Alex and Linda Get Married

September 5, 2004

Drove up to Green Bay, for Alex and Linda’s wedding. I was alone on the drive up, and it was quite enjoyable. I haven’t been on a big road trip in a while, and driving for a few hours hit a certain spot for me. Excited the whole way up, and looking forward to two wonderful people getting married. And on top of that, I’m going to get to see a ton of people I haven’t seen in ages.

Alex and Linda’s place. Dig the robots.

When I showed up, it was about 3 hours before the wedding was to take place. Everyone was bustling about, and on the verge of getting dressed. Lots of activity all around. In media res.

This caught my eye. It’s a gift that Kristen gave to Alex (when he was in town for his bachelor’s party).

I asked Alex for the translation, and I believe it’s “I’m sorry, but I have to go.”

Curved, reflective surfaces: the poor man’s fisheye lens.

I’m not sure what this is, but I love it. Justin claims it’s the Silver Surfer, but I don’t recall him being that ripped from the comic books.

Ahhh, we’re here! The wedding site!

Stu, already hard at work.

Left to right, it’s Jim (my old college housemate), Kevin, his girlfriend Molly, and Justin.

Sally, Christine and Kent (as he’s explaining some of the more technical points of what happens during a “lap dance.” We all were talking about the bachelor party, and well… it went from there.

A few of us walked around the grounds a bit, and wanted to get closer to the lake. Here, Juliet’s posing next to a really massive tree.

Kent, hucking rocks.

Did I happen to mention that the wedding spot is right next to an amusement park?

I’m not sure why we did it, I’m not sure why they did it. But someone among us waved, and then every one waved back. It’s not like they were leaving for the west coast forever or anything. They’re just going around in a big circle.

Along a tree, there were numerous leaves tacked into place. Each leaf was hand-made, and had a name and a table number. To determine where you were sitting, you had to go to this tree and find your name (or, more accurately, your leaf).

The Revered Dave Fischoff, presiding over his third wedding ceremony.

Right before the ceremony started, I moved out in front of where I was standing, to get a shot looking back at all my friends. Left to right, it’s Kent and Christine, Juliet, Ben (holding Emmett) and Laura (holding Zion).

Jeanie (sp?) and Lloyd, Sally and Jim, Gretchen and Rob.

Mollie (bridesmaid) and Justin (best man).

Linda and Alex, making their entrance.

Don’t they just look great together?

Dave, introducing the bride and groom.

Stu, working his magic.

Linda, telling us about her love for Alex.

Alex, telling us about why he loves Linda.

Reading their vows to one another.

This is the first kiss. In the audience, you could just feel everyone around you smiling.

More vows. A phrase that stands out in my mind is something Alex said to Linda: “I will always peel your oranges for you.”

There are inscriptions on the rings they gave to one another. On the ring Linda gave to Alex, she inscribed “You are my favorite.” On the ring Alex gave to Linda, he inscribed “Thank you for calling me home.”

Getting the seats set up for a large group portra
it.

Rob, Jude and Justin.

Stu took a ton of photos (he got everyone together for one massive group portrait. And at the very end, he snagged some guy at a nearby picnic, and got him to press a button. This is a shot I grabbed, and Stu’s running to his seat.

I mentioned we were next to Bay Beach Amusement Park, right? And everyone who attended got a printed schedule of the day’s events (ceremony time, reception time, etc). On the backs of these schedules were two tickets to the amusement park.

Woohoo!

Tilt-A-Whirl! Fun, but not what we’re looking for.

This was pretty tempting, as we were all a bit sweaty. Swinging in the air would be a blast (and cool us off some too). But no… we keep going.

YES! Bumper cars. A bunch of us (Kevin, Lloyd, Jeanie, Jim and Sally) decided that this was the ride for us.

Justin had his camera out, and was really in photo mode (the ones where I’m in the photos, he took). Here’s one he snapped of me and Lloyd, which I liked.

Another of Justin’s pics. I love this one – check out Jason and Dave.

Jim, taunting me from his car. If we were driving on the interstate, I swear I would’ve gone for the glove compartment and gotten my gun out.

Sally, checking out the competition.

Ok, how nerdy is this?

Lloyd, about to hit Jeanie. But no! Out of nowhere, I sneak in and try to spin him from behind.

I had SO much fun on these things. The entire time, I’m laughing as I’m driving. I hear Lloyd yelling, everyone else is trying to hit someone or getting hit by someone. Just a total blast. By the time we got out of the cars and were outside again, my sides were hurting I was laughing so much.

After bumper cars, we headed back to the reception, stopping off at one of the main buildings on the grounds, curious to see what was inside. Turns out… arcade!

Justin was laughing at me because I stopped in my tracks when I saw this game, and was like “Ooooh, what’s that?”

Jim, starting up a round of pinball (this one was Mars Attacks, I believe). In college, the two of us went through a ton of quarters, playing pinball. The one game that was in our dorm (The Machine: Bride of Pinbot) was the one we played pretty compulsively. At the Student Union though, Jim was pretty much the master of the Adams’ Family game.

On my third ball, I lucked out and got multiball. Then the jackpot. Then the super jackpot. Woot! Lots of bells and lights, and ended up getting Replay.

This may not be all that exciting to you, if you’re not into pinball, but that loud snap, that click in the machine that indicates free game – there’s no other sound like it. Great way to end the amusement park portion of the day.

Friends of Alex and Linda’s helped cater the reception (that was, in fact, their gift to the couple). Tons of great stuff for dinner: pastas, potato salad, salmon, all sorts of wonderful cheeses, chicken breasts stuffed with spinach.

Mmmmmm. Cake.

Justin, giving his best man speech. I got to hear him practice earlier in the day, at Alex and Linda’s house. Really heartfelt, and you could hear the love in his voice as he read it (Justin teared up a little, when he was practicing the speech with me earlier in the day).

I love the look on Mollie’s face, as she’s watching Alex, watching Justin.

Mollie, giving her speech to Linda.

Lots of hugs after both speeches.

Another phrase that stays with me is from Justin’s toast to the new bride and groom: “May you walk hand in hand, through alleys and gardens together.”

We’re Number 1!

Emmett, thinking about some tree climbing.

Hurray!

The Todd Buffa Quartet croons for us the whole night.

First dance as a married couple.

Awwwww. :)

Kevin and Molly taking the floor.

Jeanie and Lloyd, swinging it up.

Juliet, goofing for the camera.

The official, legal documents. Which need to be signed.

You sign on my back…

I’ll sign on yours.

Back at Alex and Linda’s. Everyone’s had a chance to change, and a bunch of us are outside enjoying the cool evening air. Jonathan and Kent having some cigars.

Inside, Stu set up his laptop and created an impromptu slideshow of the photographs he took. Even without any editing, the photos looked jaw-droppingly amazing. He had a crowd of people fixated around the screen, just staring and pointing and laughing.

More folks hanging around outside. Gretchen, Molly, Kevin, Dave and Tori.

Alex’s cousins (Clare and Sarah), talking with Christine.

A bit later, Clare and I got into this fantastically nerdy conversation about various writing utensils. I talked a bit about my obsession for the Papermate Sharpie, and she was trying to describe a particular pen to me (which I never could figure out).

Found out that Clare’s planning on taking the LSAT’s and becoming a lawyer. And of course, my first question was whether or not she had seen The Paper Chase yet (she hasn’t).

Apparently, whenever I’m around anyone who’s pre-law, I tend to hustle this movie.

Justin and Justin, sipping on Johnny Walker Red.