The wedding was brief, but festive.

My sister, nor any other of the California family, neglected to send us hotel suggestions with the wedding invitation. I tried to get help from them via e-mail, but I think there was a disconnect as they seemed to believe that we wanted them to arrange and pay for our hotel room, while we just wondered if they'd reserved space at a convenient place. The wife did her thing, and found a nice place, that ended up situated only a few blocks from the event. It was quite lucky.

We dallied during the day, looking for a place to get a wedding gift (neither wanting to travel with one nor thinking ahead and ordering something to be shipped directly), ultimately settling on some bedding from Bed, Bath & Beyond. We dressed and made the festivities right on time.

The wedding was on the front lawn of a historical landmark building turned into a steak house. Nice enough. There was a nice arbor covered in growing vines, and some pretty flowers added to make a nice background for the wedding party. The wedding was brief, which is always nice, and except for the procession of wedding participants (we had none, they had three couples), it's a toss-up for who's was shorter. They dashed off for photos (choosing to make the groom wait until the event to see her in the dress), and we mingled on the yard until their return and our invitation inside.

We were tucked into a booth with grandma, which was nice. All of the California Warrens came by and said something about how it was not right that we, out of town family, were tucked off to the side and not at the table next to the head table, which is where his family and friends were. We were fine with it, and I think liked our positioning better than if we had been right in the middle of things. When the dinner turned into the party, those tables were removed while our booths remained.

Whenever I go to weddings, I make two observations.

First, there's always one friend there in his cleanest T-shirt. Sure enough, there was one of those.

Second, the family usually disappears after the first few obligatory wedding reception events like the couple's "first dance," and the dance with dad, and the like. This was not the case this time.

Most of the friends and other relatives disappeared quickly. Some retired outside where it wasn't quite so loud, and where they were allowed to smoke, but some were never seen again after the initial dispersion. Instead, my family, that I always thought was really laid-back and fairly conservative (even though they're all Democrats...), danced until they kicked us out.

One thing that happens at many weddings, the obnoxious drunk, was missing, also. He's never welcome, and I'm glad he didn't show up this time. At least, I didn't see him if he did.

Quite a shindig.