It has probably been over a year, since anyone has attended a wedding, though I am seeing some announcements now.  It is amazing how fifteen days can put everyone into such an upheaval.  People are starting to come out into the sunlight and that is grand.  I am writing this, because we actually attended our first wedding in ages.  I am sure that attendance was down a bit, because some people are still afraid and they may be afraid for the rest of their lives.  The structure was a bit different, as they had a public wedding at an open-air chapel on the grounds of the catering hall, and then there was going to be blessing of the bands and vows, the following day at a church, but that was going to be a private, immediate family event.  It could be, that the church did not have the capacity for the attendees, as they were still doing “social distancing” as they were under different rules than the airlines. It was odd to see banquet tables that should be for eight, but usually for ten, are now seating six.  Everything is an adventure and a new way to do things.  Of course, I have never been normal, since I was a clothier my entire career, I tended to favor interesting garments, because I never had to work in an office setting, and I was so looking forward to Spring and Summer attire. My Bride has been enjoying getting some new clothes as well, just in case we can start doing things again.

I have always made it a habit to eat before going to a wedding, as I have never had good luck with catering halls, and this goes back even to my student days, when my friends were piling on the food at the buffet lines.  I could never do that.  It was a buffet, which is fine, and everyone was enjoying the food, and I did pick at some of the food, but since I had eaten, I was fine, and yes, I know that I am not totally there, about my phobia of MSG and catering halls, by why take a chance with another reaction?  The other part of the wedding that my Bride was keeping abreast about, was the dancing.  The hall had an adjacent tented patio that was a very large smoking lounge, but the patio was also going to function as a dance hall, until our governor was caught breaking her own rules about socializing and lo, and behold there was dancing inside the hall, and if one was vaccinated, even masks were not required.  Now, my only mystery about weddings, is why do they play beautiful dance music during the cocktail reception and dinner, and then when it comes time for actual dancing, there is no dance music available, even when requested. To make up for it, the music does get louder.

My one constant that I find about catering halls and companies is that they go out of their way to find the most profitable wines for themselves at the expense of those that try to enjoy wine. The wine selection was Liberty Creek Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Pinot Grigio and all were non-vintage and what I would classify as jug-wine. These are all massed produced California wines and I tried two of the wines and they both were much sweeter than I had expected, but perhaps that is what is wanted by young couples at weddings.  Now, I call them jug-wines, but they actually come in magnum bottles, because I am sure that size is more convenient compared to the old gallon jugs that one still sees every now and then.  Liberty Creek as best as I can ascertain is an independent wine maker offering eleven different wines basically for restaurants, caterers and hotels.  Almost all of the wines have a California appellation, though a few have an American appellation.  The wines are entered into competition and they have won awards in their classification, and they are also known as being some of the most affordable wines from California.  I did notice that a lot of wine was being poured, so I guess they have researched and know their designated market very well.