I have known Chris Williams, I guess, since we were three years old. Our moms worked at a bank together when we were wee things. In junior high, we formed a nerd trio with Kevin Norelli and habitually stayed up all night on ICQ (the original IM program). Then, in high school, we ended up in the same driver’s ed class, then on the DECA team and in Speech & Debate (I already said we were nerds). When we weren’t being dramatic, typical teenagers, Chris and I were best friends. I harassed him plenty when I thought he wasn’t making good choices, and worried about his future more than I probably should have. Now, he has found one of the most amazing, beautiful, spunky, sweet, charming, down-to-earth women I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting, AND he talked her into marrying him! Together they hosted the most epic wedding weekend ever to hit Las Vegas!
Pat and I had a day to regroup in Portland (Vancouver, really) with Sochetra and Jeff before boarding the plane to Nevada.
With Sochetra, it seems we always pack in more fun than there are hours in a day. Somehow we managed to hike Mt. Tabor, visit a delightful Por Que No, find dress shoes for Pat, cook an amazing rib dinner, hang out all night with Magalie and Todd, play scrabble with Terri, AND hunt down new Chacos for me at REI! (After 8 years, 3 continents, and hundreds of miles, they finally blew out in Boise. Yes, I know you can get new straps, new soles, etc., but I think I’m ready for new everything).
The next day we repacked and were off (thank you so much, Sochetra!) to the party plane (thank you Mr. Park!). There were 80 of us on the 120 seat flight who were headed to see Chris and Julie tie the knot. Pat and I sat next to the best man and participated in various flight shenanigans, not limited to picture taking, note passing, and general debauchery planning.
Vegas wasn’t as boiling as it could have been when we landed and we let a taxi whisk us and our weekend double date (Maureen and Burt) to the Bellagio. I don’t know much about Vegas, but am told that the Bellagio is one of the most swank accommodations on the strip. Fun! I loved the lobby ceiling full of glass flowers, the disney-like atrium display, and our classy king room.
We unpacked our suitcases (okay, backpacks – of course) and heated up the iron. We had a few hours to relax before the incredible Friday night, pre-wedding cocktail party.
Pat and I were on one of the first busses out to Julie’s (the bride to be) Grandpa’s house and got to meet some of her east coast friends. Her Grandpa has one of those unique, massive houses/estates on a golf course in Vegas. The party entrance was really fun: Vegas show girls greeted us at the gate, the servers dressed like grooms and brides (in white, 20’s flapper dresses!) and lined either side of the driveway with drinks. A black tie performance group serenaded us, red and black party furniture lined the patios and poolside, and waiters plied us with all sorts of delightful hors d’oeuvres. We all spent the evening swapping Chris and Julie stories, hanging out by the water with our toes in the sand, admiring Grandpa’s auto fleet, and drinking a bit too much. On the way home, I talked to Julie’s dad who I guess spent time growing up in Humboldt (Grandpa was in lumber, I heard). Neat!
Obviously Saturday required some sleeping in. We had lunch at the Miracle Mile under my favorite Vegas atmosphere — the remains of Aladdin’s Castle — with Mo (Maureen). Pulled-pork nachos are absolutely to-die-for! After a bit more recovery time, we slipped into our fancy duds for the ceremonial evening.
We started with “pre-ceremony refreshments” in one of the Bellagio ballrooms. Gluten sadness kept me from many of the trays, but there were still a few delights in which I could partake! We also had some killer photo ops next to these ridiculous bird statues. Awesome!
The ceremony itself was really unique. The room was bathed in shades of blue and purple with leaf stencils lining the ceiling. Ferns and lots of greenery covered the altar and gazebo. An opera man and his piano sidekick entertained us as we waited for things to get started. An acapella choir was first down the aisle, followed by bits and pieces of the beautifully appointed wedding party. My favorite parts were probably Julie’s gorgeous red dress (she shunned the traditional white”¦ yay!) and the bouquets — instead of flowers, they were Swarovski crystals. How cool! The ceremony was short and sweet. Chris’ uncle, who is a pastor in Wyoming, was the officiant. I was a little surprised, given that Chris and Julie have so many friends who aren’t allowed to marry their partners at this point in time, that the ceremony had a prevalent “God made man, man cleaved to woman” section. I guess the trying part of weddings is pleasing everyone. Then we got to see the gorgeous new couple walk back down the aisle!
We returned to the first ballroom for a fun hour of merrymaking and cocktails, complete with Vegas show girls and Sailor Men photos ops. The dining and dancing that followed was unforgettable. Dinner was heavenly — beef, sea bass, and myriad delights. And of course being a four-scoop ice cream fanatic, I about died when I found out about the gelato bar. YUM!
The speeches were great, and the band emcee was really lively. They had a really fun “guest book.” They brought in a photo booth. Guests took turns in the booth and then got one strip to take home and one to make a guest book page on the spot. I would definitely add this one to any wedding! We also got a surprise drag show later in the evening; the crowd went wild to Britney Spears, Madonna, and Whitney Houston! Somewhere in all the dancing, singing, and patio cigar smoking it was time to go. So sad. But the fun didn’t stop there!
We took the party to the Fontana Lounge where we had to sneak in half our group who had changed out of their wedding duds. Burt and I danced until we couldn’t dance anymore. The rest of the night, I’m told, involved lots of Red Bull, Vodka, The Flamingo, and a long walk up and down the strip in search of karaoke. At least I got some exercise! Sunday morning I was grateful to find myself in my hotel room. Luckily, we made it down to the brunch right around noon. I was thankful for the opportunity to rehydrate and add some nutrients back into my cuerpito!
Afterwards, we promptly went back to sleep until my awesome friend Jerri Moro arrived. Jerri is one of my favorite people and I’m really sad she and I don’t live in the same town.
Serendipitously, she started a teaching job in St. George (an hour from Las Vegas) at the beginning of August. Reunion! I always have so much fun with her, and this time was no different. We relaxed poolside for the afternoon until we were joined by the desert wind gods. Then we suited up for an evening downtown (the old Vegas) with Burt and Maureen. Jerri took us to a great pub, we oogled the spectacles lining Freemont, played roulette (my first time!), and then found a blackjack dealer named Honey who kept us well entertained until the wee hours of the morning!
I got to share the heavenly pork nachos with Jerri the next day before she caught her ride back to St. George. Pat and I set out to explore the strip, ride the coaster at New York, New York, see the lions at the MGM Grand, etc. We kept bumping into Sara, Inna, and Shawn, so we finally acquiesced to fate and joined up with their lot for the coaster fun. Riding a roller coaster in the middle of the day is lots different than at an amusement park. Generally you see the coaster in the distance, you stand in line and watch and listen to others taking their turns, you get a full preview of what you are about to be subjected to. Not so on a Vegas coaster. It’s ding, ding, ding, chat, chat, chat and then click, clack, click, clack into the sunshine. Suddenly you are approaching the clouds. And then you can’t see the track anymore in any direction. And then you are falling. AHHHHHH!!
All in all an epic, unforgettable, pleasantly exhausting wedding weekend. Yes!
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