Lindsay and Graeme set up an elaborate photobooth with a champagne sequinned backdrop, colorful decorations, a gold picture frame, and wedding-themed props. A photo op area at a wedding is a new idea to me, and it turned out to be a hit. Somewhat to my surprise, Brendan and I were in constant demand for people to have photos taken with us — I felt like a celebrity! Everyone had a lot of fun with it.
All posts by Deirdre Straughan
Pink Wedding: Cake
I didn’t want a huge, elaborate wedding cake — just something pretty, and enough to feed all our guests. Myrna had led me on a cake tasting tour, and we settled on Sugar Butter Flour to make the wedding cake, plus another cake (a hummingbird cake, as I recall) to make sure there was enough for everyone, and a flourless cake for the gluten-free.
The main cake was frosted in a custom pink to match my dress, with gold paisely decorations in keeping with the semi-Indian theme of the wedding. All the cakes were delicious, of course, and there wasn’t a crumb left over.
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Pink Wedding: Dinner
It had been an easy decision to have our wedding dinner at home catered by The Mynt, an Indian restaurant in San Jose we were already fond of (and that I’d previously hired to cater a company event at the home of a colleague). They brought a portable tandoor to make fresh naan and other goodies. As usual, I over-ordered, but we had plenty of people around to eat the leftovers in the following days.
Food, drink, and conversation flowed. I had carefully designed the seating to put together guests with people they didn’t necessarily already know, but were likely to get along with. We had Woodstockers mixed in with Netflixers, Facebookers, AWSers, and other techies, as well as other friends and family from far and wide. I believe a good time was had by all!
Pink Wedding: Arrivals & Aperitivo
Guests started arriving while Brendan and I were getting ready (in separate rooms). Our contingent of helpers ushered people in, had them sign the guest book, and add tags to a world map to show where they were born, where they live now, where they first met one or both of us, and a place they’d like to go where they have never yet been. We still have the map with most of the tags intact, and I know at least one guest has since fulfilled her travel wish.
The greeters then pointed them at the bar, where they could enjoy two custom cocktails that Denise had designed for the occasion (above is my Aunt Harriet, doing exactly that).
Singapore Botanic Garden
In June 2023 we visited Singapore, first time for both of us. One of the attractions strongly recommended by my classmate Lauri, who had lived in Singapore for years, was the botanic garden. It was indeed worth the visit, especially for its huge orchid garden.
One area within the orchid garden is dedicated to Singapore’s tradition of developing custom orchids in honor of international leaders (mostly) and a few celebrities such as Amitabh Bachchan. There were orchids named for Joe and Jill Biden, Barack and Michelle Obama, Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Kamala Harris, and even Mike and Karen Pence. The Trumps were conspicuously absent. Perhaps, even in very polite Singapore, a plant named in honor of Trump would have been ripped out or peed on.
NB: Singapore is full of signs about what you can and can’t do (especially can’t), including in the botanic garden.
