Wedding Day - Pakuranga and Maraetai

The boys from America clean up ok

The day began quietly and calmly as Larry and I and Michele got ourselves put together to face the big event. We drifted on down to The Humble Baguette around 9 AM and had a perfect breakfast of Baguette French Toast with Bacon (Law), Eggs Benedict on Bacon (me) and Eggs Benedict on Spinach (Michele). No one else in the place on a Saturday morning, so we were able to relax and just enjoy some time together. Went for a walk a block or so away to the public library's outdoor plaza and a nearby domain (public park) where there was a very complex skate park - deserted.

Back in the apartment, we were able to get our tuxes on. I discovered at the last minute that my grey socks were not going to work with the black tux after all, and Michele's brand new nylons had mysteriously crawled out of her luggage somewhere over the Pacific, so on the way to St. Marks we had to make another stop at the shopping mall for a pair of socks. A half hour early to the church, by design, Larry and I had to walk to a nearby restaurant and have a pair of samosas, meat-filled pastries; in this case curried chicken and curried lamb, just to tide us over until the reception later.



Spectacular! and so are the Botanic Gardens

The wedding was very beautiful, and everything went well. The Father who performed the ceremony was gracious and eloquent, yet down to earth. The bride and her bridesmaids were stunningly beautiful, and the groomsmen as handsome a set of rascals as you can imagine. After the ceremony and reception line (where I met and shook hands with so many wonderful people), the photographer orchestrated a photo shoot just outside, then the wedding party piled into a classic Jaguar and a sporty Mercedes and zoomed off to the Botanic Gardens for more photos. Back to our waiting chariots for a ride out to the Maraetai Beach Boat Club, where the reception awaited the bride and groom's presence.

We had a splendid meal of canapes and champagne, fine wine (the Oyster Bay Sauvignon Blanc was incredible) and entrees of peppered squid, antipasto, followed by a main course of rack of lamb or New Zealand Salmon served on a lemon mashed potato with a seasonal salad, followed by mini pavlova with raspberry couli and lemon tarts. Joy, laughter, speeches, toasts, fun conversations, and more as we gathered to celebrate Lawrence and Victoria's new lives together. Not too many photos to share, it was a day to be involved, not a tourist.