GalesAZ: K&L get married (1 of 2)

[This post covers the week prior to the wedding day; the post that follows [which you can access by clicking here] covers the wedding day and thereafter.]

Third wedding for our children (first wedding (Nicole and POC) photos here; second wedding (Paul and Nedda) described here). This time: Kerry and Luis!!

Third time in a row that we were blessed with terrific turnout, amazing new in-laws, unrelenting fun, cooperative weather, fun venues – and best of all – an ideal spouse for one of our children. Luis and Kerry are great together, and we are lucky to have him as part of our family.

A contagiously festive-joyous feel to the gathering. Perhaps the very long run-up added some pent-up demand for a celebration? The Rossello family traveled quite magnificently indeed – showed up in big numbers, mixed so graciously with everyone; we enjoyed spending time with them and their friends (and much appreciated having had this recent opportunity to get together). K&L also have a wonderful group of friends based in the DC area – great turnout here as well, and we know many of them from prior pleasant visits.

And it was entirely gratifying to see the turnout from the Gales family. My 88-year-old dad made the trip! Every one of my seven siblings made it! Along with so many of their spouses, and so many of their children and their children’s spouses. Thousand-plus miles travel in each case (often with a plenty-long car trip before ever getting to the airport). These folks show up, and they are prepared for action – so much fun, so nice to get to know the next-gen types better in their adult iterations. At age 61 it’s hard to beat having my dad and 100% of the siblings right there for everything, just like always – this is a lucky thing. (In some ways it made the absence of mom, and the absence of Mary, all the more noticeable, ach.)

For Patricia’s “side” – we enjoyed the usual strong representation from her cousins – nice! (But wouldn’t Rita Z have loved it!) (Speaking of PJ – the typical impressive effort with wedding planning, then with pulling off multiple events – she makes it fun!) Anyway, I would be quite happy to keep running shout-outs here to so many more from the attendance list. Such as the O'Connell and Reghabi families - who show up in numbers and add so much. But I won’t.

A thoughtful remembrance of folks we missed (place-cards were on this table) (Friday 24 March )

Except I do have to specifically mention the quite-amazing job turned in by Patrick (EPG!) in his role as officiant. So hard to strike the right balance, and he did it in every aspect: made it personal without letting it get “insider”/tiresome; allowed the inherent emotion and beauty of the wedding ceremony to shine through without letting it get sappy or melodramatic; just enough funny comments or concepts that lightened the mood without breaking it and without straying into the distracting “hey even though it’s not my day, look at me I’m really clever” zone. Etc. He was splendid. All of our kids, and their spouses (really, each deserves an individual shout-out), are just terrific at these events – welcoming to all, tireless, thoughtful, fun.

K&L are great people and “got what they deserved” – with their spouse, with the ceremony, with the turnout, with the warmth and happiness the guests brought, with everything involved in the wedding.

Chronological overview:

Weekend of March 17-19 – K&L – along with Pedro and Maga – arrive in Phoenix around noon on Friday, March 17 – the official start to the festivities! EPG, PJ and I go to lunch in Tempe with those four at House of Tricks – warm/wonderful weather, fun meal out on that shaded patio. We lingered; it was great to catch up. We drop Pedro and Maga at their hotel – they had planned a few days travel in northern Arizona with Luiso and Nadja (who were arriving in Phoenix later that day). Then onto 706, where the O’Connells were hosting a St. Patrick’s Day party. Among other highlights: EPG had brought some Russian River growlers!

Lunch at House of Tricks (Friday 17 March)

Over the rest of the weekend – wedding prep stuff by those who were good at such things; breaks for lunch at our favorite places (Richardson’s on Saturday, Parlor on Sunday). PJ prep’d my traditional birthday meal on Sunday night – pretty sure it was the first time that the entire family could attend, it really was quite marvelous, and many incredibly nice things were said, I won’t forget.

Experienced crew preps guest bags (Saturday 18 March)

Lunch at Parlor (Sunday 19 March)

Lunch at Richardson's (Saturday 18 March)

Monday March 20 - Wednesday March 22 – continuing prep for all of the upcoming events. On Monday – PJ and EPG accompany K&L to whatever state office that issues wedding licenses – now things are getting official. Then a group of us travel to the Total Wine store on 16th & Camelback – meeting up with Jeff Ward – I doubt that we’ll ever buy beer/wine/spirits in those quantities ever again! Convenient and fun.

