The Tasting

Memorial Day weekend and we battled the traffic to spend the long weekend in Maine all so we could go to the tasting Sunday evening at the inn. j. was not pleased at having to go, but I insisted it would be fun and, you know, we only get married once. My mom and sister-in-law joined and we took a walk around Boothbay. The inn itself was even lovelier than we remembered and the weather was perfect.

The tasting itself lasted five hours - that's about an hour per course, and also included a wine tasting. First important thing we learned: we don't have to use their wines, as long as they can get the wine we want through their distributor. We've already started a list of wines for them to check on. Second important thing we learned: they're happy to accomodate family recipes. The family recipe for mac & cheese is on its way.

The chef at the inn has only been there for two weeks, so I'd like to cut him a little slack. It must be tough creating six courses for 50+ people. But maybe this chef was trying just a little too hard to impress us. Better to keep it simple - at least that's the theory we're using when we create the menu. While we won't be ordering much of anything we tasted on Sunday night for our wedding, I think it was a good learning experience. Now we know what we DON'T want.

And yes, it is awkward hanging out with a bunch of other people who are getting married at the same place in the coming weeks. At our table was the couple getting married hte week before us. They're actually already married, having already had one wedding in the fall with her family. Then there was also a bride getting married August 5th at the inn's sister hotel down the street. She came to the tasting by herself and all I could think was: brave, brave girl.

Last important thing we learned: family style can and will be done.

The Interview

My friend K. came down from Boston last night to interview j. and I for a art piece she is working on. I can't say I truly understood what we were getting into before she arrived, but I had offered up our services simply because she's a good friend and I would do anything to help her, in her career or otherwise. Plus, I think she's an incredibly talented artist.

Turned out the interview - video-taped - was not so painful. The point of K.'s piece (I think) is to comment on modern-day weddings and how family dynamics are played out in the context of ceremony. How are tensions eased or magnified in certain situations, how do the organizers anticipate these, or not, etc. K. asked j. and I all about our wedding plans and engagement history. Turns out we're pretty boring. Our families get along, both with each other and within themselves. We like each other's friends. At the end of the interview we were searching for some tensions to make K.'s ultimate video more interesting. I think j. even tried to take a jab at my mother, but even he knew that was pointless. My mom has been amazing; I even sent her a thank you email the other day for being so calm and helpful and indulgent.

So we turned the camera off and got ready to go to dinner and then j. remembered that I had had a meltdown, my only one so far. So we turned the camera back on and I explained my meltdown, which mostly had to do with my having been sort of drunk and uninformed. Again, not that interesting.

So while K. didn't get much out of the whole thing, j. and I realized (once again) how good we have it.

Up to Speed

My mother sent me a hilarious document via the inn at which we're having our wedding. They called it "Getting Up to Speed" and asked such questions, as "Will you be tossing your garter?"

To which I said, "Absolutely not."

Nor will I be tossing the bouquet or cutting the cake. We will not be "announced," though the inn didn't actually ask us this.

I did give them our "DJ's" phone number. I hope they don't actually call him. He's not really a DJ. He's my brother's friend who's into music and has a pretty stacked iPod.

I can't wait for the final response to the request for a family-style meal. They might think it's not happening, but it's happening.