I'm an Uncle!

Shortly after 4pm on Sunday, September 5, 2010, I became an uncle for the first time. Or, to put it another way, I got married.¹

Thank you all for your congratulations and well wishes! The whole wedding weekend was wonderful. Both the game night and reception went off without a hitch, and the ceremony had just the one.

(And, now that I've gotten the obligatory bad pun out of the way...)

How We Met

I first met my ex-fiancée² at a place called The Blue Turtle, where my friend Scott was celebrating his birthday. Of twenty or so invitees, only three showed that night, and the third was already married. (Plus, he wasn't my type.)

Denise let me beat her at air hockey, and the rest, as they say, is history.³

The Bride

The bouquet: red & yellow gerber daisies
The gown: from David's Bridal
The old: grandmother's pearls / grandfather's ring
The new: gown / shoes / floral hairpiece
The borrowed: aunt's handkerchief
The blue: toe nails
The penny: in her shoe (the right one)

The Groom

Wardrobe provided by Men's Wearhouse, JCPenney, and Macy's, adorned with — and I quote — a "Golden Imperial Hankie." Hair by MPA.⁴

Suave. Sophisticated.
And in an abandoned streetcar.

The Ceremony

We were married in North Collins, NY, under a willow tree on a small island in a small pond usually frequented by ducks and geese. In one direction you can see old train cars and tractors and a rocket. In another you can see totem poles, and anchors and bizarre sculptures. Across the pond sits the top of a silo, painted as a giant pumpkin head.

Denise is Catholic, and I'm Jewish-ish, so we had a non-religious ceremony. I did, however, keep the Jewish tradition of "the breaking of the glass," because I enjoy smashing things. Afterward, our closest family and friends pelted us with birdseed. One rogue kernel still resides within the lining of my jacket. I have no idea how it got in there.

The Music

We hand-picked all the songs played at the reception, with help from Scott, our Designated iPod Manager (or DiPM). The songs were grouped into playlists and then randomized, which meant we spent half the reception saying, "Hey, I love this song!"

We did, however, play a few songs at specific times:

Processional: In My Life, by The Beatles (played on violin)
Wedding song: Nathaniel & Denise's Wedding Song, written by my sister⁵
First dance: The Luckiest, by Ben Folds
Played in the background during our intro: from the Muppet Show... Mahna Mahna⁶

The Reception

Ilio DiPaolo's, in Blasdell, NY, provided magnificent service and their food was phenomenal. Many raved about their veal marsala, and I loved (loved!) both the Italian wedding soup and the rosemary red potatoes.

Oh yeah, and Table 5 won the sugar packet tower-building competition.

If you enjoy Italian food and ever find yourself south of Buffalo for some reason, stop in at Ilio's for a meal. You won't be disappointed.

The Photos

Kaz of Kaz Photography was an absolute pleasure to work with. Not only does he have a spectacular eye for composition and color, but in some of the shots, he even made me look handsome. You can see all 24 of the "teaser" photos here.

If you ever find yourself in Buffalo and in need of a photographer, Kaz is your man.

In Summary...

I was overwhelmed by how well everything went, and of course, Denise looked amazing. In fact, I don't believe the weekend could have turned out any better. And, if the first few hours and days of our marriage are any indication, my ex-fiancée and I are going to have a long, happy life together.


¹ I inherited twin two-and-a-half year-old nephews. Although, I did have fun telling people last year I'd be an uncle this September. They'd start to congratulate me for my sister, then falter as they worked through the math and realized it was more than nine months away. (Earlier last year I also announced my upcoming nuptials by saying my girlfriend got engaged over the weekend. Eventually, people will start to figure out they shouldn't take anything I say at face value.)
² She prefers "wife."
³ Then again, pretty much everything is history, no matter how mundane it is. So I wouldn't get too excited.
⁴ Male Pattern Awesomeness
⁵ The song contained the names of 39 vegetables, 37 Halloween costumes, and 36 types of cheese. And no, I'm not exaggerating. (Also, there was a kazoo solo.)
⁶ Do doo de-do-do.

Woostah!

Do you remember back when you could go to a diner and get a large three-egg omelette or a stack of french toast for under $4? I sure do. It was today, right around lunchtime.

If you ever find yourself in Worcester, MA¹ and in the mood for breakfast, head on down to the Gold Star Restaurant on W Boylston St. Great food, good-sized helpings, and prices straight out of the 1980s. I had myself a delicious kielbasa-and-cheese omelette, and one of my compatriots had what she referred to as the best pancake she’d ever eaten. Two of the three of us couldn’t even finish our meals, and the entire bill came to a hefty $17. Just get there early, especially on a rainy day, or you’ll be standing out in the cold for a while, watching everyone else enjoy the scrumptiousness.

¹ Not that I’m suggesting you go there. I said “if”...