This past weekend I had the privilege of watching two good friends say the big "I Do." It was a gorgeous wedding! The ceremony itself was laid out on the practice putting green of a local country club. A green, I might add, picturesquely situated on a stretch of land jutting out into Naragansett Bay. We walked towards our seats accompanied by a lone bagpiper just near the water. It was a tad chilly, but no one really noticed. Cris looked absolutely beautiful in her dress and veil as her parents both walked her down the aisle. The ecstatic joy on her face didn't hurt either. :)

The wedding itself was very personal and informal. There were a lot of laughs and smiles (and yes, Julie, tears) during the short ceremony, and of course tons of pictures afterwards! We waiting in a receiving line to say congratulations to the new Mr. and Mrs. M, and then headed indoors to eat, dance, drink, and generally be merry. We ate some wonderful food, heard heartfelt speeches, and danced to some great music. No one really wanted to leave at the end - the DJ pretty much had to shove us out the door. :)

The next day we gathered at a local park for a relaxing BBQ for the newlyweds. We couldn't have asked for a more perfect day for it, either. The weather was gorgeous, and there was a nice breeze the whole day. We sat at picnic tables and ate tons of food, and then played horseshoes or lazed about in the sun. I watched a group of people play ultimate frisbee while dozing under a tree by the swimming pool. There was even a set of stairs at the back of the park that led down to the beach, where Neema and I took our shoes off to explore and look for seashells. It was one of those perfect days that lasts forever, where no one had anywhere else they wanted (or needed) to be.

Ultimately, however, we did have to leave. So Neema, Julie, Adam and I headed into Providence to try out a restaurant Neema had heard of. It was an asian fusion place, and I was feeling a bit adventurous, so I ordered Crispy Duck. And that's exactly what I got - an entire duck, broiled to crispy perfection, chopped up on my plate. Trying to get meat off of a whole duck can be a bit like eating a crab - you really have to work for it, and you don't get as much meat as you'd really like. But what meat I did manage to get was delicious! Paired off with a chilled Thai iced tea, my meal was a wonderful success. :)

Later that night we said goodbye to Neems and headed off to bed. Our travel the next day was blessedly easy and uneventful, and we got back to DC early enough to take naps and recover a bit from the whirlwind weekend. I know I said it to them then, but J and Cris deserve not only our congratulations, but our thanks as well for putting together such a wonderful weekend for all of us. So, thanks J and Cris! We love you!

p.s. I really really hope the two of you are NOT reading this on your honeymoon right now. If you are, what are you thinking? Go away! Have fun! :)

p.p.s. Pictures that the DJ took of the evening. More coming soon!