Posts Tagged ‘Wedding’
Another wedding! BF and I made it to the wedding of one of BF’s friends, one year after Rafael & Carmen’s lovely affair.
Hi, Again, Dear Readers:
Have you tried one of the new foodie trends yet? No? Me either. BF is glad that I haven’t cajoled him into a Boba Tea shop yet—the local PJ’s Coffee shops and Starbucks in Hammond are enough for him any day.
He likes that PJ’s offers veterans discounts, and some of the tasty things they have, too. Especially in that PJ’s next to the military recruiting stations in Hammond. We did try one of the recent Aldi Finds, Priano tomato and mozzarella gnocchi from Italy. Not bad, but he didn’t care for it. It’s OK, though, we at least tried some.
An Invitation
Once again, we were invited to a wedding. Traveling was about an hour round-trip, and it was a great time. And guess who forgot to get pictures of the food? Yup, your intrepid blogger. But I got pictures of everything else, including me and BF, and the gorgeous wedding cake, too. Note that I was using an iPhone 11, so not all of the pictures are top-quality.
BF has known Ray, usually called “Ray-Ray,” for many years. He’s been to the Casa de Rurale several times, sometimes with his brother Gerald. We’ve not met his wife Angela yet. We only saw her at the wedding and didn’t get a chance to chat.
Then one day BF sent me a text message with a picture of an invitation:
This came by text
Who? What? Upon asking, he confirmed that it was, in fact, Ray-Ray. I was surprised because I didn’t know he was getting married, nor that we would be invited. We made our plans to attend.
Wedding Venue
This wedding was held in The Knights of Columbus Hall in Ponchatoula, a nice-sized venue. I didn’t get to ask who did the décor, and everything was elegantly done. (Even if I didn’t get pictures of the food tables.)
We weren’t told this ahead of time, but it looked like the theme was black and white:
Isn’t it lovely?
Closeup of the place setting in the area reserved for the family.
Each table had a similar arrangement
I think this was the groom’s cake–but I confess, I don’t remember, and I think I forgot to ask, too.
And there was a table and chairs for the couple following the wedding:
We were far across the room for this so I didn’t get any pictures of them here.
A beautiful backdrop for the ceremony:
Lots of pictures were posed here too
Most of the family members wore black and white in keeping with the apparent theme, although there were some exceptions. I was the only one wearing Navy Blue. Later I was told that the far side of the room was reserved for family members, but nobody minded me taking a few pictures before the wedding started.
More venue pictures
This was the card box:
Another part of the family-reserved area:
On the other side of the room, the settings were slightly different but equally elegant:
This was our table
Closeup of the place setting
The bell had a message:
And we did!
The Ceremony
It was short but meaningful, led by the groom’s brother, who is a minister. The bride wore a lovely light grey gown with a corset back and a sparkly tiara.
Isn’t she gorgeous?
The walk took a few minutes:
There wasn’t an actual “aisle” as in a church
Once the bride made it to the wedding arch, they started:
The ceremony begins
I zoomed in for a closer look:
From here, everything starts
Following the ceremony, Mr. and Mrs. Ray Dantzler:
Married!
There were lots more pictures, and BF and I even posed with them for their photographer. I didn’t get a picture of that, though.
The Wedding Cake!
Ok, just get an eyeful of this beauty:
Beautiful
And that detail:
Check out that detail!
I thought I took a picture of the slices passed to us, but I can’t find it now. We both enjoyed that delicious confection. Oh, the smooth, creamy icing. . .it was just everything you expect in such a rich confection.
The “Wedding Cake” Flavor
Local bakeries have something called “wedding cake flavor.” Anyone who grew up in the New Orleans area knows that it’s the traditional flavor of local wedding cakes. Out-of-towners have no idea.
That distinctive element of wedding cakes of New Orleans—and this one—is the presence of almond flavoring. It’s a local tradition. While the cake at Rafael & Carmen’s wedding was indeed delicious, it did not have almond, or the“wedding cake flavor” you find in and around New Orleans. A Texas baker isn’t likely to know about it, nor would the couple, and probably wouldn’t ask to include it—unless they knew.
I’d forgotten about that until I took a bite of this one and remembered it well. It’s been a while, and you don’t forget that taste. A quick search turned up this article from the local newspaper about that very thing. A small amount of almond extract is added to both the cake and the icing. Not too much, because almond extract is very strong.
At Justin & Bronte’s wedding in 2020, we had a slice of the groom’s cake, not the actual wedding cake. So, I don’t know if the cake was “wedding cake flavored”—we’ll just guess that it did.
Now that I think about it, I want to make some kind of keto cake and icing with almond extract for that taste. Who’s with me?
Champagne, Cocktails and The Dinner Menu
Right after the wedding concluded, champagne servers were walking around and pouring at every table. I had one and was hoping for a second sip but couldn’t find anyone serving anymore. The bar area was making strictly mixed drinks, wine, and beer. I could have had a cocktail, but didn’t, even though BF was doing all the driving that night.
Dinner was. . .barbecue! No kidding, along with mac and cheese, green beans, and a couple of other things (that I don’t remember.) Everything was delicious. (And of course, no pictures of it unless I can cajole them from the groom.)
The man who did the catering was seated at our table and told us he was the one who made everything. No complaints! Everyone enjoyed dinner and the company that came with it at our table.
Dancing After Dinner
The one thing I heard the most was, “The music’s too loud.” Admittedly, it was kind of on the loud side, but all the DJs do that now, right?
