My Sister’s Big Fat Polish Wedding

This past weekend we packed up the 2 chillin’s and headed to Rochester for my sister’s wedding. We set a new trip record with a 12.5 hour drive with all the stops involved in feeding, changing, and entertaining our babies.

I was an usher, and Mason was the ring bearer. We got a preview of the Mason experience at the rehearsal where he did his best to distract the priest from his duties. At the rehearsal dinner, we ordered Mason his first drink from the bar, “Special Juice”- a Shirley Temple poured directly into his sippy cup. Baby Anna got her first exposure to all of my extended family. They all gushed. Lindsey and Mike nervously awaited their big day.

Saturday was a gorgeous fall day. 70 degrees and sunny in Rochester, NY in October is nearly unheard of. Tricia and I got us all ready at her parents house, and then we headed to the church around 1pm. When we got there it was right around nap time, so ring-bearer Mason fell asleep in his stroller in the vestibule. I carefully awoke the boy, and as Ave Maria began to play, there Mason went up the aisle…and then into a pew..and then back into the aisle, and then another pew..and then I gave up on him doing this whole thing alone, and I guided him to the front of the church before the congregation could make him cry. Very cute. I was a busy usher taking my widowed Grandmother up the aisle, as well as my crying Mom, and then Mike’s sister Monica – a bridesmaid. Tricia brought up the gifts, and was a eucharistic minister.

The ceremony was beautiful. Rev. Michael J. Parker, my uncle’s brother, performed a thoughtful Catholic wedding service. Lindsey and Mike made it through their vows without crying (which is something that I couldn’t even do). We took a stretch Lincoln Navigator limo to Linear Park for pictures. It took a LONG time to take the pics, and Mason was going crazy.

The reception was so much fun – of course I’d expect nothing less from my family. There was tons of dancing, drinking and frivolity. At the end of the night I ended up going home naked (I had to return my tux to the Mike’s parents to bring to Long Island), and Mason passed out in bed in only his tux shirt. Now Lindsey and Mike are off to Italy for their honeymoon. Congratulations guys!

The entire weekend was a lot of fun and really makes me want to be closer to my family. Maybe TMP will make a Rochester satellite office 😉