License approved! (Monday 20 March)

K shopping with Jeff Ward at Total Wine (Monday 20 March)

Check-out time at Total Wine (Monday 20 March)

On Tuesday – we had such an entertaining time at the spring training game (or at least in the stadium concourse, as noted here). Then back to 11419 where Patricia put together a nice little supper, and EPG shared more of his Russian River haul.

Spring training a la concourse (Tuesday 21 March)

More prep stuff on Wednesday. Out-of-town guests are arriving! Main event for the day: we hosted a dinner/get-together here at 11419. Guesstimating about 70 people attended. Perfect weather; Honey Bear BBQ worked just fine; PJ’s planning pays off; folks circulate inside, and outside, and give the darts/pool table/shuffleboard a workout; keeping an eye on Puerto Rico team playing in the finals of the World Baseball Classic. Mostly the event worked just as intended: a fun get-together plus an opportunity for guests to get acquainted, or get better acquainted, or just have some laughs. T'was a great night.

House party (Wednesday 22 March)

Thursday March 23 – PJ, K and NOC leave by mid-morning – hair stuff, or nails stuff, or whatever – they eventually spend an overnight at 706 (speaking of which, NOC did a great job as matron-of-honor – so much behind-the-scenes stuff, no doubt I’m unaware of most of it).

Whatever the hair/nails/etc. crowd was doing, it was working (Thursday 23 March)

EPG, Luis and I involved in various prep items for the weekend; eventually I head downtown; move the liquor supply from 706 to the Croft; check in to the Palomar downtown. Swing by the pool area where a big chunk of the Gales family visitors had congregated (notwithstanding somewhat cool (though generally sunny) weather).

Palomar pool, downtown Phx; round one of many (Thursday 23 March)

We get organized and make our way over to the Croft for the rehearsal. Everyone looks fancy; the run-through goes fine; the venue looks great; the singers rehearse Panis Angelicus and I get to be rehearsal-accompanist, which was fun. As I learned with NOC, that thing about walking your daughter up the aisle is kind of overwhelming, even at the practice stage. Some photos were taken.

Rehearsing (Thursday 23 March)

Officiant and his subjects (Thursday 23 March)

Rehearsal attendees (Thursday 23 March)

Sort of entertained by the rehearsal (Thursday 23 March)

For the bridal party, some waiting was involved (Thursday 23 March)

Drop my car at the hotel, then over to Bianco’s for the rehearsal dinner. So glad Pedro & Maga hosted this event at this spot – the outdoor setting was lovely, the food was really good – there’s a reason the place regularly wins national awards. 50 folks or so in attendance. The appetizer phase was amazing. Then somehow they could serve pizza to all of those folks while maintaining temp/texture – really tasty stuff, tricky to pull this off.

Bianco's! Perfect evening. (Thursday 24 March)

Bianco's! (Thursday 24 March)

But of course the food aspect of the evening, while much enhancing it, isn’t the main thing – mostly it was the pleasure of wandering around and talking to everyone – so fun. Pedro & Maga offer such nice welcoming remarks; then various folks stood up and said the kindest things about K&L; then K&L introduced their wedding party and also offered some quite thoughtful remarks – all of this was warm-nice as could be.

Some very nice remarks . . .

Folks not involved in the rehearsal had been invited to join us at Bar Bianco starting around 8p so – as the rehearsal is running just a bit long – of a sudden we start gaining additional fun folks! This included a few Glee Club guests (Dave & Sonny; Dan & Cricket; Mike Hough), next-gen family members, friends of both families, etc. Meaning that at the conclusion of the rehearsal dinner the evening was far from over – there were so many people to catch up with, and so many things to discuss at Bar Bianco, and so many things to laugh about, and even a few beverages to sip (none paid for by me) – I suppose there were various late-night groups wandering around, but toward the end of the evening, or the beginning of the morning, I was enjoying hanging around with a group consisting of my three sons, Luis and POC (though they moved on), the Steve & Liz “children” (including Maeve), Mike Hough (per usual). We run into Jimmy Kimmel and a couple of his pals (who we learn are regulars at Bar Bianco). Eventually we walk back to the Palomar.