Lee's Wedding

Lee got married last night. It was the last of four weddings we attended this summer. While it has been an expensive summer (those gifts really add up), it has been money well spent and has made the summer truly memorable and pleasurable.

I met Lee's dad when I first started teaching over 30 years ago. He came to my school after being excessed from a school in the Bronx. His dad instantly became friends with the group I hung out with and we were all inseparable. In fact, today, we are all just as close as we were then. Together with our spouses we are a close knit group.

Lee's dad was the very first person I was close with who became a dad. I will never forget the glow in is face when Lee was born.

He was glowing last night, like the light above, at the wedding of this first born child. (Photo from wedding.)

The wedding itself was sensational. Lee is Jewish and his lovely bride does not follow any particular religion so they decided to get married by a judge, write their own vows and add a couple of Jewish traditions. Lee broke the glass at the end of the ceremony and the bride's mother hand knit the chuppah. If you look carefully you can see the Statue of Liberty in the background.

The wedding took place at Battery City Gardens, part of my favorite park in the entire city.

Staten Island Ferry

Couple of guys fishing on this beautiful day
Carnival cruise ship to Nova Scotia (I've taken this cruise twice and plan to do it again. It is fantastic.)
Water falls and a sail boat
Out sailing for the dayFamily enjoying the view of the Statue of Liberty
Night view of the falls.

The reception was wonderful. The good weather held out and the cocktail hour was outside, overlooking all of the above. This guy fascinated me and I must have taken 20 pictures of him. A bartender told me he was wearing a $500 designer suit.

The bride is very down to earth. Her attendants were her sisters. She wore a shite dress with some black on it. She told them to wear black and wear anything they wanted. They were in a wide variety of styles and all happy with what they chose. The theme was earthy and all the table decorations and flowers blended perfectly.

The charger, under every one's plate.
The candle, on every table.
The centerpieces.
The salt and pepper shakers.

Nothing was like anything I have ever seen in a wedding before. Every guest had an individual name tag and place seatings were on a wall. Also on the wall were wedding pictures of parents, grandparents, great grand parents, aunts, uncles, etc.

The main thing that made this wedding so special were the two people that got married. Not only was the love they felt for each other felt by everyone in attendance, but everyone in attendance had some special significance in their lives.

When I think back on all my years of teaching, one of the things I am most grateful for is the friendships I have made and that have endured and grown over the years. To know that I am a special part of the lives of the children of the people I've taught with only enriches me more.