On Sunday afternoon, Neil and I headed down to Washington State to attend the wedding of Shelley, the daughter of our friends, Jack and Phyllis, of Vancouver, to Jamie, of Ottawa. The wedding and reception were held at the Semiahmoo Resort just outside Bellingham.
It was a nice day for a drive, and because of our Nexus card, it took only 5 minutes to get through the Pacific Crossing border. Took one wrong turn, but got to the Resort in plenty of time.
The ceremony was held on the grass on the west side of the Resort, facing the Pacific Ocean. The rabbi was from the Bellingham congregation.
Jack and Phyllis, proudly escorting their daughter to the marriage chuppah
The Chuppah is a decorated piece of cloth held aloft via four poles (or stands) as a symbolic home for the new couple, which is used at virtually all Jewish weddings. The bride and groom stand under the Chuppah during the wedding ceremony facing the rabbi.
Ceremony under the Chuppah
Just married! It was a beautiful day.
The pre-dinner cocktail party was held on the wooden decking on the north side of the Resort, with views of White Rock, BC. The reception was held in a large tent on the Resort grounds, with a sit down dinner and live band, S. Bahn, from Vancouver.
The reception began with the arrival of the newly married couple into the large outdoor tent and the Jewish custom of "The Hora".
No Jewish wedding is complete without the Hora, or chair dance, most likely derived from the tradition of carrying royalty on chairs. A few strong and brave guests hoist each of the bride and groom high above the crowd on chairs to the infectious sounds of "Hava Nagila". Friends and family dance around in an ecstatic circle as the elevated couple tries not to look (or fall) down. During this dance, the couple try to connect to each other by jointly holding a white napkin.
No Jewish wedding is complete without the Hora, or chair dance, most likely derived from the tradition of carrying royalty on chairs. A few strong and brave guests hoist each of the bride and groom high above the crowd on chairs to the infectious sounds of "Hava Nagila". Friends and family dance around in an ecstatic circle as the elevated couple tries not to look (or fall) down. During this dance, the couple try to connect to each other by jointly holding a white napkin.
Jamie was nervous
At last - fortunately the dance does not go on for too long
Dinner was your choice of halibut or beef tenderloin, and Neil and I each had one of the main courses, and shared. Delicious! Dessert was a tray of delectable chocolate truffles, chocolate covered strawberries, and lemon tarts.
To Shelley and Jamie: Best wishes for a long, happy and healthy life together!
Here is the link to the absolutely beautiful wedding pictures taken by HR Northwest Photographyhttp://hrnorthwestphotography.com/blog/index.php/2011/08/14/semiahmoo-resort-spa-shelley-jamess-wedding-photographs/
Shelley & Jamie's wedding at Semiahmoo Resort was so eye catching. This resort is so pretty and their décor is really inspirational. Even I would start the preparations for my DIY Luxury themed wedding. Have reserved one of the event halls for rent. Will get up and attend a wedding show so I can get some inspirations for my theme.
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