True Celebration

I'm going to skip a few events & go right to last weekend's celebration. I flew out to Baltimore for my friend Michele's wedding. It was a quick trip, but so worth it. Last fall, three weeks after getting engaged, Michele was diagnosed with leukemia. And, a nasty variation at that. 20% odds of survival. 37 years old. News that no one wants to hear. Happily, earlier this year, she had a bone marrow transplant. As Michele says, she has always been an overachiever & passed her six month check-up with flying colors. To say the wedding was a true celebration was an understatement.
Michele is a pop culture master. All things Hollywood can be found in her brain. I am still waiting for the day that she (& Ted & Carey) quit practicing law & start writing screenplays. It was so fitting that the "theme" of the wedding fit with the movies. The program was full of movie quotes about love, Oscar made an appearance & we all sat at tables of celebrity couples (I was with Howard Stern & Beth Ostrowsky - head table got to break bread with Brad & Angie).

Gorgeous, vibrant flowers.
Lovely cake (decorated with film rolls) - missed the groom's cake!

400 people on the dance floor, kicking up their heels!

My friends from law school. Like Charlie's Angels, they fall into these poses. I have dozens of pictures of them in the same positions.

The decorations, food & flowers were stunning.
Her father offered three toasts:

Michele's medical team from Johns Hopkins.

Everyone on the Bone Marrow Donor Registry.

And of course, to the happy couple.

It was an extremely moving toast (my favorite pic, though it is a technically terrible photo). Michele kept such an amazingly positive attitude through the last year. When she broke out in a horrible, painful rash & teams of doctors & students kept passing through her room, she said she was taking notes to turn her experience into an episode of House.

We took a lot of road trips in law school. Michele was always in charge of the music. I had about 10 FABULOUS mix tapes (remember those) that she made with 80's music. I was very sad when Nick finally made me throw them out. Something about us not having any tape players anymore. I wish I had a video camera to capture the night, the music, the amazing band (first dance - Jason Mraz, I'm Yours - I think Wade Robson was in on the choreography, very impressive footwork!)

Last Song: Living on a Prayer! (love this picture too - thanks Carey!)

Encore: Don't Stop Beliving!
Congratulations Mike & Michele!