Wednesday, February 15, 2012

22 Years (The Reception! Woo-Hoo! Party Like It's 1992!)



I'm sorry - you're not allowed into the reception unless you attended the wedding. Luckily, the wedding is perpetually attendable by going HERE for Part One and THERE for Part Two.

Alrighty, then. Come on in! Have a seat at your assigned table.

What's that you say? You can't find your place card? Oh, that's OK... just choose a table.

(If you want a closer look at anything, move your mouse onto it and click. For printed materials, click again. I hope.)





Perhaps you'd like to sit at the Fenway Park table. Be careful of the green monster in left field!














The Boston Center For Adult Education table is popular with some. Yes, that is a pair of tap shoes to the right.















Perhaps you'd like to do some travelling. If so, the T table is for you! Turn on the cassette deck and hear 20 minutes of actual train sounds, recorded by the future bride while riding Park Street to Ashmont on the Red Line! Please step into the car. Watch the closing doors.


















The Lyric Stage table comes with a disguise for our guests who wish to remain incognito.












The groom assures us that the Celtics will be contenders again soon, so perhaps you'd like to get in on the ground floor?











The Boston Public Library table comes with its very own librarian. Shhhhh!












Of course, the Museum Of Fine Arts table is always popular, especially with dancers from Bougival.











Or perhaps the Pitbulls table, where you'll sit with Jim's friends and former band members, as well as his MVP trophy and an old cleat.







Of course, you received your program at the church. Now would be a good time to look it over, so you don't miss any of the fun.

Oh, wait! It's time for The Scavenger Hunt! When you fill out your sheet, bring it to our Scavenger Hunt Co-Ordinator, Valerie, and you might win a fabulous prize!

Oh! Oh! Here come the newlyweds! Give them a warm welcome (you can go back to the open bar and the sumptuous buffet later. You'll even have a chance to make-your-own-sundae!)

(Yes, we had a make-your-own-sundae station - don't you wish you were there? We had caviar, too - or, at least, so we heard. That was gone even by the time we arrived.)

Why, here are the newlyweds now! Hurray! Remember - no tinkling! They're both packing water pistols!


But... But... The last time we saw them was at the wedding and this is how they looked:

Why, those jolly jokers! They went home and changed clothes! That's why they gave us all these things to do, like anacrostics, while we were waiting for them to show up!

It seems to have kept everybody happy!

Hey, wait a minute! I bet this isn't really a Parker Brothers press release!



And isn't this thing below copyrighted by King Features Syndicate? I think that's a copyrighted character from Warner Brothers, too. Oh, well - they can try to get blood from a stone if they really want to ruin our wedding 20 years after the fact! We're so happy to be married, we'll just apologize upfront! Love and kisses, big businesses!



Oh, boy! Cake!


And here's where Jim and HIS NEW WIFE, rather than feed each other cake, gave the first slices to the oldest person in attendance (Jim's grandmother, lurking in the weeds here) and the youngest person (Spooky Alyssa, the first person to know about them getting married, even though they hadn't told anyone yet - which you'd know about if you read Part One, of course.)



And here is what is probably Jim's favorite picture from the reception. The little person with hands on hips, looking at Jim's NEW WIFE, is Spooky Alyssa. Father Vinny is immediately to the right. Scavenger Hunt Co-Ordinator, Valerie Smith-Sheehy, has her hand on Father Vinny's shoulder. The amazing Peggy Lavoie - artistic director of the tables - is wearing the red dress. Jim's Mom (who has learned far more about Jim by reading this blog than she ever thought she would or wanted to) has her hands on Jim's shoulders. Everyone else in the picture is swell, too!

But, for heaven's sakes, why isn't anyone looking at the camera? What the heck are they looking at? Your guess is as good as mine and I was there!

Here are the puzzle answers, as well as the credits.



And, thus far, they lived happily ever after!

Soon, with more better stuff.




26 comments:

A Woman Of No Importance said...

Mr Sullivan, I am so enjoying this vertical romp through your nuptials!

Splendid!

What a lovely and intimate day you both planned - So unique, so you. Congratulations on surviving and thriving together.

We know what she has to put up with!

Love to you both as you celebrate your happiness together - Fhi x

Craig said...

No tinkling? What the hell??

Oh, well, I'll just use the potted plants if I REALLY have to go. . .

And. . . your 'Down the Aisle' game didn't include any mention of retarded flashers. Seems like a pretty egregious oversight to me. . .

