Andrea & Brian's Wedding

Post-Ceremony with Cousin Andrea
and her Hubby Brian 

From the night I met Brian - not too long ago - I had a feeling that his upcoming wedding to my Cousin Andrea was going to be a lot of fun. And it most certainly was. 

From the raucous gathering the night before the wedding (in the Grand Hotel Bar) to the Croc Rock that closed the evening, it was a laugh a minute. 

'Stuffy' was a word that some people used when describing the venue - The Albany Club, a Gentlemen's Club in downtown Toronto. But the ceremony, drinks, pictures, dinner and dancing were anything but. 

The laughs from the guests started as we read the programs which were creative, vibrant and very informative. From the credits to the honeymoon plans and the agenda which included 'you cry' (we did), there were smiles and giggles as people filed in, some of them wondering if they were in the right side (there were no sides but . . .)

Queue the music! U2 and Elton John, some of my faves and serious rockin' tunes. And then the groomsmen. I am almost certain the bust of Sr John A. MacDonald winked in approval at the dashing young Gentlemen who paraded up the aisle in Tops and Tails, preceding the man of the moment. 

Hard to top that!

Then the Little Ones - Finn and Emily were the cutest page boy and flower girl ever. That rehearsal paid off, hard to believe they only met the previous day.

Ring Bearer and Flower Girl!

The flower arrangements that decorated the room, including cream roses which were accented with greenery which matched the bridesmaids, added a freshness to the Big Room in the Club. But nothing can top the smile that was on Andrea's face as she sashayed down the aisle on her Dad's arm. Oh yes, there comes the tears. When you see the Bride's Dad with tears of joy sneaking down his cheeks, you can't not reach for the Kleenex.

There was a rumour that Noel might hug Brian when he gave Andrea away. And he did. And then Andrea joined in. And the crowd went wild! And that pretty much set the tone for the rest of the ceremony. It's a serious business getting married and the celebrant was determined that the witnesses would not take the task lightly. And by witnesses I mean the 120 people watching . . . so when she fluffed her lines and told Andrea to say "I take you Brian Dermody to be my lawfully wedded *wife*" the whole place cracked up. 

In our Hotel Lobby pre-wedding