Post Wedding Blues As Families Head Home

My Sister Ellen, Her Husband Walt, Parents of Julia, The Bride

 

The Lovely Julia

Beth And Family

Tom And Family

Jill And Family

Same lobby, about the same time, with my son in law Drew, sipping coffee, people and dog watching as the busy Hotel Monaco Lobby gradually comes to life.  It's just after 8:00 and I have been here for a half hour.

Washington Monument

Lincoln Memorial

Korean Memorial

Tyler Albarran

Yesterday was an exhausting but amazingly fun filled day, only ending around 1:30 in the morning when we went up to bed.  The day started slowly, as families slowly filtered downstairs, none of us making the walking tour at 10:00 except for sister and brother in law.  Our side of the family, all fourteen of us, had a big breakfast in the hotel's restaurant around 10:30, fueling up for the day.  The guys decided to take the Metro down to the Washington Mall, to see the memorials, enjoy the day.  It was a twenty five minute walk to the Metro, a twenty five minute ride to the Mall Area.  We then spent a couple of hours, almost walking the length of the Mall, down to the Lincoln Memorial.  None of my grandsons had seen any of the memorials, so it was a new experience for them.  I had not seen the WW II Memorial, nor the Korean, so I was anxious to see them.  Both went beyond my expectations, rivaling the understated but moving Vietnam Memorial.  The WW II was appropriately grand, the Korean moving, as it was mostly life size statutes of soldiers in knee high grass.  We walked back via the White House, took most of pictures from afar, then headed back to the Metro Station.  The Holzheimer side of the family was also enjoying the Mall so we ran into Pat and Courtney and kids.

The Girls At The Torpedo Art Gallery

Ninth Grader Hayden Bissell, Marlena Photobombing

While we were walking at least eight miles, the girls all stayed behind in Alexandria, and explored the area, the shops, the art gallery, having fun.

Beth and Marisa

All of us were back in the hotel around 3:30, in time to relax before the wedding and dinner. Fortunately, the Torpedo Factory Art Gallery, where the wedding was being held was a ten minute walk away.  The wedding ceremony took place at 6:30, and it was properly apt for the bride and groom.  A friend acted as the officiate, the couple wrote their vows, family friends sang 'All You Need Is Love,' and the readings were wonderful, as were the touching vows.  And it was just the right length and as the bride and groom danced down the aisle, much of the gathering was in tears.

Evie, Mary, Jill, And Beth

The Grandchildren

The Four Teeny Boppers

Before Dinner

After the ceremony, we had cocktail hour with delicious appetizers like sushi for an hour while the catering group set up the dining room for dinner.  The Factory/Gallery was a picturesque place for the reception as well, mixing art with factory like structures.  Dinner was again your choice, either filet or chicken, lots of wine, and brussels sprouts, the bride's favorite vegetable as well as mine. At each place setting, Julia and Hampton had hand written a personal note to each of the 183 guests.  

Brooks, Julia's Brother

Julia And Hampton, Listening To The Toasts

Towards the end of dinner, toasts were given by the bride's father, the best man, a funny, comedy like telling of his lifelong relationship with Hampton, the groom.  And the maid of honor wrote a poem to the Night Before Christmas, about her relationship with Julia, the bride.  All three were amazing, took enormous thought and preparation, and were delivered with aplomb.  What confidence in these young people though they are not so young, in their thirties.

Julia And Her Father

Uncle Bob Lange And Wife Carol

Walt And Ellen, Enjoying The Wedding

About 9:45, the music began, a rip roaring band of guitars, sax, trumpet, drums, and a female singer.  They were extraordinary, rocking non stop until 12:00.  And unlike any wedding I have been to, 90% of the guests danced non stop until midnight, old and young, family and friends, all squeezed on the dance floor, having a rock and roll time.  The night ending with one of my favorites from college, but new to our grandchildren, SHOUT, and it brought down the house.  What a night for family, the Albarrans, Bissells, and Davis's, their kids who have been to few weddings or receptions before, let alone a wild night of dancing.  They loved it.

Julia And Hampton With Julia's Cousins

We walked the short distance back to the hotel, and we sat in the lobby talking with our kids, then Ellen and Walt, the bride's family, and finally the bride and groom came in to end the night.  We check out this morning but have a brunch around the corner from the hotel  form 11:00-2:00 which we will go to though Drew, Tom, Nick, and Brooks are going off to the Chiefs/Ravens game at 9:30, leaving early to avoid the inevitable NFL traffic jam.

Wedding Ends, Life Together Begins, For Julia And Hampton