A Memorial Day Wedding

I didn't bake last week. Instead, I attended the wedding of a good friend on Cape Cod over the holiday weekend. (No, I did not make the cake)

As a former wedding and meeting planner I'll admit I'm a hard-sell, but I can honestly say that it was a truly beautiful and well-planned event with rapt attention paid to the tiniest detail....and believe me, I notice everything.

The Bride has been an adoring fan of Martha Stewart Weddings since the magazine's debut in 1994.......and it's influence was luminous. Simple but elegant touches everywhere you looked......right down to the bride's creamy bejeweled Manolo Blahniks.

Regal Simplicity.

(Sorry that a couple of these photos are so small, but since I swiped them off of the Bride's Facebook page, they didn't fare very well on the cyber-transfer ride to my Blog.)

I once owned a pair of Manolo Blahniks. I bought them on EBay and as I predicted, they were too narrow for my platterpuss foot. (Actually, the shoeboxes would have been more comfortable) But I wore them anyway. But only once. On a date, in a restaurant. The next day the only thing I could put on my feet were Band-Aids. But it was worth it, because for one night, I wore Manolos. Darn that Carrie Bradshaw!

I sold them a month later on EBay. I wiped away my tears, kissed them goodbye, wrapped them in tissue paper, placed them in their original dustbag, in their original box and received $40 more than what I paid for them the month prior. Cha-ching!!

Really....isn't it every girl's dream to have a fairy-tale wedding? I know it was my dream. Once upon a time (about 100 years ago) that was all I ever wanted. Seriously. That and a 1976 Volkswagon Triple White Convertible Bug. So what the hell happened? Okay, let's not go down that road right now because it's really a bumpy ride. This is supposed to be a baking blog, not a segment for the Oprah Show.

Anyway, the weekend started on Saturday midday with a beautiful luncheon for the Bride. There were only ten guests, but was made very special with personal touches. Finger sandwiches, puff pastry, mini shortcakes and cranberry tea........simply delightful.

Nothing says "Cape Cod" like a pair of white Adirondack chairs.

Later that day was the Rehearsal Dinner which was hosted by the Groom's parents. Since there were only a total of about 65 people attending the entire wedding, the invitation for the Rehearsal Dinner was graciously extended to all of the guests. The room was decorated in soft hues of green, mimicing the overall wedding theme.

Centerpieces were designed and arranged by the Groom's mother who is also my wonderful friend, Joanie. Isn't she talented???

The dinner was a New England Clambake, complete with corn-on-the-cob, roasted potatoes, rolls, salad, softshell clams and lobster with drawn butter.

Yow-sah!!!

Dessert was "Make-Your-Own-Sundaes". Am I in heaven, or what???

The Bride and Groom even color-coordinated their Bridal Party gifts!

The floral arrangements at the church were lovely...

...and huge.

The Bride and Groom had Cape Cod Trolley take all of the wedding guests from the church to the reception. They also provided transportation back at the end of the reception.

The reception was held in a Boathouse by-the-sea......

The Cheese, Fruit and Crudite Table was gorgeous....

...and delicious.

The main course was offered in a buffet style yet was elegantly displayed. White jacketed chefs carved and served for each guest. This is the Salmon wrapped in Puff Pastry. Isn't it beautiful? There was also Beef Tenderloin that melted in your mouth and tender, petite Lamb Chops.

Have you had enough yet?? No? Okay, why don't you try the roasted peppers, large, juicy slices of tomato and fresh basil, mozzerella cheese, roasted potatoes, green beans, red onion and capers. By the way, everything mentioned above...........................fabulous.

The wedding favor was a decadent chocolate truffle inside a ring-sized box, tied up with navy blue satin ribbon and a monogrammed seal. Simply elegant.

After hours of dining and dancing the night away, the Bride & Groom left the Boathouse amid a shower of well-wishers!

It was a beautiful wedding....but it still didn't end there. The festivities continued throughout the farewell breakfast the following morning. Then, after all the wedding guests had departed, the Bride and Groom boarded a ferry to spend a few quiet days in Nantucket.

Meanwhile, back at the Groom's family's house, the weekend was finally coming to an end.......so I before I packed up, I grabbed my camera and headed outside to take a few final shots before the drive home.

Joanie and her husband Pete, have a beautiful summer home on the Cape. It is tucked in between two fresh water ponds, but the house is also only a stone's throw from a private beach on the ocean. It is a fabulous house in a truly magnificent setting. Seeing that their son's wedding officially opened the 2009 summer season, it was fitting that one of the ponds had two new inhabitants.

Wait...make that three new inhabitants.............

Wait. Five new inhabitants.

These are called Mute Swans and let me tell you....these things are big. Their black webbed feet are as big as a dinner plate and on land, they stand almost 4 feet tall.

Okay, they're beautiful. Even through all of that dirty, smelly pond scum and mud, I suppose I can still see their beauty. The ducklings are pretty cute, but ugly. Hey! Maybe that's where they got the story about The Ugly Duckling. (wink, wink) See how their bodies are really white but their necks are gray and dirty? This is because they do "headstands" on the bottom of the pond to find food. Gross.

Beautiful or not, Swans can be quite mean. Nasty even. "Mute" Swans hiss when they are angry.......or when they think you are getting a little too close to their babies.

I thought I was safe. I stood quietly, only my camera clicking away shots. Then, without warning the momma hissed, slowly turned and gave me the 'ol "stink-eye".Then she huffed and puffed, flapped her wings violently and.....

.....chased me into the woods!

What a way to end such a glorious Memorial Day Weekend....

....good thing I wasn't wearing my Manolos.