusual request. I knew that Songya had been taking belly dancing lessons for the past three years (two years at Stanford!!!!) but I wasn't too sure about the concept of belly dancing at my wedding. But Songya said it was a tradition so Peter and I said, "Why Not? Go for it". I don't know what we were expecting. But what we got was beyond words. Songya's performance was absolutely amazing and brought down the house. She was as accomplished as you could ever imagine and sensuous and exiting and graceful and simply awesome - in the real sense of the word. I cannot wait to see the pictures! (Especially the pictures of Pooh dancing with Songya).
- The Toasts
Mom's Toast and Seth's Toast were just so special and wonderful - and who knew Seth was such a great raconteur????
- The Hora
We danced the hora very late in the evening. And let me tell you - that bride up in the chair thing is for real. Oh My God!!!!! I screamed and screamed and screamed. It was as exciting and as fun and as scary as any roller coaster you have ever ridden! I held on to that chair with a death grip. That's another one where the pictures will probably be very entertaining.
- The Skies Opening Up.
Literally, as soon as my chair was set down and the hora finished up, the skies opened up and it started pouring. It was a perfect end to a magical evening - standing under the tent and hearing the rain just roar.
I think Saturday was one of the best days ever in my life. It couldn't have been any more perfect.
10:26:09 PM 
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I know...What everyone really wants to see are pictures of the actual event. However, those are still coming in. What I have now are the day of preparation pictures that I took. The last picture in the series is of Alix and Brad about an hour before the ceremony. After that, I sort of entered into the twilight zone.
First up is the Chuppah moving and installation process. The chuppah team built the chuppah at the Gerleks, who live just down the alley from my house. So, the team "walked" the chuppah down the alley to my house. As you can tell, it had been raining heavily.
Clockwise from front left, Alena, Kathryn, Steve, and David (Alena's very cute boyfriend):
Hoisting the Chuppah over the fence.
The Chuppah Team under their successful installation. Front row from left to right: Melissa, Bernie, Kathryn, and Allison. Back Row: Steve and Kathryn.
Alex and Ryan putting the rental cherry trees in place. The trees provided a nice backdrop to the chuppah.
Caitlin, Linda, and Indra preparing the flowers in my garage. The completed table centerpieces are in the foreground on the right. They were pretty darn spectacular!
The Wedding Dress on the dressmaker's dummy ("Edith Head-less") in the back of Cheri's car.
Wedding Ceremony This Way!!!!
Ready and Waiting
And finally, the wonderful picture of Alix, in her bridesmaid's dress and Brad - my flower person!
9:28:43 PM
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© Copyright 2006 Stephanie A. Kesler.
Last update: 9/1/2006; 10:01:55 AM.
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