NOLA Wedding








This past weekend we were lucky enough to be included in my sister-in-law's fairytale wedding in New Orleans. Patrice is my husband's MUCH younger sister (by 20 years), and I adore her. When she asked me to be in the wedding last year, of course I accepted, though I had a lot of worries about being the Oldest Bridesmaid Ever.

Beatrix, when asked to be the Glitter Girl for the wedding, had no reservations at all and jumped right in!

Rob, Patrice's groom, is one of the hardest-working actors in show biz (don't believe me? check out his IMDB page), and before that was in the music business for a number of years. He's older than Patrice, but somehow they work perfectly together, and as I've gotten to know him over the past several years (including when he stayed with us last year to attend the Super Bowl), I've come to really like him.

So what does a big, film and music star-studded, very Jewish, New Orleans wedding consist of? It has it all, including:
-  pre-wedidng festivities including a private room to watch the Saints game (oops, sorry) and rehearsal dinner upstairs at Couchon
-  a full day of the 10 bridesmaids getting ready
-  a long ceremony with a beautiful chuppah that skipped no tradition, from the 7 circles around the groom to the 7 blessings (with a pre-ceremeony Tisch, bedecken, and ketubah signing)
-  a second line that closed down the street and where some Indians even showed up
-  a horah that lasted half an hour, with the longest tunnel of love I have ever seen
-  Rob serenading his bride ("But you don't sing!" laughed Patrice)
-  a step-and-repeat and red carpet
-  their favorite sushi chef, who they flew in (I was on bridesmaid duty so only got one bite. Beatrix reports she had 5 and it was delicious)
-  a signature cocktail (none for me, see earlier note on bridesmaid duty)
-  food stations from New Orleans' top restaurants (now I can say I've eaten at Boucherie, Atchaflaya, and more
-  a Soul Train leading to the bride changing into her party dress
-  MORE dancing from an incredible super group that included George Porter, Cyril Neville, and more)
-  a multiflavor cake where the cake topper was done in Rob and Patrice's image
-  swag bags to take home
-  and more!

But what really stands out to me from that night is the love and connection. Of Rob and Patrice's love for each other. Of how closely I bonded to the other bridesmaids in such a short time. Of loving my husband as I danced with him. Of love and pride in my daughter in the role she played in the wedding and how well she did, and how she looked after her younger cousins. #lovelight was the hash-tag, and it was spot-on.

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