This past weekend I had the opportunity to attend my good friend’s wedding in NYC, and I must say it was a pleasure to celebrate her marriage in such an elegant and personal way. 

I loved that you could see Anne and Josh’s personality throughout the ceremony and the reception which really made the day significant to them.  The typical events of a wedding were edited down to those that the bride and groom found meaningful, which, in turn, made more meaningful for the guests.

Anne and Josh are quinticential New Yorkers in my mind, so nothing was more fitting than celebrating their marriage at Chelsea Piers on the West Side of Manhattan.  It’s right on the Hudson River, with a beautiful view of my old stomping grounds: Hoboken and Jersey City.

The whole happy family.

Happy Couple

Fussing family

So happy

View up North

View down South (I can see my old office building)

These kids took the first dance seriously and really showed us their stuff.  All of a sudden I felt like a sports photographer trying to get a decent action shot!

No, I have no comment on the girl in the foreground wearing a completely white dress…

The cake and all of the food at this wedding was phenomenal.  So phenominal that I couldn’t be bothered to stop and take pictures.  We enjoyed a cocktail hour after the ceremony with passed hors d’oevers and buffet stations, followed by a four course dinner, and then cake!  The food was thoughtful and eclectic, and though I ate enough to start hibernating for the winter, I wasn’t uncomfortably stuffed.  I’m not sure if this can be attributed my skills as a power eater, or the appropriately sized and conveniently spaced courses.

I loved Anne’s bouquet because it was simple and beautiful.

The theme of the speeches was how much Anne and Josh belong together and were good for each other.  I couldn’t agree more, they’re such a perfect match!

Action shot skills (or lack there of).

From what I could tell the cake was chocolate with hazelnut frosting, and possibly another vanilla type of frosting on the outside.

One of the highlights of the evening for me was seeing Josh preform one of his own songs with a friend.  If I didn’t know he wrote it, I would have sworn it was right out of Stephen Sondheim’s catalogue.

Since it was a four course meal, every square inch of the tables were covered with various wine and water glasses and several silverware options.  It got to be kind of comical by the end of the night as we were trying to determine which glasses were our own and what they were filled with.  Between the open bar and the waiters attentively refilling wine, the spirits were flowing!
The wedding band was great.  Besides playing some of the standards and swing music they also forayed into some unexpected pop hits from people like Usher and Michael Jackson.  It was pretty funny.

All in all, it was a grand affair, and I wish them nothing but happiness and a fabulous honeymoon in Tuscany!