Gerald was sitting at our table with a nice elderly lady, who pointed out one song sung by the sister of R&B musician R. Kelly. (Yes, that guy.) I thought the lady said her name was “Sheila,” but I can’t find it now. It was a pretty good song, but I was completely unfamiliar with the music myself. A lot was going on that night.
After dinner, folks were getting up and dancing. I should say some folks were getting up and dancing. BF was not one of them, nor were most where we were seated. I hate to say it this way, but the white folks were kind of boring, and everyone else was having fun.
After a few of BF’s odd looks, I got up and danced with some of the ladies and tried my best to learn their dance moves on the fly. They were friendly and gave me some help. If I’d had a bit more time I would have gotten the moves down.
And then the music changed, and everyone danced a different step.
Gerald showed his amusement when he saw me get up and attempt dancing with the ladies on the floor. Guess I should have danced with him once. They’ve been to the Casa de Rurale since the wedding. They haven’t forgotten and let me know about that.
Should have started dancing with the ladies long before I did.
My Outfit
Ever the fashionista, I wore the same Badgley Mischka cocktail dress from Rafael & Carmen’s wedding—because why not?
Isn’t it fabulous? (It is now out of print.)
I finally got around to hand-sewing a bunch of snaps onto the drape and the fringe so I could remove the fringe later. I don’t even want to know how many snaps I sewed by hand, and it took me a while to get them all on so that the drape looked right.
Three years after Justin and Bronte’s wedding, I finally finished the Navy blue birdcage headpiece I originally planned to wear to their wedding, and also planned to wear to Rafael and Carmen’s. I made it from this out-of-print Simplicity pattern of accessories.
Mine is at the top right, View D
Amy’s cheat: I bought the white flowers already made from Hobby Lobby and cut the stems short instead of making the flowers. The Russian veiling I ordered from Etsy, where you can get things like that in nearly any color. One day maybe I’ll attempt that fascinator, View E, in a deep red.
I thought it would look good with the Badgley Mischka dress during the ceremony. Then, I would remove it for the reception, carefully tucking it into a bag and in my purse. And I would have, but BF put up a big fuss about it, insisting that it would look “funny.”
He said this looked “funny.”
So, I didn’t wear it inside the venue. It stayed in a bag in our vehicle.
Not a good picture of us, but here we are. The DJ is directly behind us in the corner.
Honestly, I should have worn it anyway. I’m not taking fashion advice from a mechanic again.
A second opinion
Later, I posted those pictures of the pattern and veil on Facebook, both on my page and in McCall’s sewing group. Carmen said on FB that she wanted a birdcage but couldn’t find one she liked. She might have gotten me to make one had she known I could. Wouldn’t that have been fun if we were both wearing the same headpiece in different colors?
Responses were mostly positive in both places, except for one troll in the Facebook group who wasn’t paying attention and felt the need to remind me that “only the bride wears white.” Not only did I not wear white, but neither did the bride, her beautiful dress was very light silver gray. DUH, lady.
BF, of course, wore khaki trousers and a white/blue checked Izod dress shirt like this one.
Source: Amazon
Can’t tell you how old it is, only that I’m tasked with occasionally ironing it for him.
Another lovely wedding
Each wedding is unique and reflects the personalities of the couple getting married. As nice as each one we attended was, the only thing they all had in common was a man and a woman getting married, and a big cake. The details were all completely different and made each occasion special for everyone who attended. Each had its own vibe. There is no comparison of one to the other.
Like the previous two we’ve attended, everything went perfectly. Everyone had a great time and were all happy to see them get married. Ray and Angela’s elegant affair was just a half-hour drive home for us this time with no toll roads. Eventually, I’ll have our pictures printed up in a little Shutterfly book. As soon as I am finished with the book for the last one we attended.
We wish them a long and happy life together and thank them for their gracious invitation to a lovely evening.
Congratulations to Ray and Angela!
It’s the beautiful wedding of Rafael and Carmen Cruz Rodriguez in a rustic, peaceful setting in Magnolia, Texas, just north of Katy. Finally, the blog you’ve been waiting for. Me too. TL:DR: Everything was just lovely, and of course, the food was delicious. Take a ride with us to The Springs of Magnolia.
Hi Again, Dear Readers:
So, I’ve been procrastinating for over a year with these blog posts and it’s time to just get it done. I know, there have been been a couple of other occasions where I put it off before. But seeing as the married couple just celebrated their first wedding anniversary, well, here it is.
Going to the Chapel of Love
Rafael And Carmen Had a beautiful wedding on Saturday, November 5th, 2022 at a place called the Springs in Magnolia. A year before, Raf texted me the date and they later sent out a “save the date” card to their guests.
This was a big fridge magnet, and I framed it later.
The pictures are perfect. But one thing it does not show is that Carmen is at least a foot and a half shorter than Rafael! That’s OK. If you didn’t know, you wouldn’t see it in the engagement pictures. But it’s obvious in the wedding pictures, as you’ll see.
Later on, the wedding invitation arrived.
Yup, framed that one too after the wedding.
Rafael and Carmen did the design work themselves. Nice work, well done. The design was in full view throughout the reception.
Travel Arrangements to Houston
And then BF and I made our plans to attend. We found a suitable pet sitter on Rover.com. She was a nice young lady who took care of our two dogs and two cats for the duration of our trip. Once we arranged that, I made our hotel reservations.
Rafael suggested staying in Katy because it was the easiest and best way to get to the wedding. I used Booking.com, and it was easy. For the wedding, I booked us into the Katy Hampton Inn, right off I-10. For after the wedding, I booked the Extended Stay Suites on Nasa Road 1 for the second half of the trip. It made no sense to stay 50 miles away in Katy when we were going to spend time in Clear Lake visiting people there. BF didn’t understand this until we started driving around Houston.
