Rock And Roll Nuptials!

If there were ever a time in my life that I did something entirely related to music, then attending my dear uncle Roger and now-aunt Rebekah’s wedding is definitely it. This was not a typical ceremony, not your average run-of-the-mill “I do” at all. All of the hype leading up to the special day had everyone buzzing since the moment I received the invite in the mail, a concert ticket, I couldn’t wait! In minimalist fashion, the bride and groom-to-be opted for a low-key ceremony on a sultry Friday night in August. The guest list was small immediate family and the closest of friends only gathered to witness these two love birds agree to be bound to each other for life a decision that far too many enter into lightly, but I know this marriage will last. I wasn’t there that night; all the “kids” were summoned to the after party, which took place the following night (they certainly saved the best for last!).
Following the nuptials was an intimate dinner with their honored guests, a time to rejoice and reflect on the importance of what makes us happy in life and for Roger and Rebekah, it’s quite clear¬ friends, family, their children, finding the love of your life, and of course, rock and roll! On Saturday, Aug. 2, 2008 a little over 100 people gathered at the Carriage House in Totowa, NJ, for an evening filled with just that. The venue was beautiful cathedral ceilings graced us overhead and on the floor were simple and elegantly decorated tables aligning the dance floor, which hosted the majority of the party (well, that and the bar). Upon entering the Carriage House, guests of “Souled Out,” as they cleverly called it, were given CDs with a picture of the newlyweds on the slipcase, and the disc was filled with many of the songs that were played throughout the evening; they had everything on there from the Beatles to AC/DC to Eric Clapton and more. I happen to think that it was the perfect little treasure to round out the event, because as I said earlier, yes, we were celebrating the union of two people who are very much in love, but at the same time, we all came to rock and that’s just what we did. So to have that CD as a reminder of the entire evening is a sweet touch and, I think, a well thought out gift from the bride and groom.


As most newlyweds do, they of course made their grand entrance and had their first dance as husband and wife, but believe you me, that was the only “traditional’ aspect of this affair. As soon as that tear-jerker was over, the band plugged in and kicked things off. First up, we had Force Of Habit, who have been gallivanting around the local bar scene for some time now they’re long-time veterans of playing music and they’ve still got what it takes to keep an entire room of people’s eyes on them! My other fabulous uncle John fronts the band, and there was even a special guest performance, upon request from the groom, by his daughter Jackie, who nothing less than kicks ass on the mic and she did an awesome rendition of “Rock And Roll” by Led Zeppelin. After a few high-energy sets from them, which included one of the greatest covers of the Beastie Boys’ “Fight For Your Right (To Party),” perfectly tweaked to get that Force Of Habit name in there (“Mom busted in and said ‘What’s that racket?’ Oh, mommy don’t worry it’s just Force Of Habit”), Green Tree Road took the stage for the second portion of the evening. With the dance floor full, the band, featuring three very special performers, my dad on the drums and the groom and his son on guitar and bass, performed a badass set of classic rock, as well as some more contemporary tunes, that had everyone singing along and dancing their asses off! This wasn’t a wedding at all, which is why it was such a great one (does that make sense?). There was no “chicken dance” or “electric slide” (although I do kinda like that one); there was no introduction of the bridal party and all of that hoity-toity bullshit. It was totally casual, totally relaxed and the perfect start to a happy life together.


The Carriage House is a great place, by the way, to have a party. It was just a really cool banquet hall, with a big foyer right when you walk in and then, of course, the lovely banquet room but the best part, I think, was the big glass window doors all along the back of the room which led to a nice patio area where guests could go for some fresh air or, more often than not, a smoke, and right across the walkway was the outdoor eating café area of the Barnyard Grill, which is part of the venue as well. So you don’t even have to be attending an event to enjoy this great atmosphere, you can just head on over for an evening cocktail and a quick bite-I think that’s part of what made the whole atmosphere so relaxed. That and the fact they we were under specific instructions not to dress up. I couldn’t resist, though, so I wore a dress, but I dressed it down with flip-flops, so I think I pulled it off. Many of the guests had on just jeans and a t-shirt, which was great, because who wants to be singing and dancing and drinking in a suit? Kudos to Roger and Rebekah for that one!
I have to say, the only slight regret I have, is that I didn’t spend more time with them during the night. But I couldn’t help it, I don’t think I left the dance floor once – the music was just too good and the boogie was in the air! Other than that, though, I had a great time, and I truly believe everyone else did as well. So take a cue from these two, if you want to have a great wedding and just enjoy some time with family and friends, don’t make such a big friggin’ deal about it – just relax, get some great music and have fun! That’s all you need!