A Weekend of Weddings

Bride Leslie Graham with bridesmaids

The Graham/Haggart Wedding
Friday evening, I attended the wedding of Leslie Graham and Matt Haggart.  Matt's mom, Kathy Haggart, is in the same Book Club of which I have been a member for somewhere around thirty years. And Matt's father, Dan Haggart, I met when he was the fund winner for the ZINO Society 2008 ZINO Zillionaire Investment Forum for his health and energy drink, CHERRish.

Wedding vows afloat

After raining torrentially with thunder and lightning storms for most of the day, the sun came out and shone on the bride and groom for their 6:00 pm wedding ceremony at water's edge at the Lake Union Crew House.  The ceremony was on the floating dock attached to the crew house and as more guests walked out onto the dock, it sunk lower and lower in the water.  By the time the bride entered, there was around an inch of water for her to traverse with her gown and trailing train.  The water didn't seem to dampen anyone's spirits and the ceremony proceeded with lots of love and happiness to go around.

Following the ceremony we filed into the crew house for beverages and hors d'oeuvres and ultimately upstairs for dinner, toasts and dancing.

Proud parents Kathy & Dan Haggart

We heard the story of Matt and Leslie meeting on a cruise and Leslie, who lived in San Francisco, giving Matt her phone number so he could contact her.  He unintentionally left the slip of paper with her number on it in his cabin when he disembarked and once he realized it, had to rush back and have the housekeeper cleaning his suite help him find it in the trash.  Happily, it was found and the rest is history.

Recessional:  Mr. & Mrs. Matthew Haggart

Mother of the groom, Kathy gave a lovely toast to her girl friends including her "Bookie" friends who have heard her lament from time to time that her handsome sons were never going to get married.  Other "Bookies" joining in the celebration were Jan Rogers, Jacqueline Witter, Diane Foreman and husband Richard, Diane Kuenster and husband Gordon, Susan Neumann and husband Gary, Pam Kaiser and husband Kim, and Jolie Roze and husband Gatis.  The Curmudgeon stayed home.

First Dance for Newlyweds Leonora & Jesse Diller

The Stevens/Diller Wedding
On Saturday, Ken and I boarded the ferry to Bainbridge Island to attend the afternoon nuptials of Leonora Stevens and Jesse Diller at the charming Grace Church followed by a reception and dinner in the exquisite gardens at the picturesque Bloedel Reserve.  Leonora is the daughter of ZINO Society member and friend, Charles Stevens and fellow ARCS member friend, Delphine Stevens.

There were many friends from Charles' Microsoft days attending including Tricia & Jeff Raikes, Laurie & Scott Oki, Pradeep Singh, Heide & Matthew Felton and there were other ARCS friends attending including Lynn Mowe, Susan & Bill Potts and Jacque & Rick Doane.  Another friend that I enjoyed sittig next to at the seated dinner was JJ McKay, who always keeps me laughing with his oversize personality and sparkling wit.

Nicholas & Charles Stevens

Delphine Stevens with Ken

The flowers were spectacular both on the grounds and on the dinner tables.  Hors d'oeuvres were presented from around the world along with appropriate libations to accompany them.  Brother of the bride, Nicholas Stevens toasted his sister and new brother-in-law with such a humorous and self-deprecating presentation that everyone was guffawing during his toast.  Sister of the bride, maid of honor and incredible singing talent, Amanda Stevens, joined the featured Dusty 45s band to sing two songs, one for the first dance of Leonora and Jesse and one for the father-daughter dance for Charles and Leonora.  What a beautiful, strong compelling voice she has!

Amanda Stevens singing with Dusty 45s

What fun to attend two wedding in one weekend.  Though the style of each wedding was very different, they both shared the overarching importance of family and love.  Wishing both couples a lifetime of love and laughter!