When I asked BF about his preference for hotel chains, he just said that since he’d stayed in foxholes with a bunch of guys, it didn’t matter to him. So, I booked our hotels based on location. I just wish that I had done a tad more research into hotels before we went. Next time we will stick with Hampton Inn. But eventually, everything was fine.
A few things went wrong for us. But we made it to the wedding on time and saw Raf and Carmen get married. We enjoyed everything, talked with some great people, and made it home safely. And of course, the food was delicious and beautiful, too.
Friday, November 4th, 2022
Finally, The day came when we drove from the Casa de Rurale to Katy, TX. We began our packing a day or two before leaving. Every day, our pet sitter kindly sent us pictures of the Casa de Rurale Zoo residents.
The day before we left, BF went to someone’s house to install a motor by himself. It had to be done, he said. But it was a bit more difficult than he expected. He hurt his hip somehow and was in pain for a couple of days, walking around carefully. He talked about dancing at the wedding, but thank heavens, he didn’t. I would later find out that he was blathering to make me worry a little. He was successful.
We left home mid-morning and made it to Katy in the early afternoon. The hotel was a little hard to find because I’m not as familiar with Katy as I am with Clear Lake. But after a lovely Mexican lunch, we found it and checked into our hotel room.
Early Voting in Texas
What I didn’t know from looking at Booking.com was that The Katy Hampton Inn was also used as an early voting station. That’s right, it was around the time of the 2022 election, and the hotel lobby was used for early voting. In Clear Lake, that early voting area is the Freeman Library on Diana Lane where I’ve early voted many times. But there was no way to know that the hotel was an early voting station when I booked.
We discovered this when we saw long lines of people trailing out of the lobby door. I went inside to check us in and get our hotel room, while BF began removing our luggage from the truck. Ever the smart alek, BF handed me some of my luggage, and carried the rest, loudly announcing to everyone in the parking lot:
“Hello, My name is James and I’m Amy’s pack mule.”
Yes, he actually said that, out loud, where everyone could hear him. There must have been 200 people standing out there, waiting to vote. He got a few laughs and a few funny looks, but not everyone in line was a Texan, either.
Tex-Mex
One of the things we did was to get a big lunch and takeout boxes so we could eat later. After driving 300-plus miles, we didn’t want to go out again, and the second half was enough for a good dinner. Besides, it was real Mexican food in big Texas style, and worth savoring. (More on that one in the next blog.)
BF’s brother also checked in with the animals in the evening, letting them out again on his way home.
After texting Raphael and letting him know we’d arrived, and BF talking to his brother, we could finally relax in our hotel room. It was lovely and very comfortable, and we looked forward to breakfast downstairs the next morning.
Saturday, November 5th, 2022
Breakfast was great. We had plenty of options and I had some delicious coffee. Because we did need a few small things, we headed to the Katy Target store a few miles up the road on I-10 first thing in the morning. BF wanted a new tie, that sort of thing. Once we got everything, we returned to the hotel to get dressed for the wedding.
Just to let him know what we were doing, I texted Raphael a few times that morning. Additionally, we had the venue and address loaded into the phone so we could find our way without any trouble. We didn’t realize what a long drive it was, and of course, BF was unfamiliar with the terrain.
Rafael told us to leave early since the wedding was scheduled for 3:00. He suggested we leave about 1:30 or so from the hotel. I’m glad we took that advice because we missed the onramp to the Grand Parkway twice. We were not prepared for driving laps on the Katy Freeway. Finally, we got onto the Grand Parkway and headed North.
The Drive
At some point, you get off the Grand Parkway and get onto a road that takes you to The Springs in Magnolia. That road gets smaller and smaller and more rural. It was almost like driving around our little rural area. Then we saw the sign.
We made it!
And then the sign that told us we were at the correct hall:
And in the right place, too.
As I mentioned in my last blog, The Springs of Magnolia is a beautiful rural spot ideal with two reception halls for such an event. Take a look:
Isn’t it gorgeous?
And this:
And the weather was perfect.
This was the chapel-like altar setup behind the hall:
Isn’t that gorgeous?
Another shot of the wedding area:
A closer look at where the wedding took place.
After parking, they directed all the guests around the back of the Stonebridge venue. We sat down, and took a selfie:
We made it!
Then I texted our selfie to Rafael to let him know we were there. I also managed a great picture of BF:
He’s so cute!
Because you don’t see him in a suit every day. I have this one framed on my desk, and why not? BF exudes “FBI Special Agent Fox Mulder” vibes here, too.
My Designer Dress
Because I sew—and I can’t help myself—I had to have a new dress. BF has a few suits, and he just picked one from the closet. But no, I needed a new dress and something stylish. After changing my mind about 187 times (vintage or modern?), I decided on Vogue 1776, a Badgley Mischka cocktail dress from a holiday season or two ago:
Isn’t it fabulous?
I showed it to Rafael, and his first question was, “You’re going to wear white to a wedding?” I forgot to tell him I was making it Navy blue before I showed him the pattern.
And you know I had to have that FRINGE! A quick trip to Etsy and I got some that arrived a week later. I stitched it to the drape and removed it when we got home to wash the dress. The intent was to have snaps to hold the fringe onto the drape, then remove the fringe for washing and storage. But I didn’t get that done on time. (I did the snaps a few weeks ago, as I’ll explain in an upcoming blog post.) It’s fully lined, too.