And you're not foolin' me - you just went home to change clothes so you could get a little naked time between the wedding and the reception. . .

Michelle H. said...

Oh, I did enjoy the party. Thank you for inviting me! Such lovely games to pass the time. And those specialized table settings were a fun thing to have at the reception. Delicious cake, too! I might have to nab another slice...

Karen said...

Best wedding and reception I've been to in a long time. I'll have you know I smiled while reading the entire thing... didn't realize it until I was finished reading.

Anonymous said...

Now there's a wedding reception I would actually like to attend!

stephen Hayes said...

Reading about your wedding made me think about my wedding 38 years ago. We have one picture in the bedroom. I asked my wife if there were any others and she said yes. She's still opening boxes in the garage and she shed a tear thinking I wanted to look at them. Thanks Suldog!

Jackie said...

Loved, loved, LOVED this. Reading the comments is wonderful too...and I just read Stephen Hayes' comment. See!! You've spread the love again. It's what you do. I hug you from here.
In two weeks it will be the official day of your anniversary, but I see that you celebrate your love for your beautiful wife ALWAYS. Can't get any better than that.

(not necessarily your) Uncle Skip said...

GS and I have one picture from our wedding and the only witnesses have pretty much vanished. We didn't have any tinkling, either

Gee, that might an interesting story

Unknown said...

So much fun :-) I love that you went home to change clothes and got into your party gear. I would have been so torn where to sit - Fenway or MFA???

Thanks for letting us all share in your wonderful day...and now I must have a sundae for lunch.

Quick fyi, the sheet w/ table info doesn't allow for increase upon click & my eyes are good but definitely not that good!

lime said...

ok, the squirt gun idea is just too hilarious. love the puzzles and scavenger hunt ideas too. so much fun. it's a shame you guys are such sticks in the mud, lol.

Suldog said...

CSD - Yeah, I see what you mean (although you weren't able to see what... oh, skip it.) I'm just as inept now as I ever was, concerning things technological, so I'm afraid it will stay as is. However, if you (or anyone else) has a specific question, I'll be glad to answer it.

IT (aka Ivan Toblog) said...

Suldog & CSD -
If you click on the image of that page w/table info to open the image, then hold down the Ctrl key and click on the + key the image will enlarge.

Even then I couldn't answer any of the questions.

I'm still giggling about the 'Head' table

Carolina said...

Karen and Haphazardlife said it all!

Loved it. Thanks for inviting us.

xx to you and your wonderful wife

Reena said...

Looks like a grand reception and all had fun! And that is what it should be about!

Buck said...

I remain amazed at all the work and creativity employed here. Both of y'all... ALL y'all... done good!

Just Stuff From a Boomer said...

Themed tables. Oh. My. Goodness.. You are so right. That is awesome! Games and entertainment as well. What a great reception! You win! Mine was so traditional and not nearly as much fun.

Chris said...

Love the themed tables!

And now I wanna here a "What Ever Happened to Spooky Alyssa" story.

Anonymous said...

I'm smiling too, through your whole wedding story; wish I'd been there.

It's obvious you and YOUR WIFE were a team from the beginning. So much talent, and imagination, and co-operative effort that you both put into a wedding that was so personal and unique to the two of you. Well done!

Anonymous said...

Wonderful!
Happy Day to you both on the 29th!

i beati said...

Just the way I pictured in my mind's eye.. Green and all Great stuff Boston guy ..sandy

Sueann said...

What a great reception and such fabulous decorations!! The cake was delish and I for one, enjoyed the caviar!!I am off to the ice cream sundae station.
Thanks, hugs and congrats
SueAnn

Clare Dunn said...

OMG! Can anyone be as much fun as you and YOUR WIFE???

(Why don't I ever get invited to parties like this?)

FAN - TAS - TIC!!!

xoxoxo, cd

Anonymous said...

I'm sure people are still talking about your wedding! You truly wanted to make sure everyone had a great time!

Mich said...

I'm pretty sure that's the (second) greatest wedding that ever happened. (I have to say second out of bias for my sister. Plus she got married on Halloween and had a Halloween-themed reception and even though she TOTALLY STOLE MY IDEA, it was pretty friggin awesome.)

I'm stealing the scavenger hunt idea for my wedding reception, should hell freeze over and I actually end up getting married to someone.

YOUR WIFE'S green dress is fabulous.


xo

messymimi said...

You had the best reception i've ever heard of. Sorry i missed it.

Hilary said...

What a great reception. You and YOUR WIFE could start your own party planning business.