Wednesday, May 23, 2012

Fantabulous Wedding in LA

matt and me
At the start of the evening...
top hat
...and at the end of the evening.
Last week I was so flustered with Hank's end-of-school stuff and playing vast quantities of tennis, badly, that I might not have told you guys that Matt and I were going to our friends' wedding in Los Angeles. And then I told you on facebook (you should "like" me 'cause I like you!), only I might have only said that we were in an airport (and that I yelled "Dark meat!" across the concourse because I was seized with fear that even after sixteen years of marriage, Matt might not know my chicken preference). So gosh, there is just so much living that sometimes bits of it slip away from the narrative grid upon which I want to index all of life.

Our friends Mike and Amy got married at a place called Hollywood Castle in the Hollywood hills. It is, well, this castle place. Or it is a house built to look like a castle in a kind of Disneyland way. And also like Disneyland, before you get there you're not sure what to expect, and then when you arrive you're like, "Oh, wow, this is just pure fun. Castle, YES!" And even better than Disneyland because open bar.

View from the wedding
View from the driveway

The setting of this place, right on top of a hill, was wonderful. We could see the Hollywood sign from one side and the city from the other. The wedding couple was beautiful, and we got to see friends we haven't seen since we left California six years ago. Half of the wedding guests (three-quarters?) were in costume of some kind--medieval, fantasy, steampunk, who knows--and the whole effect was lovely. Definitely an unforgettable night.

table assignment dragon


This was the moss topiary dragon that watched over the table assignments. He was charming. His name is I Cost More Than College. Ha ha! jk, higher education has gotten crazy $$ the last few years. And the bride told me his name is Edgar.

The ceremony was on a green lawn overlooking the city, and then while we were having drinks, magic elves set up tables for us to have dinner out there.

our table
Our table
matt at dinner
My date
moat
I'm not sure why this pic came out tilted; it can't be all that mead I drank.
This picture shows the little moat surrounding the castle, a charming wee moat that I almost fell into when the heel of my shoe got stuck between the boards of that bridge. I only went down on one knee though, so I'm sure everybody who saw me just thought I was kneeling in sudden prayer. I kinda wish I had fallen in because I probably would have come out clutching Excalibur. Usually that is what happens when I fall down at parties.

Then there was cake and dancing. Matt and I got to practice one of the two dance steps we know. And though Matt is against the idea of our renewing our wedding vows, as he believes our original vows are still in force and why cast doubt on that, I always feel a little like when we go to a wedding, those vows renew themselves a tiny bit.

Have you ever been to a themed wedding that you really loved? This was a nice one. For more pics of the scene and lots of pics of me but only one lonely picture that shows my shoes, click here.

11 comments:

Beth said...

I'm sure people just thought you were Tebowing in celebration of the nuptials.

delaine said...

Looks like great fun! Y'all look gorgeous and classy. I want to hear details soon.

Pamela said...

Oh, the mead. How I love the mead.

Up here in NewYork, Out In The Country Part, we have the Finger Lakes and there are scads of wineries. And one meadery. Just one, sadly. But their blackberry mead is flat out amazing.

You should really invest in a top hat.

Julie at ModernDayMiddleAge said...

I don't think I've ever commented here because I enjoy my status as lurker extraordinaire but I have to say you look absolutely fantastic! It makes me think I should probably go out in the hot sun and play tennis more often and enter everything I eat into a helpful website so I can look fantastic, too... but I probably won't. *sigh* I'm glad you do, though.

I live in LA and have never been to the Castle but have heard great things ... and now I have heard one more. Plus, your friends actually dressed like they were in a castle which makes it much more merry.

Thanks for sharing!

Marsha said...

All the weddings I've ever been to just had the theme of "wedding" so, no. Then again, I haven't been to a wedding in some time so maybe this is how the kids are doing things these days.

You looked lovely and your pleasure in the event sure does show!

Anonymous said...

I think that in the top-hat photo you resemble photos of Amy I have seen. I haven't been to a wedding since I was a newlywed. My handheld is wacky; you might need to run an iron over this comment to see it. xox

gretchen said...

Damn Cub Scout camp for keeping me from seeing you! That castle is within spitting distance of our house! I have to say that you are looking fantasmagorical. Must be all that bad tennis!

Katie said...

Beyond amazing. I haven't been invited to a wedding in forever but if more were like this one, I would be angling for invites!

Amy said...

Now THAT is some wedding. Confess I have never attended a "theme" wedding. I think I am too old for those invites to be flooding in.

The sudden-prayer bit made me do that LOL thang. And thanks for that, my eve needed a giggle. xoxo to you!

ps, Had the same thought as Elle re Becky-in-tophat=Amy...

Lisa Lilienthal said...

I'm with everybody else, tennis looks good on you! As does Matt.

mackyton said...

Really loved these wedding clicks! Thanks a lot for putting up these photos on your blog. We are also going to tie the knot at one of destination Chicago wedding venues sometime in December. Quite confused about wedding themes!