Unfortunately, I don’t have a good picture of me wearing the dress. . .so, it’s Navy blue, and yes, it does have the long fringe hanging off the drape. And I can’t say it looks just like that on me. Plus, I won’t bore you about how it swings when you walk or how it gets in the way when you’re seated.
The Wedding
Although everybody arrived and was seated on time, the wedding started just after 3:00 pm, maybe 15 minutes or so. But once it did, everything went smoothly. A few of Rafael’s groomsmen were members of the Texas State Guard. They were dressed in uniform for the wedding.
Three are military; Rafael is the big dude on the left.
Then came the bridesmaids, one at a time.
Get a look at that dress!
Isn’t that an interesting color?
There were four ladies:
Same color, slightly different style
I say “interesting” because bridesmaids’ dresses are usually pastel colors, like pink or blue, or darker colors like red, blue, purple, etc. Not here. These ladies were all were drop-dead gorgeous:
Yes, I know, I got the cameraman’s equipment in the shot.
They used this gorgeous and dramatic fall color for the bridesmaids’ dresses and throughout the entire wedding. The flowers all matched, from the bouquet to the cake and table flowers.
Here Comes the Bride!
And then it was Carmen’s turn to walk in her very intricate gown.
Just a few days before the wedding, Carmen’s abuela (grandmother) in Puerto Rico passed away suddenly, and her father had to go back to Puerto Rico to tend to her final arrangements. So, it was up to Carmen’s son to walk her up the aisle. He handled the job perfectly.
Here she is!
We were in aisle seats, so I got some great pictures, even if the official photographer’s equipment was in some of the shots.
I told you he was taller. And Carmen is wearing heels!
Married
The wedding ceremony went off without a hitch—well, none that we noticed. Once the minister pronounced them married, they walked back down the aisle together. Now husband and wife:
The sun came in at the right time, yes?
Raphael was impressed at some of the pictures I showed him, so he asked me for copies. Since they’re uploaded into Shutterfly, I just shared a link to the online album with him. He could easily see and download the entire collection. I think he even used one or two of my shots in his social media.
Then, they posed for a bunch of pictures, naturally! When the pictures were all finished, they went in first. I took this one, which I thought was pretty good:
They look fantastic!
And they both released this one from their official wedding photographer on their social media accounts.
Married! We were literally sitting right there when this was taken.
Then it was time to socialize and have a reception for these two.
Pre-Reception Appetizers
We were led onto the back veranda until they opened the hall an hour later. The workers wouldn’t let us into the hall just yet, so there were appetizers outside in the beautiful cool sunset:
Oh, my word. Ceviche!!!
I didn’t mind. . .except that the sole split from my right shoe as we were walking up the stairs, and my um. . .Spanx was showing a little from the bottom of my dress. Well, it wasn’t our wedding, right? Someone was kind enough to discreetly tell me, but the staff wouldn’t let me inside to fix the Spanx.
BF very kindly went out to the truck to get my other shoes. I wore a pair of Navy Crocs flats with a fancy Badgley Mischka cocktail dress, including the long fringe on the drape. The other option was black duct tape around my shoe. Oh, that’s classic, right? (Classic dork!) I later wished I’d gone with the duct tape, but I’ll explain why later. (I have since found some shoe glue on Amazon, which I’ll add to my next order.)
We met many great people, all friends and family of the now-Mr. & Mrs. Rodriguez, while enjoying some delicious nibbles:
I could have stayed here for the whole reception, but thankfully, we didn’t.
Ceviche And Empanadas
The servers were passing these cups of ceviche, the South American fish dish that is “cooked” with lime juice.
Ceviche! It was SO GOOD!
This picture of the ceviche came out pretty good, yes? It was delicious, and it included a dollop of guacamole. I also plated it to show the details:
Naturally, BF wouldn’t touch the ceviche–too exotic, even if he does like shrimp. He doesn’t know what it is or what to do with it, and lime is involved so that’s a no. That’s just more for me! But he enjoyed the charcuterie nibbles. Servers also passed around these delicious Puerto Rican empanadas, but I only had a beef one.
These were also delicious.
BF had one or two, and he enjoyed them. I kept saying “gracias” each time I was near a server because everything was so tasty.
Yes, I’m afraid “gluten-free” went out the window this time. But like everything we had, it was delicious. I can’t tell you what “Puerto Rican style” meant, but I may ask Rafael one day. When we worked together, I used to tell Raf that if ever I had a Hispanic boyfriend, his mother would be on the hook for Spanish cooking lessons.
Inside The Hall
The staff were putting the finishing touches on everything, I suppose, and getting ready for the delicious dinner meal. We sat with some nice people and had some great conversations. After about an hour of hanging out on the back veranda in the beautiful weather, they directed us to the front door. We were greeted by an enlargement of one of the engagement pictures:
Seating arrangements were posted, and we found our way to our table.
Notice how the design matches the wedding invitation, too.
We signed the little hearts:
And I think there was a book, too.
The tables and arrangements were perfectly arranged, and included the rust color from the dresses and flowers we saw earlier:
Let’s put it this way: nothing was left to chance, and every detail was taken care of to the letter, in the same fashion as Southern Oaks Plantation does.
Cocktails, The Dinner Menu, Including Dessert
I knew about the dessert menu in advance, because Raf showed it to me. But the dinner menu was a bit of a surprise:
Interesting, no?
New York Strip Steaks? Yes, thank you! And the addition of chimichurri sauce was nice, too.
Everything was so good.
I also tried the Pollo Tropical, aka “Tropical Chicken.” BF also had the steak because Pollo Tropical was too exotic for him. Besides, there were cute little desserts to sample after dinner.
