SUSAN TAKES MANHATTAN: Kewpie Wedding

I got to go to LA a few weekends ago for a wedding weekend extravaganza. My friend, Ambie, got married and all the Kewpie girls met me out there. We had so much fun! I've known Ambie for a long time...longer than I can remember, I suppose. I can't remember when in elementary school I first met her and we weren't very close during those years, but I remember she was a musical genius at that age. I always played the piano in the annual talent shows, but then Ambie would play and I'd feel foolish I had even bothered. She was awesome. And we were in All-City Choir together in 6th grade which I thought meant we both were going to be rockstars. Yeah, that didn't happen. Seventh grade is when I have my first real personal memories of Ambie. She sat next to me in Science class that year...I guess maybe that made us lab partners? I don't think we really did labs that year, but we did sit at those big black tables they always had in science classes that fit 2 chairs. We shared a black table. She was one of the first really funny people I remember being around a lot - we would laugh so hard! My other memory of her that year was on the annual trip to Worlds of Fun. We spent the entire day together going on all the rides and had a blast. So, basically, I've known Ambie a long time. And she became part of the group of 6 of us that seemed to solidify our summer after freshman year in college. I think this was the first time that all 6 of us had been together since 2005! Craziness. It was great that everyone was able to make it out to LA for the wedding. And such a fun place and wedding to get to go to at that!

We all arrived on Saturday and went to the "Welcome Dinner" that night, which seemed to be mostly for the out-of-towners, which was mostly Ambie's side. The dinner was at the home of her new father-in-law and his wife in the Hollywood Hills, or Bel-Aire. We gave ourselves a mini-tour of part of the house and were wow'd by their swimming pool that overlooked the Hollywood Hills and LA. I'm sure it was an amazing view...if it hadn't been so cloudy and foggy and misty. Oh, and the pool also went under a wall and into the house. It didn't go far into the house, but far enough that there was a little bar with stools on it in the pool, inside the house. So you can just swim into the house and eat lunch right there on your stool in the water. Pretty amazing!

Waiting at our hotel to board the bus to dinner...
Kate appropriately titled this the Sweater Dress Brigade!

Maggie and I on the bus...it was a long ride

to Bel-Aire from where we were!

See the red heart at the top of the hill? It was

made from flowers and so cute/pretty for the

occasion. It turns out it was created there

for Jeff's father's wedding and is still there!

But, enough about the location! The evening was full of seeing old friends and meeting new people. She had tons of family there from all over...even as far as Ethiopia! We had an Ethiopian feast for dinner and it was good, but soooo spicy and filled me up so quickly. It was only my 2nd time to have Ethiopian food and the verdict is still out on if I really like it or not. The dinner was held outside and it was getting pretty cold and misting a bit, but it ended up working okay. Thankfully, there were heat lamps all around!

Maggie, Kate, Jessica at our dinner table

With Kelly & Maggie

Ambie and her then-fiance, Jeff

Ethiopian Cuisine!

After dinner, we went inside for dessert/coffee

and more photo ops!

Maggie, Kelly, Ambie, and I

Ambie is so model-esque!

Ambie & Jessica

The wedding was on Sunday and the bus picked us up again at 3:00. The wedding was in an area called Palos Verde Estates that is south of LA. The neighborhood is up on a cliff overlooking the ocean. Unfortunately, it was still rainy and cloudy and foggy and the planned outdoor ceremony had to be moved indoors. But, the space inside was cozy and gorgeous and if you have to have an alternate location, this was a good one to have. The wedding was very intimate and sweet. They wrote their own vows and Ambie's now husband teared up and it was just too sweet.

Not the ocean, but pretty setting anyhow!

Is this picture Jessica took of Ambie and her dad

heading down the aisle gorgeous or what?!

I love when Flower Girls use real petals!

Oh, and the guy on the right with the 'fro?

He's Danger Mouse, a musician/producer

Jessica recognized.

Ambie's dress was possibly the

prettiest I've ever seen

It was my first time to attend a Jewish wedding

They're married!

(I sure wish my camera settings

hadn't been so off for this pic)

Bride & Groom with Ambie's family

With her parents

With both sets of parents

After the ceremony, I wandered around the property a bit while the wedding pictures were being taken.

This is where the wedding was supposed to take place

After a while, the clouds and fog began to lift a

bit and we were able to see some of the view.

We also took the opportunity to take some friend pics!

Maggie, me, Kelly

We sat down for dinner and toasts and it was all very good and fun. Then the cake was cut before the dancing began.

Place setting assignments

Pretty tables

With Jessica, Kate, and Kelly at the dinner table

Andrea, Jessica, Kate doing their Midwest gang signs

I had to get more pics of the pretty dress...

the front

and the back

Cake Cutting

Let me tell you, if you have never been to an Ethiopian wedding, it is worth it to befriend a single Ethiopian so that you can attend their wedding some day. They really know how to have a good time! After the first dances were out of the way, the dance floor turned into a mob scene with Ambie in the middle. It was complete craziness and so fun to watch. After many Ethiopian songs, they switched the music up and everyone danced the night away.

First Dance