A weird and wacky wedding

So what do you do when the man you love is really enjoying his new job and happy in New York and your intended 6-month stay is almost over? Why, you get married, of course! But not just any old wedding ceremony would do... No. It has to be elaborate, a reflection of the type of couple you are - somewhat wacky, a bit OTT, definitely not conventional at all. Most importantly, it has to be FUN!

So we did. Friday June 15th 2007 (exactly the middle of the year) was a crazy, fun and manic day - in more ways than one.
For starters, I bit the bullet and paid the USD185 (and that's a good price for Manhattan, I'm told!!) to have my highlights done and chopped a good 10 cms off my ends to get rid of 'em splits. Then I forked out another USD56 to have my nails and toes done (NY style, baby!). We gathered the troops and I got the three boys beautiful matching golden ties (off the side of the road at 5 bucks a pop!). Annie donned an old bridesmaid's dress from a previous wedding, I pulled on my Kobus Dippenaar (always said I'd get married in my favourite designer's frock) number. John looked fabulous in a suit and we were styling in the very OTT limo! The limo picked us up at 1.15 and we were very disappointed to find that it didn't have an open top. The mirror in the ceiling more than made up for it, though.

We picked up Justin - designated lawyer friend and witness for the day. Bonus trick up Just's sleeve was the three (!) bottles of french champagne. You GO boy! Next pick up - the Whittles. Annie had prepared the bouquet and Sam was dashing in a way only an Aussie can be!
We were sipping champers while driving through Times' Square like ROCKSTARS - loving it all the way! The closer we got to City Hall, the more the realization of what we were about to do set in...Oh my...
Arrival at City Hall was pretty average - no papparazzi (whadda ya mean I got all dressed up fa nothink?) and poor Sam had to flag down the limo after I had left my bouquet in the car. While that went down, Justin realised that he had left his ID at home and we had to find another witness...Enter BRUNO, the groom from the couple behind us in the row. Bruno and his bride needed a witness (and someone to hold their one-month old baby) and seeing as we found ourselves needing one too, a deal was struck - capiche?
We waited around for about 20 minutes before an american accent called us - 'John and Soooo-Sin'. So we got up...entered the chapel and were ushered into a private room, away from the ten other couples. The marriage-lady (cause we never got her name) started by asking if anyone present had any reason why these two should not be married here today. (Enter a 3 second silence here < >. 'John, do you take Sooooo-sin to be your wife?' I DO. 'Sooooo-sin, do you take John to be your husband?' I DO. I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may kiss the bride.

With that, Justin uttered 'Maseltov', to which the marriage-lady replied 'Oh my gaaaawd'.

A quick tear and on our way out, Bruno's bride handed me their one-month old son. Same short ritual and out we were again - both couples married. (Shame, the bride's parents missed the whole thing while parking the car!)
Back into the limo, more champers, more laughs and giggles and then we got dropped off at our rental car from where the 5 of us left on the best mini 'honeymoon' weekend away ever - Lake Taghkanic (see below).