Congratulations to Dani and Kev – A Wonderful Day

Well I’ve finally got around to posting a blog about the wedding. Our real reason (other than food) for going to Sydney.
Our dear friends Yvonne and Stuart, were marrying off their only daughter Danielle to Kevin. A match made in heaven we all think.
We are such good friends with the Rubins, they are certainly considered part of our family and the feeling is mutual.
So we were very excited to be attending this function and had been looking forward to it for months.

It’s a Jewish wedding and as lovers of celebrations, we were keen to see how they do it.
The ceremony was held on Pier 2 Walsh Bay just under the Sydney Harbour Bridge.
An excellent venue right on the water.
Thank God it had cooled down. The previous day (our Bondi day trip) was 40C, that would have been awful we would have all melted in our finery

We girls spent the day getting ready. The hairdresser came to the hotel, she was cute she was a little hat very stylish.
Then it was off to David Jones for the makeup at M.A.C.
In between the 3 make ups we had lunch at the Oyster Bar.
Very nice it was too.
Glass of Champagne each, and we shared 2 dozen oysters, dressed with a special divine dressing, designed by Tetsuya Australia’s most famous Chef.
Prawn cocktails, some smoked Ocean Trout accompanied by some delicious Rye Bread. Good lunch for girls.
The boys meanwhile, got ready by lunching at the local sports bar, watching cricket and motorcar racing, or some other boys day out thingy!

So we cabbed to the venue and waited for the bride and groom.
The boys were given yarmulkes, specially made for the wedding, in a fetching beige

A souvenir no less, labeled with the date and wedding details stitched inside

Dale we felt was a cross between Pope John and Larry David.
He decided against dressing up...I think that was the Larry David bit!
Luckily the rest of us made an effort. All very glam.

I love the four poster canopy that is customary for the Jewish wedding.
Here is the groom (slightly hidden on the right) with his attendants waiting for the bride

And her she comes with her glamorous parents all looking stunning.

I loved the way the Rabbi sang the service, and all around us people clapped and sang as well great fun. They did the circling and the smashing of the glass.
And it was done.
Lovely petals and rosemary thrown to wish them well

Congratulations Dani and Kev

I love this shot of Dani…it is so typical of her

So off to the reception just a quick jaunt down the wharf
Champagne, wine and canapés and into the venue. Which was set up as long tables beautifully decorated with Ralph Lauren wallpaper as a runner down the tables and lovely candelabra.
But first more fun.
Everyone congregated around and started the dancing.
Men in one circle, women in another and off went the music, Zena Zena, round and round they went

Loud singing, lots of clapping then Hava Nagila
And up into the air, in chairs went the bride and groom

Hey don’t you love the chandelier.
Then the men formed a line like the grand Old Duke of York and tossed Kevin down. This is where that freefalling that young people do in concerts started, I guess.
You can just see his legs in the air.

Then time to eat and grand food it was too.

It came out in big platters
Sea trout on Coconut Blinis, Butterbean and Beetroot Salad

Then Fish, Caesar Salad and a Pasta Roulade.

I missed the dessert so can’t comment on that.
There was loads to drink and eat, a great band excellent speeches and all in all a wonderful night.

But going home was a bit of a problem.
It’s the worse place in the word to get taxis.
It seems the Sydney cabbies are a law into themselves. You call, but they don’t come.
Helen and Katie had been waiting for at least 45 minutes before Dan and Chris and I came out.

Meanwhile Dale in his slightly blurry wisdom decided he would walk off and find a cab with another young man. He neglected to tell us where he was going and also he was without money or credit card.
So after another long wait we decided to hoof it ourselves

Of course before too long the shoes were off. Luckily it was a balmy night and the pavements were quite smooth for bare feet.
Got a great view of the Opera House though and the Harbour Bridge lights up well at night

Finally we reached a hotel and waited around
The girls were approached by a Spanish couple and asked directions in Spanish.
They looked so "International" with their flowers in their hair...the couple were really disappointed they were Kiwis.

We finally got a cab, would only take 4 people so girls first, of course
Of course we wondered about Dale, but we had no idea where he was.
Can’t do much about that. We got back to the hotel,

So back to Dale… He found a cab finally got into one and the cabbie shouted
“I’m going off duty mate, I don’t really want this fare.”
He reluctantly drove him back to the venue, which of course was deserted.
Dale told him he had no money and would he take him to the hotel where he could get some money…but the cabbie said “Bugger off, you can get out here.”
So alone, he was left… and then had to walk the long way home.
It took him a while and he got a blister on his toe.
But someone up there was looking after him and he arrived safely.
Of course the rest of us were obviously really worried. I fell asleep on the couch. The boys went to the pub and the girls to bed.

A sorry sight he was. A lesson learnt though...

Probably not.