A Fine Feathered Affair, May 12th

My recent post Doppelgängers was such a hit (everyone loved the birds!) that I thought I’d share a little recap regarding a wedding I recently attended. If you missed the Doppelgänger story, from April 18th, here’s the link: https://jenslittleblackbook.com/2022/04/18/doppelgangers-april-18th/

I met Daisy in college- we were in the same sorority, and we’ve stayed in touch all these years. Her family and her betrothed all winter in the south and summer up north without exception, so the wedding was in Florida near her summer place. She warned me in advance to brace myself for some crazy antics and I wasn’t quite sure what she meant until I flew down south to attend. The ceremony was outside on a gorgeous spring day, and the bride looked absolutely regal. She was always a bit of a fashion plate in college (having a specific affinity for feathers) so her vail and train were quite unique, but very much kept to her style.

Her Mother wore a floor length gown of neutrals and earthy blues for the outdoor affair with a matching headpiece. It was stunning! (I heard it was a custom Marni.)

But her Mom’s feathers were completely ruffled because Daisy’s bird-brained brother Woody thought it would be a good idea to go day drinking with her whole flock of groomsmen and his girlfriend Polly mere hours before the late afternoon ceremony. So Woody arrived woozy, loud, and caused a total commotion.

In fact, Woody’s other half Polly was in such rough shape that she had to be carried from the bar and completely missed the ceremony altogether. Daisy told me in confidence that she suspected Polly was pregnant, so a bit scandalous for sure that she was drinking! Daisy flew right over to where Polly was staying and offered her some crackers to help her recover, but Polly said no to the crackers and promptly passed out.

Adding to the drama, Daisy’s fiancée Dale was a total mess. Wedding jitters had gotten the better of him and he was way off to the side near a tree, pacing and muttering audibly to himself. He just couldn’t remember the lines he was supposed to read during the ceremony but kept repeating bits and pieces of them out loud in Hebrew.

I took my seat next to a few familiar faces as we waited for the ceremony to begin. My stomach was already growling and I was feeling rather peckish. I hoped the reception was a huge feast. Daisy’s family was known to indulge at big affairs with everyone converging on the buffet table at once! I had my talons sharpened to make sure I could secure my meal. (That’s me trying to fit in!) Finally the rabbi signaled to the cantor that the ceremony was about to start and the beautiful music began.

Daisy’s sister was the matron of honor and began the slow procession down the aisle in a vibrant multi-colored ensemble…

Her young niece followed as the flower girl in a color coordinated tutu.

Next were her bridesmaids. I was surprised by how tall and thin they all were. It was just like Daisy to pick the perfect shade of pink that looked well on everyone!

And then the groomsmen, some visibly still drunk from the earlier festivities, stumbled into one another but all made their way successfully to the chuppah.

The service was lovely and Dale pulled himself together at the very last minute, standing up tall and remembering his lines word for word! There were a few criers in the crowd (her wise old grandparents and his loved up cousins) and I must admit I shed a few tears as well when the couple exchanged such touching vows.

The reception started right after the service with DJ Hawk spinning the best dance music that got the crowd immediately on their feet! There was even a conga line.

Daisy’s poor Aunt Esther, anxious to join the horah, stumbled in her new party shoes. But right before she went down, her eagle-eyed cousin Andy spotted his Mom, swooped in, and escorted her safely back to her seat. What a save!

My sorority sisters, identical twins Darcy and Marcy, hit the dance floor to show off both their moves and their trendy matching haircuts.

I was seated near the kids table clustered by a bunch of angry faced teens who looked like they weren’t having any fun at all! But right next to me was a lovely couple whose babysitter crapped out at the last minute so they had Connie, their young one, in tow. She was quite a little chatterbox taking in the scene and wanting to dance.

There was only one incident of “bitch stole mah look” by two of Daisy’s high school friends showing up in exactly the same outfit. And at one point her mother-in-law wanted to sing on stage but thought better of it before she made a spectacle of herself… sort of.