Longtime readers may remember the day I made my chimichurri sauce after being gifted an oregano plant. Chimichurri normally includes vinegar, so I suggested to BF that he pass on it, which he did. But guess what? It was very delicious and garlicky but with no detectable vinegar taste. They must have omitted the vinegar. I offered to let BF try some, but he declined. He did enjoy the steak and everything else on the menu.
Yes, there was a wedding cake, keep reading. But we also checked out the mini desserts.
Because, why not?
I don’t have a picture of it, unfortunately, (or I can’t find it) but there were also his-and-her specialty cocktails at the bar. The “her” cocktail was a Mango Margarita, and I had to have one. BF was driving, and he doesn’t drink, ever, so me drinking one wasn’t a big deal. (There was also champagne somewhere in there, and I only had one.) Although it was quite a strong cocktail, I didn’t feel it, probably because of the nibbles and dinner. Even if I had become a bit tiddly, we had our phones and Google Maps to get us back to the hotel, and he would be driving anyway.
The Cake!
Of course, because there was a wedding, there was also a beautiful wedding cake.
Lots of lovely details. The flowers and pearl detail are just exquisite:
That’s a lot of work, for sure.
Oops! That’s one detail nobody asked for:
It was a big cake and needed careful handling, so a fingerprint shouldn’t be a surprise, really. Everyone handling or serving food wore gloves. We each had a slice of this delicious vanilla cake with a rich vanilla frosting. Two thumbs up here.
Other Reception Activities
We found our table and were seated with another couple who have known Rafael for many years. During the reception, we met many different people from all over Texas (I think we were the only ones from this side of the Sabine), and for me, it felt like “home.” I’m used to being around lots of different kinds of people, especially after working in the Houston Medical Center, Rice University, Compaq, and Boeing for eight years. (I was the only Boeing alumni who attended, although others were invited.) BF spoke with lots of new people that night and throughout the trip.
Remember when I said everything was perfectly matched? I wasn’t kidding. Even the napkins on the tables were that beautiful rust color.
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The table settings were just gorgeous, especially with the rust color infusion:
Our table was sort of in the middle of the hall. We were right by the stairwell when the happy couple came down the stairs to join the reception from upstairs.
They were not only happy but enjoying the music that accompanied their descent.
The back of Carmen’s dress was also quite intricate:
I suppose they were taking more pictures up there, but I didn’t ask. And these two were just so happy.
Wedding Pictures of Rafael and Carmen
Of course, the photographers kept Rafael and Carmen busy posing for pictures the whole time. When it’s your wedding, that’s what you do.
They were the only dancers:
I’ll wager a guess that their picture of them with the fog machine looks better than mine:
Family pictures were also nice:
I don’t have any pictures of Carmen tossing her bouquet. If I remember correctly, I stood with the rest of the women for the catch. Normally, I stay far away from that activity. Well, I didn’t, but I wasn’t looking to catch it anyway. Maybe they decided who would catch it, and that’s OK, too.
I managed to get a quick selfie with Rafael:
My Boeing Brother.
Didn’t get to talk to him for very long. Then again, nobody else did, either. And guess who forgot to say Hi to Rafael’s parents? I know, DUH. But it was a busy night for them, too.
Reception Amenities
Everyone received one of these cute little favors, best described as a coaster, or maybe a Christmas tree ornament if you leave it in the little bag:
Either way, it’s a pretty reminder, and BF and I both brought one home. They’re nice keepsakes for some great memories. We’ll enjoy them for many years to come, along with the next souvenir.
The Sketch Artists
We noticed people were gathered around two sides of the hall, one in the front, and one in the back. After dinner, we investigated. It seems that the happy couple brought in a pair of sketch artists to make drawings for attendees.
These ladies were SO BUSY!
Wasn’t that nice?
I think they did Rafael and Carmen’s first, then sketched others as they approached the tables. We really didn’t know about this ahead of time. Both ladies worked hard to get everyone’s beautiful sketches done. We waited until they got less busy so they could catch up a little, and this is what she gave us:
Ours was also nice, and I did see Doctor Who and his Companion vibes here. Maybe that’s just me.
Of course, the sketch captured my dorky flats with a designer cocktail dress. Now you see why I wish I’d gone with the black duct tape instead. It’s not a big deal, but again, it was their wedding. Later, I framed this little sketch, and it’s hanging where we see it every day.
Photo Booth With Video
I don’t know how to describe the second amenity on the other side of the hall. It’s a photo-booth thing where you can take still pictures and make a 30-second music video in front of a 360-degree circulating camera. We went with the pictures, but not the videos, and this is what came out:
I know, I look awful here. The dress was too big because I didn’t get to fit it correctly before we left. Bright lights, no filters, and other reasons, but lots of photogenic props for posing. BF had to lean on me a little because he was still hurting from Thursday’s motor installation. This was my one chance to wear a tiara, so I did. BF just had fun with the “wedding crashers” sign, the prop gun, and looking “gangsta.”
If you’re reading this and laughing about it now, you should be. I may try to use some photo editing apps to make a nicely framed headshot of us from one of the pictures.
We could have walked to the next “attraction” with the tiara and pea shooter in the middle of the stage and made a 30-second dance video with flashing lights and the camera racing around 360 degrees. Honestly, we had to ask about what the heck it was so we could decline! It’s hard to describe, and I don’t even know where to find something online to show it to you. Everyone was having fun making their videos, and BF was still in pain, so we just watched.
Eventually, I want to add all our pictures into a few of those little books from Shutterfly.
