So I went to Sean and Jen’s wedding in Lachine this month. Once everyone got to the Montreal area, it was all quite lovely, actually.
Wedding-eve cocktail hour
Most folks were staying at the hotel, which was out by the airport. It was comfortable enough – modern, lots of concrete. I had gotten to Montreal on Thursday, so I watched all day Friday out of a window at UQÀM while the snow fell, wondering if everyone was going to make it on time. Fortunately, the delayed flights arrived eventually, the drivers were cautious in their approach and the train was fine (though the taxis somewhat adventuresome, from all accounts). But we all met up for cocktails, and it was great to see everyone if only briefly (I wanted to get back to where I was staying in Lachine and clean up before the next day).
Looking out at the Lachine Canal
The Saturday was crisp and clear.
Emphasis on the crisp, it was about minus 30 celsius with the wind chill. Brr!
We all piled into the Vielle Brasserie in Lachine, where mimosas were flowing, before heading upstairs to the wedding and reception area. It was the most unique wedding I have ever attended. They had a friend of theirs from Toronto as officiant and MC, and both Sean and Jen wrote their own vows. They were lovely, and sentimental, and just perfect.
Then, brunch.
What a great idea, to have a brunch wedding. We had a couple more cocktails while the bride and groom were getting some pictures done (caesars were on the menu!) then the brunch buffet began. It was a nice selection of food… egg cups, cold salmon, crêpes… all of it, so tasty.
There was a literary theme to the wedding: the bouquets and boutonnieres were handmade from books, and everyone sat at different tables representing different genres of literature, and were given a library card with their book. Unfortunately, our group of friends were split up and on opposite sides of the room for some reason – that was a bit dull. But all worked out in the end, because the food was fine and the caesars flowing.
Suspects at a wedding
So by the time I left with Jenn and Suzy, it was mid-afternoon, and we were all frankly kind of tipsy from all the inhabitual day-drinking, and it was time to lie down for a bit of a rest.
Later, the wedding party (and most of the wedding guests, as we’d mostly all come from away) went bowling. As one does.
The bowling was a really fun, lighthearted way to end the day. I was surprised Sean and Jen were still standing by this point – it’s exhausting, to be in a wedding.
Bowling and poutine!
You know, you’ll laugh about having poutine in a bowling alley, but I could see into the kitchen where a fellow was using a rocking knife to cut up a huge board of fromage en grains, so I suspected we’d be in good hands. The poutine was awesome. Delicious and fattening and the essence of Quebec in a bowl.
At the end of the evening, we met up and hung out for a little bit of usual suspects time, before we all had to go our separate ways. My flight was earlyish in the morning, so I had to turn in early as well. I had a devil of a time sleeping, my back was sore (which I know now was this pesky infection, boo-urns) and I kept waking up thinking I’d overslept and would miss my flight.
But of course I didn’t.
Ready for the flight home
Et voilà, I was back on my way home to NB.
And now I’m the last single Suspect. I did not think it would be me, and I’m having a bit of trouble with it. It’s most disheartening. Don’t get me wrong: I have an amazing life, and I have always been able to follow my dreams. I’ve had some incredible experiences, and I’m not begrudging my path because I really like who I am. I’m also not willing to compromise what I want to do in my life or who I am in order to be in a relationship. But there was some part of me that did not expect to be the last single person in our group of friends, and who is finding that reality a bitter pill to swallow.
But it is what it is, say I pragmatically. And I’m not writing this to be pitied, because I don’t feel bad about myself. I am just noting it because it’s my blog and I want to be honest. It’s not all raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens all the time, you know.
Doesn’t mean the wedding wasn’t lovely. It really, really was.
