This set has more of the wedding details, like the cake and the flowers. Actually if anyone got good close-ups of the cake topper, please email me your photos!

These are just the funny pictures. I’ll upload more serious photos later.

Note that at the end of the set, my bridesmaids participated in a “Bridesmaids Battle” – a tradition my friends and I made up where bridesmaids duel with bouquets, samurai style. The winner at my Michigan reception was Lauren – she is now a regional champion, and I will fly her to NYC to battle the New York bridesmaids in an ultimate showdown.

The venue website is here.

So that’s this Sunday, September 20th, beginning at 4 PM. The art museum will be open in the first hour or so for guests to look at.

The Chicken Dance

The YMCA

Caramelldansen

It’s sweeping the nation:

The bulk of the Michigan reception planning has fallen to my mother, who is somehow managing everything and getting a Doctorate and being Dean of a college all at the same time.

I have taken it upon myself to hire the DJ. I went to a lot of Michigan weddings as a kid, and the DJ was often pretty lame. One or two weddings I attended had DJs with hair leftover from the 1980’s who were sure to play “Celebration” by Kool & the Gang and “Joy to the World” by Three Dog Night, along with two Michigan standards – the YMCA and the Chicken Dance (check out the link for a Lawrence Welk lesson if you’re not familiar).

I told my mom she can request either the YMCA or the Chicken Dance but not both. This never happens at NYC weddings. I also hoped to avoid the Michigan “Dollar Dance” tradition, but frankly, I need the money. In Michigan the money is collected into little bags and not pinned to the couple, thankfully. I think it’s a Polish tradition but my only source on this is the 1978 movie The Deer Hunter.

Here’s a tip for Michigan DJs: Update your webpages! It’s not 1998 anymore! I’m avoiding at least one company based on a really lame animated gif.

Fortunately, there is hope! This DJ sounds really fun, is highly recommended on bridal websites, and has a webpage from this decade.

I’m really picky about music, and I have a long playlist of songs about space I want played during the reception.

Long before we decided to get married in zero gravity, I knew I wanted to have two receptions – one small informal party in New York City for my friends here, and one more traditional reception for my family in Michigan. I have a lot of elderly relatives for whom it would be very expensive and troublesome to travel to New York, and I don’t really want to make my New York friends travel a lot, either.

When we decided on the zero gravity flight, we never wanted to have a reception right after the flight. The idea is that we go on the flight, and then we have time to edit the video of the ceremony, and then the two receptions take place, where we screen the video for our guests.

I never thought we would have to buy twelve tickets or have quite so many guests on the plane. After the plane ride we should all eat out somewhere nice, but I would like to avoid the cost of a formal reception in Florida. I don’t need a third wedding reception!

After some discussion, Noah and I decided that the Florida ceremony after-party is only for our parents, our siblings, and our friends who are going on the plane. We don’t know who our videographer or photographer will be yet, but they’re invited to the after party.

So, even though we don’t have any reception dates yet, here’s the break down:

1. Ceremony in Florida – Immediate family and zero-g guests only
2. Party in New York City this summer – For friends in the area
3. Reception in Michigan – For family and friends in the area, probably after Labor Day

High school friends are certainly welcome to go to either reception (or both!), but I’ll need to know which one in advance.

Our friend E— was helping us lay out a budget spreadsheet which was rather terrifying. I need some flowers for each event, and a venue for each, and so forth – and hair and make-up?! Arrgg…