The Texas Military Delegation
I’ve told BF before that Texas has its own military, to which he would respond, “Oh, you mean the National Guard.” You see, he was in the Louisiana National Guard for a long time with a couple of active duty stints overseas. As a veteran, BF knows all about that sort of thing.
Except in Texas.
Louisiana has a National Guard delegation, but not a formal “state militia” as Texas does. That’s because Texas was an independent country before it became a state. BF didn’t understand, and I don’t know enough about it to give him a proper explanation.
Rafael joined the Texas Army several years ago and continues to do technology-related work for them. During the reception, we approached a couple of these Texas Military members, introduced ourselves, and asked them to explain it to BF. They were happy to talk about it, and BF learned some interesting things he didn’t know. Military guys are in their zone when they start talking about their service tenures! I was glad to see him chatting with these fellow veterans, and he learned a lot he didn’t know before.
Enlightenment
On the return drive to the Katy Hampton Inn, BF called his brother. The first words out of his mouth: “Did you know that Texas has its own Army?” I just smiled while he explained everything to his brother.
The next morning, we also had breakfast with one of the groomsmen, also a Texas Military man. We didn’t know he was staying in the same hotel. He was going home to Austin while we were headed to the Extended Stay in Clear Lake for a couple of days. When BF told me who it was, I took a picture and sent it to Raf, who got a kick out of that one. We had a nice conversation over breakfast and coffee with him, including a little more about Texas’ military forces before parting company.
The Remains of the Night
After we got our portrait drawn by one of the two sketch artists and had a small bit of the wedding cake, we left the reception.
The remains of the day, or night
We were there until about 9:00 pm, I think.
Before we left, we saw Rafael again, congratulated and hugged him and Carmen, and walked out to the truck to head back to the hotel in Katy.
It was a lovely wedding that evening with delicious Puerto Rican-style food and a great time with a diverse group of friendly people. The weather, the venue, and everything else was just perfect. The Mango Margarita added a little tasty je ne sais quoi, but not too much.
Congratulations to Rafael and Carmen, and Happy Anniversary. We hope we’ll get to see them again one day soon.
What’s Next In HeatCageKitchen
I’ll try to get these done sooner rather than later, but now that the wedding blog is done, it should be easier.
The rest of the trip to Houston
The next blog will include the rest of our Houston trip, including a visit to the Houston IKEA store. We also visited some people: Aunt Ruth, Aunt Kathy, and Neighbor E. I’ll also tell you what went kind of sideways. That will be a blog of its own.
Thanksgiving
Miss Alice and her daughter N came for Thanksgiving last week. That was a busy couple of days! We were so glad to see them, but a couple of obstacles that meant I wasn’t entirely ready when they got here. But Buddy was so happy to see his friend B-Dog, who is ten years older. I got a few pictures, but not many, because I was so involved in getting a turkey in the oven and dinner on the table. Whew!
Another wedding
Guess what? We went to another wedding, a year after Rafael’s. This one was closer to home, in the Knights of Columbus Hall in nearby Ponchatoula, LA, and one of BF’s business cohorts. It was also nice, in a smaller venue, and every bit as enjoyable. Admittedly, I wore the dress from Rafael’s wedding with a few tweaks, including the removable fringe. That wedding will be a separate blog, too.
The Holiday Season is here whether we want it or not, so buckle up and stay warm. Winter is starting to show itself, and we hope we’re ready if we have another big winter freeze before spring.
Until next time, Happy Dining!
We went to a wedding in New Orleans at Southern Oaks Plantation, but no, it wasn’t ours.
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Happy September!
I know–it’s been a while. I hope everyone is all right after 2020 decided to ramp up even more. We’re fine after the two recent visitors (Marco and Laura) and were never in danger from a direct hit. We did, however, engage in some “panic buying” of essentials, such as milk and soft drinks. Oh, wait–that was for him, wasn’t it?
I did manage to get some Hatch chiles and roast them, much to BF’s chagrin. Rouse’s only had them for a short time, and I don’t think they did any roasting this year. The cashiers seemed to forget what Hatch chiles were and kept trying to charge both me and BF for other types of peppers. Maybe next year I can make a pilgrimage to HEB and get a lot more to bring home.
The area of the property formerly known as “the garden” is now. . .gone. Don’t ask.
Friends Of The Groom
So the wedding was one of BF’s car-guy friends who has been to the Casa de Rurale many times. BF built a motor for him, and they’ve known each other for a long time. His new wife is a financial advisor, and is selling her house in Metairie (a New Orleans suburb) to move into their new place in this area. They will actually be just a few miles from us at the Casa de Rurale. We’ve never met her or her young daughter, but chances are we will at some point.
We were a bit surprised to receive a wedding invitation and greatly appreciated it. Didn’t relish the drive TO New Orleans, but it was fine. Other than two people getting legally married, we didn’t know what to expect.
I’ll cut to the chase: everything was just lovely, and a Southern Oaks wedding is known for that. It’s pretty much everything you’d expect at a wedding. But of course, there’s food involved, so you know I need to tell you all about it.
Postponed Nuptials
Because the world has been turned upside down in 2020, the couple had to postpone their wedding from May to August. I’m sure there was a considerable amount of nailbiting going on in the days before since there were *two* hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico at one time (Marco fizzled out quickly.)
Rescheduled to Friday, August 28th, there was still some remnant activity from Laura that flowed in from the western side of the state. We’re actually on the east side, closer to Mississippi, so all my Texas peeps were asking me how we were doing. We had some rain here and even went through a couple of heavy rainstorms on the way to Southern Oaks. In fact, right after the wedding part was completed, we started feeling tiny drops, so the reception moved inside.
