Day 7: Post Nuptial Drip

Sunday, October 11

The tisch

Sandra and I both woke up with sore throats. We had breakfast at Jammin' Crepe again. It was a beautiful Sunday and the streets and breakfast places around Princeton were packed. We did not have time to walk around Princeton, but it was fun being there and part of the breakfast crowd. We returned to the hotel to change into wedding clothes, with a stop at Target to pick up some cold medicine and vitamin C. The wedding was a stone's throw away from our hotel at a beautiful banquet facility. We were invited to attend the badecken and the tisch. The badecken is the veiling of the bride prior to the ceremony and is preceded by the tisch, where the groom, rabbi, father, father-in-law and male guests talk a little Torah, drink a little schnapps and do a little celebratory singing.

Ok, Benjamin, what did you say to her? (Photo by Natalie)

You go, cuz! (Photo by Sandra)

We are so ready for this!

Mugging while waiting for the ceremony to start (selfie by Natalie)

After these events, we were invited into the room where the actual ceremony was to take place. I was given the honor of bestowing the priestly blessing upon the wedding couple under the chuppah (the wedding canopy). We took seats along the aisle so that I could get up when the time came for my part. As the family entered during the processional, I was moved to tears. 

It was at this point that I lost it (photo by Natalie)

It doesn't take much to move me to tears - I've been known to cry for laundry detergent television commercials. Fortunately I was prepared for this eventuality and had a supply of tissues in my pocket, which were now coming to good use. When the family was finally all gathered under the chuppah, I wiped my face and tried to get my act together. However, to my horror, almost immediately I was called up to bestow the priestly blessing! [WARNING: what follows is a graphic and juvenile narrative that should not be read by young children or dignified adults, or anyone who thinks I have any dignity.] My eyes were dry at this point, but my nose was still running. My voice was steady but high pitched and as I began the blessing I could feel snot begin to run down the inside of my right nostril. Naturally, we were surrounded by nearly a half dozen photographers and videographers and I didn't want to wipe my nose and have it captured on their wedding video forevermore. At last, I could bear it no longer. I was sure that a large glob of phlegm was hanging off the end of my nose and there was a very real danger that it would blow off in the draft of my breath and land who knows where! I could no longer risk it and had to raise a tissue to my face and wipe my nose. I did a quick wipe and continued on. I was nearly to the end when another glob began to drip down the inside of my nose. I decided to hold off another wipe until I had completed the blessing, praying that the glob would not do a double flip with a half gainer onto the front of my suit, or worse, the bride's dress. I could feel the wetness on the end of my nose and wondered if it was obvious to the bride and groom, whom I was standing before, or to the video camera, or to the multitude of still cameras or to all those gathered. In the end there were no acrobatics by the proto-booger, and I have yet to hear from the Lorens, or the newly minted Mr. and Mrs. Montel, that anything untoward was captured in pixels. [Children may continue reading from this point.]

Sandra with Cousin Steven

Following the ceremony, there was an amazing array of gourmet appetizers, multiple bars and live music. Following an hour of stuffing our faces, it was time to go into the main banquet room. We were all seated together with the Loren cousins as well as Gary's high school buddies, with whom we had been seated at Becky's wedding (including actor Steve Guttenberg). While there were salad courses waiting for us at our tables, most people ignored them and we did the usual Jewish wedding introductory hora dancing. Participation and enthusiasm were high and we had a great time. Finally it was time to eat dinner and we were each given a choice of chateaubriand, as well as equally elaborate chicken, salmon and portobello mushroom dishes. We all chose the chateaubriand, because how often do we get kosher chateaubriand?

David, Natalie, Steven, Benjamin & Jamie

More drinks (open bar, wine, champagne), more dancing (of the mixed variety), during which servers passed out margaritas in small Patron Silver bottles on the dance floor, multiple fancy desserts (including shot glasses of hot chocolate with Kahlua), excellent coffee, more dancing and a mezinka dance, which is a Jewish tradition when a couple's last child is married and everyone dances around them entertaining them. Sandra, Natalie, Benjamin, David and I danced with cousins Steve, Jamie, Allie and Lorraine. We stayed until the band quit, then headed back to the hotel for the night.