PART III: PARTY TIME

Posted by: ann on: 31 August 2007

• In: thoughts
• 19 Comments

The setting, overlooking the Med on a hot sultry summer’s day… before the event
The sun is setting; the ceremony is almost over. It had to be completed before sundown, otherwise it would change the actual date of their wedding

The tables set before the wedding feast

The reception, which took place before the ceremony. Below the Mediterrean humus bar…. very very yummy! Little dishes filled with humus, techina, other dips, chickpeas and hot sauces and tiny pitta bread to mop it all up.

The sushi stand… everyone’s being prepared to order… very very very yummy!

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There were also lotsa little finger food hors d’oeuvres being served… let me think what they were. Mini lamb kebabs on cinnamon sticks dipped in techina. Crispy won-ton filled with chicken and vegetables. Fried mushrooms stuffed with pesto. Vegetarian spring rolls. Crostini topped with smoked salmon and dill.

Ah the dinner… this is the entrecote carvery. There were three main food stations… beef, which is this one, and the roasted chicken in a Caribbean barbecue sauce one and another one of salmon fillet in Miso and Mirin. There were also loadsa side dishes… new potatoes with sea salt and rosemary, caramelised sweet potato wedges in sage and pilaf of wild and basmati rice… plus three more green vegetable dishes and six amazing salads. I forgot to say that everyone sat down to colourful plates of grilled vegetables… peppers, aubergine, onions, courgettes, fennel drizzled with the most delicious dressing.

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Remember this is a Jewish wedding… food before booze!

Then the desserts…. oh my word. Lucy and I had taken a trip to Israel in March for a food tasting, so we were well prepared and knew it was superb. When we tasted the desserts, you could hear a penny drop… the silence as we savoured every mouthful of the moutwatering passion fruit and pink grapefruit sorbets, the chocolate volcano served with hot chocolate sauce, the layered chocolate mousse, the vanilla meringue with forest fruits and my ab fab fav, the kadaif with dried fruits and pistachios… anyone hungry?
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And everyone could have as much as they wanted and as many desserts as they wanted… they kept bringing them out.

Boaz having a little taste. Oh you can see the kadaifs more clearly in this picture… heaven on a plate….. mmmmmmNow on to the speeches. This is not really typically traditional of an Israeli wedding, but really it was an English wedding in Israel and most of the guests had made the trip especially… also, though I say so myself, my children are particularly good at public speaking. Well normally they are, except dear No.1 son was a little worse for wear having commandeered a bottle of scotch… but he did have to change his room in the middle of the proceedings which is another unbelieveable story in itself. It can only happen in Israel! What is especially lovely, is that my boys are really great friends too…

Boaz adding his little piece… bless him. Oh my I miss him so much

Jamie giving his response… it was poignant and moving and I can’t wait to get the dvd to hear it again. For those who don’t know, my son does not enjoy the best of health… he has been through the wars and seeing him at this point in his life with his beautiful wife is indeed a miracle.

Not to be outdone, and this is not a tradition either at home or in Israel, Lucy also wanted to say a few words…
As you can imagine, there wasn’t a dry eye in the place. Nobody said anything shmaltzy or over the top… just what was in their hearts.

More tears… my brother and his wife were presented with a cake as they were celebrating their 30th wedding anniversary on the same day.

Now the fun begins… well the Israeli dancing had already got underway, but after the speeches Jamie and Lucy opened the English style dancing to “Stand By Me”

I also wanted to sneak in a view of the back of Lucy’s dress…. these small pics really don’t do it justice… she was stunning

Couldn’t resist posting a pic of my boys… well it is my blog. I am so proud of my children and I love them all so much. They’re quite good to their old mama.
… and another one of my other ab fab fav little man in the world… I wonder what caught his eye!
The band were sensational. I had seen them before at another wedding in Israel and I danced and danced and danced all night to them, so when Jamie and Lucy saw my friend’s dvd they knew they had to have them too

Everyone was having so much fun… it wasn’t meant to be a stuffy and formal occasion, it was party party party

Ah I slipped one in of Rachel and Daniel… Rachel took on the role of master… or should I say mistress of ceremonies and everyone was most impressed with her hilarious organisational skills

Bridgitte with her good friend Beth holding my ab fab fav little girl in the whole wide world

This is always good fun. The bottle dance. If anyone is familiar with Fiddler on the Roof, they will know this. I am so pleased my son spent years in Yeshiva to master these skills… LOL Sorry, a kinda Jewish in-joke.

more fun fun fun
Lucy and her sister Tash

Doing the kesatska (sp) a Russian Cossack dance…. Jon never misses an opportunity to show off his dancing skills… having said that, he is orthodox so never participates in mixed dancing.

Ah, this is Jamie with his best friend Ben… if ever there were two real life “Men Behaving Badly” then they are sure ringers for Martin Clunes’ Gary and Neil Morrissey’s Tony… I won’t go into all their antics to protect the innocent but one snippet was my mistake of having a much needed first ever massage at home on Bonfire Night and Jamie and friends having a party there… don’t even ask… oyyayoy!!!!!
A mug shot of my brother and nephew… up the Gunners!

more fun fun fun

my beautiful niece Sarah with Sarah, one of Rachel’s best friends

Jamie and his father

Another tradition when the bride and groom are hoisted up in the air on chairs and united by a handkerchief
The end … well not quite

The next evening we celebrated Sheva Brachot… there were about 70 of us; the hotel gave us a private room and the florist and the chef did us proud… another unforgettable night, but unfortunately no photographs as it was Shabbat. However earlier that day, every family member got together for a tea party to celebrate Moriah’s 1st birthday… we could take pics of that and I shall post them one day.

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Doing this post has brought back beautiful memories of their beautiful day

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I do have some other prattle posts coming up, if I remember them that is, but I’ll save them for another day, including seeing the most beautiful guy in the world… Prince. I just have to say though, the show was amaaaaaaazing, his new album is aaaaaaaaaawesome…

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To my friends across the Pond, have a great Labour Day Weekend… enjoy your day off. Shabbat Shalom and a lovely weekend to everyone.

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