The Venue
Southern Oaks Plantation is located in New Orleans East and is in a house that was built in the 1960’s as a private residence. (Note: It’s not *that* kind of plantation, the term refers to the architectural style of the structure.)
Owner Bobby Asaro and his wife decided to create this venue in 1987, turning an abandoned building into a first-class full-service wedding place. They have done untold numbers of weddings since their first. The result is an elegant place to have a wedding at any time of year, inside or outside.
Remember that we were guests of the groom, so if there is a place upstairs for the couple, or if the family lives up there, well, we didn’t venture anywhere we weren’t supposed to go. There are a number of businesses in the New Orleans area where the owner and/or family lives next door, upstairs, or behind the business itself.
A brick building behind the house is, we hypothesized, the place where they keep the 1956 Silver Cloud Bentley that the bride arrived in from behind the house for the ceremony. We forgot to ask while we were inside.
The Bentley carrying the bride
I don’t think anyone went to the outside patio behind the house, where there is, in fact, a small swimming pool. I was hoping nobody was thrown in!
The Southern Oaks Wedding
Originally slated for a church in the Uptown area, they eventually decided to have the wedding itself at the venue as well. As a veteran of driving and public transit in both New Orleans and the entire city of Houston, I’m glad they did–it made things a lot easier on everyone. Driving to NO East on a Friday evening would have been a logistical nightmare, even if they did take a limo ride from the church.
The chairs were, indeed, set up on the front lawn, just like the pictures, and as required, socially distanced. Everything went as planned, I suppose. We didn’t notice anything that went “wrong.” Everyone seemed pretty happy as they walked up the sidewalk to the front of the house, where they held the wedding ceremony.
This is where the ceremony was held. All the flowers–ALL of them–matched, from the boutonnieres and bouquets to these flowers and the ones inside.
One would think that the bride might throw her bouquet from this lovely balcony, but that’s not what happened.
Logical to throw a bouquet here, yes?
Once she disembarked from the wedding car, her father took her arm for the walk.
Here she is coming to the wedding
After the wedding, she walked with the groom to the gate for the fireworks. Then they walked back.
Coming back up the walkway to lead the way to the reception inside.
I didn’t take pictures of the fireworks, but afterwards, they did come back up the walkway where we all went into the house, directed by staff.
The Food
As the website describes, each Southern Oaks wedding has a set menu with two carving stations and passed appetizers. The same food is served at every wedding–that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It keeps things simple for both the couple and for the venue, and, well, let’s just say I sampled more than I’d like to admit to. (I’m back doing keto, mostly, of course.)
Let me be clear: the food was outstanding. Makes me wish we could go have lunch there sometime.
First off there was a carving station with brisket and ham.
They were smiling, honest.
OK, first–both were very good. The brisket was tasty, but not Texas-style, and I didn’t expect it to be. The Honey Ham was equally tasty (no, not that commercially available place), and we enjoyed both.
Now about the appetizers–y’all, I was trying to be good an eat somewhat sensibly, but it didn’t work too well. I lost track of how many they were toting between tables. There must have been twenty or thirty wait staff involved, all nimble-footed food carriers.
Waiters tiptoed around with little trays of deliciously decorated foods that smelled incredible. The first thing we enjoyed was a classic, Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp. However, these aren’t the standard ones, these are bacon-wrapped shrimp, scallop & oysters. Apologies for not taking a picture of the innards, because it looked like the shrimp was stuffed with the other two fish (finely chopped) before the bacon was wrapped on it and cooked.
OMG–those were delicious! No, it’s like nothing else you’ve tasted.
A Few At A Time
The appetizers were sequenced. They brought out three or four types at first, then followed with three or four more types, and so on, until later, when they seemed to stop bringing around appetizers.
Later offerings included this tuna with soy sauce on a wonton:
You know I don’t like tuna, so obviously I passed on it, adding the “cat food” comment to BF.
Ever seen Philly cheesesteak sandwiches made like this–on a croissant?
BF enjoyed this one, too.
Burgers and fries, right up BF’s alley.
For more casual eaters.
Steak and sweet potato bites, right up MY alley.
I think this was Shrimp & Grits–I passed, much as I like shrimp.
Now, I could have been completely happy with a tray of these and another one of Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp. They could have just left me these and the shrimp and I would have left everything else alone.
These were just incredible!
This crab salad in cucumber was cool and very tasty. I got as many as I could before the waiters disappeared with them. BF, as always, turned his nose up at such fancy fare, but I see that as “more for me.”
I don’t remember what this was, but I think it was savory. Like oyster patties or something. That’s cheese on top, I believe.
Even dessert was in appetizer form, including a chocolate mousse tart in a pastry cup, and this artistic beauty on a skewer:
A “deconstructed” Strawberry Shortcake
Many of the appetizers, both savory and sweet, were in little pastry cups and were big enough for one or two bites. It’s a great idea because not only is it fancy, it makes preparation easier. You just add the filling and go with it. Chocolate mousse with a little piped whipped cream? Thank you! There was also cheesecake in the little pastry cups. With the music and masks, it was difficult to hear every explanation for appetizers, but they all knew what they were doing.
I passed on beignets. I identify as a naturalized Texan, so it’s just not my thing anymore.
There was also gumbo, crawfish etouffee, and I think red beans & rice in those small bowls as well, which BF had but I passed on. I was too busy trying to snag more crab salad on cucumber tapas.
The entire listing of Southern Oaks’ wedding menu is available here.
A Towering Wedding Cake
No Southern Oaks wedding would be complete without a fantastic cake, and this was no exception.
This was their wedding cake, but we left before it was cut to serve.
