Puppychao: September 2008

Monday, September 29, 2008

Marriage, Family and Lake Tahoe

Finally getting back to the grind after a weekend in Lake Tahoe. I attended my Cousin Ping's wedding to Aimee Chang. It was a beautiful location for a beautiful event. Our accommodations were amazing, we had a lake front house just North of Tahoe City.


I have never visited Lake Tahoe in the summer. It's really a beautiful place. I only wish I had more time to spend. The wedding brought relatives from around the world, it was almost like a family reunion. Almost all my cousins from my mom's side were there. It was great catching up and spending time with them, it was also good to see that everyone was doing well.

The rehearsal dinner was scheduled for the night we arrived. It seemed a bit unusual that all the relatives were invited to what is usually reserved for the wedding party and close family members. But no complaints here, it was my first opportunity to meet the bride as well as her side of the family and my uncles side of the family. The spirits were flowing and the atmosphere was very communal. There was a pre fixe menu with choices for the entree. Overall the food was good, but the desserts were better. After dinner we got back to the house and prepared for the next day. Our house was where the cousins stayed, Debbie, Lin, Chi and her husband Ira, Jeffery and his wife Maggie, and myself shared the four bedroom place.

The wedding was scheduled to begin at 4pm the next day. We got some bagels for breakfast and headed out the house where all of the parents were staying. It was a beautiful place located in the Northstar area. We had lunch there and headed back to our place to get ready for the wedding.

The wedding ceremony was located at Martis Camp, in a place called the Lost Library. It was a beautiful and unique location. Surrounded by nature, it was a perfect location for the theme of the wedding. The ceremony was beautiful, Ping and Aimee really seem like a great couple. After the ceremony, the event moved back to the library, where hors dourves were served. A very clever combination of classic ideas was the basis for the dishes. "Peanut Butter and Jelly" which was Foie Gras and Beet Puree served on toasted brioche, Mini Grilled Cheese with Tomato Shooter, Tempura Avocado and Portobellos, "Green Eggs and Ham" Ham fritters with Wasabi Tobiko, and Mini Canapes with Cucumber Granita. These hors dourves were very well done.

Onto the wedding reception, which was located about 5 mins away on the Martis Camp Golf Course Practice range. It was a very creative set-up with lounge seating outside the reception tents and grass integrated into the floor of the reception tents. The seating arrangements were designated by a doodle each invitee was asked to draw on the response card. Dinner was terrific and the service from Moody's catering was impeccable. A live band provided the music, I loved that part. With several memorable moments, which included the first dance and a speech from the brides father. One moment that stood out for me was my Aunt and Uncle Leng singing a classic Chinese love song dedicated to the bride and groom. The night ended with a few of us checking out the local casinos.

The next morning we attended a brunch hosted by Mr. and Mrs. Chang. The brunch was held at their beautiful vacation home. Located across the way from Martis Camp, is was amazing. It was great seeing everybody and saying our goodbyes. It made me think that we need to get together more often and not let so much time pass by before our next meeting.

See More Photos Here