Lemurs Should Be Required

So last night Wifey and I attended he second best wedding of all time.  The first, of course, was the Big Fat Colombian wedding we put on for D1 last Fall.  Last night was the wedding of Matt to Vanessa, and we had an awesome time.

They held it in historic Walton House, probably 10 acres down in the Redland.  It was a tropical garden, with paths that led around monkey cages, and macaws, and cockatoos...When you went around a bend you came face to face with a troop of lemurs, who came up to you and seemed to smile.

We arrived and followed a path to a bar set up among the banyan trees.  Wifey had three glasses of champagne.  We ran into old friends, and former kids from Palmetto High.  Somehow they were all now grown men and women, with careers, and interesting tales to tell of cities far and wide where they live or lived.

Vanessa is a beautiful blonde Cubana, and her family was there -- very warm and affectionate.  Matt is a Miami Wasp, and his cousins were there from Louisiana, and Texas, and even Coral Springs.

Bells tolled, and we went to an area where chairs were set up around tropical tree boughs.  Lisa was the "minister," -- an old friend of Matt's parents, who is a marketing guru who lived for 25 years in Chelsea and recently moved to Portland.  I dug her immediately.  She spoke beautifully about these two young people, and when Matt spoke, I got teary eyed -- he is so genuine and warm.

And he used the F word, as in "I love Vanessa SO fucking much!"  Real artists who lived in Wynwood and now LA can say that freely, and everyone cheered.

After the ceremony, we wandered the grounds.  A fire pit was going full bore, and there were tiki huts with bars, and a big lighted "LOVE" sign where even older folks like Wifey and  I could take pictures.

I ran into Ian, a long time Trulucks bartender.  He met Matt when both worked at Michael's Genuine.  Ian is a Texan, and now with a beautiful Nica lady.  He told me she was 4 months pregnant, and they were buying a place in Miramar -- still commutable to Downtown, and affordable, with nice schools.  I introduced him to Becky and her family, Matt's Mom.  She lives in Dallas now, as do her brother, sister in law, and daughters.  They all talked Texan for awhile...

Tables were set up, again in a tropical garden, and we ate.  The food was simply the most delicious I ever had at a wedding -- catered by Ghee, and Indian place.  I usually don't go much for Indian food, but I will now run, not walk, to Ghee.  The flavors were awesome.  Wifey and I cleaned our plates.

The crowd left the chilly tables for a next door converted barn, where a DJ played.  We danced, and watched the young people dance.  It was magical.

When Matt spoke, he reminded everyone that in this time of Blue versus Red, and US versus Them, last night 150 people came together to celebrate what life was really all about: Love.

We were privileged to attend.  And I now have a new rule:  if I put on any future weddings, there will be at least one lemur...