Yesterday, David and I were so lucky to have celebrated our civil union with just about 70 of our closest family and friends. Despite the rain, wind, and occasional rumbles of thunder, it was a really fantastic day! (And believe it or not, the weather completely matched that of our original ceremony back on 02/19/2009!)
We had the party at my parents’ house in Waldwick, NJ. Anticipating a rainy day, they were able to set up two gigantic tents earlier this week outside on the deck and patio to accomodate quite a few guests. The caterers (from the oh-so-superb Cafe L’Amore in Oakland, NJ) arrived right on schedule and brought in two giant platters of fresh mozzarella with tomatoes, basil, and kalamata olives and another large antipasta. They also made delicious trays of penne a la vodka, chicken boscaiola, ziti with grilled eggplant, shrimp pargmiana, and sausage, peppers, and onions. Everything was superb and delicious as ever!
The table decorations were simple but elegant. Each table had one or two candles and several in-season gourds. The table cloths had stripes of colorful leaves, which were beautiful when viewed against the yellow and red leaves on the trees.
My parents also doubled as sommeliers, and they picked out a wide range of wonderful wines. My favorites from the bar: Beringer white zinfandel and sparkling and sweet Gran Spumante. All of the other wines were delicious, and we noticed more guests preferring white (or blush) wines to fuller-bodied reds.
Dave’s mother picked up the desserts for the day, and they were excellent, too. There were two cakes: a chocolate cake with chocolate mousse, and a white cake with strawberry mousse. We also served pumpkin cheesecake and another assorted cheesecake (with several white- and dark-chocolate flavors by Godiva).
It was such a nice day to share with our families, and everyone seemed to have a great time. Dave and I are so grateful to be surrounded by so much love and warmth, and we know that we always have a great circle cheering us on and thinking about us!
You can see our table decor and the cake designs below. Enjoy!
Twitted by AlexSeise