One Wild Wedding

Elaine kept calling it “A Big Fat Italian Wedding.” Whatever anybody wants to call it, it was fabulously fun. There’s really no similarity between WASP wedding and the South Louisiana version of letting the good times roll. All major events in New Orleans are celebrated with song, dance, food, and laughter – lots of laughter. And we pray – lots of praying. The Saints are losing – Don’t worry about it; have a laugh, and say a prayer. The Saints are winning – Let’s laugh, and say a prayer. You’re sick? – I’ll tell you a funny story to cheer you up, after I pray for you. You’re dead? – I’ll tell everybody something funny about you to cheer them up, and I’ll pray for you and your family.

Elaine refuses to face life any other way. In her professional life, she’s a very serious doctor making life and death decisions every day. She works very hard, and plays even harder. Any event Elaine touches has a special sparkle – some of it from the fresh flower arrangements and flickering candlelight, but most from the imprint of her passion for life, love, and family. And now that Elaine’s children are old enough to help plan the pageants, we’re in for a really wild ride.

No New Orleans party takes food lightly. You don’t go to a tailgate party with just a bunch of chips and dips. Every event calls for a fabulous feast – for all the senses. You must wear your team colors; you must bring your team spirit; and you must bring good food – lots of good food. For Mardi Gras, families cordon off picnic spots days before the parades and station a family member to guard their territory until parade time – many complete with living room sofas. All day people are barbequing to go with the gourmet fare they bring from home.

Wedding receptions are smaller versions of Mardi Gras. Everybody gets in on the act. My Godchild Gary coordinated the music with the DJ to optimize the potential for dancing, and dance we did. Everybody who can walk is expected to dance. Who knew that Elaine’s older brother Tony, a very dour doctor, could line dance?

And the food at both the rehearsal dinner and wedding reception was fit for kings (and queens). In the span of two nights, we feasted on velvety oyster soup, lobster ravioli in seafood Alfredo, lamb chops, and crab cakes followed by cannolis and amaretto panna cotta. The reception food was no less divine. I’ve never been to a wedding buffet with prime filets of beef, béarnaise sauce, and mushroom wine sauce – as much as you wanted to eat. And the wedding cake was not standard almond flavored white – it was carrot cake! This was accompanied by a groom’s cake of half lemon doberge and half chocolate doberge lovingly carried from New Orleans Gambino’s Bakery by some of Elaine’s best friends, Rosita and Eddie, built a special wallboard platform to cradle it on its journey. Did I tell you the food is important?

The wedding was as perfect as a wedding could ever be. The bride was a movie star straight out of the forties movies. The groom was the perfect leading man of dark Italian good looks. The attendants were glowing in their wine-colored strapless gowns. The sunset ceremony under a centuries-old oak tree at water’s edge was personalized, solemn, and meaningful. Then, we moved in for the reception.


We get together and blow off steam, and make marvelous memories that will tide us over through life’s hard work and sorrows. Then we pack away our party clothes and head back to our realities, carrying the glow of fun, food, laughter and longing that has to last us until next time.

I do know what it means to miss New Orleans. We’ll be back for Thanksgiving.