Here’s a closeup of the texture, understated and clean, allowing the flowers to really stand out:
See that? No frilly piped borders
The requisite cake pulls for the bridesmaids:
Disclosure: when I got married in 1996 (not here), I had these in my cake as well. Didn’t realize it’s primarily a Louisiana thing until I went looking for explanations for the charms–just now. I also couldn’t get anyone to make a cake with the icing looking like that–nobody could imagine such a cake without too much over-the-top frilly piping. I even had pictures of one, but nobody wanted to do it.
Honestly, I thought cake pull charms was a thing throughout the US, but it isn’t. I found this article by someone in New Orleans, using New Orleans themed charms, and this from Southern Living with non-New Orleans charms. I can’t tell you what my three bridesmaids pulled out of my cake, I just remember that the cake was the best.
We were there when they pulled the charms from the cake:
There were several
Cut a small piece out of the big cake:
They cut out of the middle layer, but we don’t know if they served the rest of it.
Then drank a toast:
But for the pictures, they only cut a small piece out of the back for the couple to eat for pictures. (I didn’t take a picture of the cut.) We left before they actually served this cake, which, from what we saw, was a white cake with raspberry or strawberry filling.
That may have been the only layer of actual cake–who knows?
The Groom’s Cake
There was also a groom’s cake, in a salute to his car guy nature:
Great job with amazing detail
This is the cake they actually served to guests–at first. We don’t know if they served the bigger wedding cake later.
When we caught him, we asked the groom what kind of cake was underneath the silver fondant icing. He said it had been so long since they planned it, he’d completely forgotten what it was! It was actually a three-layer white cake with buttercream filling and multicolored sprinkles baked into the three cake layers.
Because I’m picky I would have preferred the actual wedding cake with the fruity-looking filling, but that’s just ME. I’m sure it was even tastier than the groom’s cake.
If you want to see the car itself, this is Chevy’s site for Corvettes.
No Coffee?
All drinks were served at the bar:
They were right on it and kept very busy
I did have one glass of this champagne, and it was quite good:
Delicious!
I made sure BF didn’t mind beforehand, because he literally does not drink, ever. They served it in a simple, elegant glass flute, and I enjoyed every drop. I wasn’t planning to drive home. Had the situation called for it, I was perfectly OK for driving. I had the champagne about 7:15 or so, and after sampling way too many nibbles and drinking plenty of water, it was long out of my system, like at least 9:00 pm.
If I had to leverage a “complaint,” I guess that would be: no coffee!
No kidding–there wasn’t any coffee, not that I saw or smelled. I’m probably the only wedding guest who wanted some. But I didn’t complain about it–I’m just one of those people who enjoys coffee, that’s all.
Should they change it for me? Nah! Wouldn’t change my review one bit. If I were having a wedding there, I might ask about it. Maybe the couple didn’t want any, so they didn’t have it.
I could have got a coffee somewhere else, no problem. But we went straight home, not even stopping once we got back on the I-610 split (not the loop in Houston) and onto I-12. We went home coffee-free, but a good time was had by all throughout the event.
The Ladies Room
After one glass of champagne and a lot of water, I went to the powder room. I was greeted by this interesting decor.
You wouldn’t expect anything less here.
I didn’t actually go outside to see this little feature, and it was quite humid that day after all that rain. But maybe someone who needed a smoke break might go out there for a few minutes (if it’s allowed.) Lovely as it is, let me say that it’s not “traditional New Orleans.” That’s OK with me–I thought it was quite an interesting patio area.
This is the rest of the inside.
A nice little rock garden, or is it a water feature? I didn’t look too close, I just didn’t want to fall over it. You have to walk around it to get to the. . .facility. Also, I’m not used to wearing stiletto heels anymore.
A Picture Of Us
So I took this selfie:
That’s us!
And we sort of look halfway decent, too. He’s all nice and shaved, and I sprayed a considerable amount of Aquanet on my hair to keep it in place. I’ve already ordered an 8×10 enlargement from Shutterfly, and we bought a nice frame that’s all ready for it. Our pictures of the wedding will be in one of those lovely 6×6 books they have every month in their app. I have the pictures in place, I just need to edit them.
I’d planned to make something fancier to wear: this jumpsuit (the short version) and from this pattern, the fascinator (D) at the top right, both in Navy with a white flower on the hat. But it would have been too dressy, as it turned out, since we were told “casual.” Wouldn’t be the first time. He might have told me before I bought all that Navy crepe-back satin.
What I actually wore was this dress from MimiG Style, in the colorful fabric you see in the picture. Someone actually gave me the fabric, and I was holding onto it for “the right pattern.” As it turned out, this now-out-of-print pattern from MimiG Style, Simplicity 8084, was just right for the fabric as well as the wedding.
One of the many fabulous creations from sewing and lifestyle blogger Mimi G.
I made the shorter version, but I would like to make the longer one eventually. (Note: this is just a screengrab from Etsy–I don’t wear clothes that big.)
Not Us
We did have a wonderful time at the wedding, and many thanks to Justin (the groom) for inviting us.
Also many thanks to Bobby Asara and his wonderful staff for a great time and some very delicious and irresistable food..
Although BF and I have been together four years, we’re not planning one for ourselves. When Bronte’ (the bride) tossed her bouquet to the single women dance floor, I made sure to stand clear. I was glad I did when I saw the flower petals flying all over the place.
If you or someone you know is planning a wedding, I highly recommend considering a Southern Oaks wedding. They’re big on planning everything and making sure it all works. There are multiple five-star Yelp reviews as well.
Congratulations to Justin and Bronte!
