A Wedding in the Family
Friends, I am truly pooped. Pooped, but happy. Danny and Beckee got married Saturday, and it was a long, loud, and joyful event. Then we hosted the post-wedding brunch this morning, which was fine except that Judy woke up with a stomach flu, which meant she missed the festivities. She’s feeling better now.
Apparently, we are not likely to see the official wedding photos for at least a month. So the pictures in this post were taken by Judy and I with our phones. However, all the guests were politely but firmly asked not to take pictures during the ceremony. Reluctantly, we honored this request.
All the family and wedding party group photos were taken before the ceremony, however, so we got to stand behind the photographer and take our own pictures. So here is Daniel and Beckee, both looking radiantly happy.
The wedding was held at the Garfield Park Conservatory, which I wrote about here.
Here’s the wedding party, made up of Daniel’s brother David, Beckee’s sister Shana, and several close friends.
The family of the bride: Henry, Gloria, and Shana. We love Beckee and her family, and Beckee’s parents love Daniel. There was honestly not the slightest bit of tension around this wedding coming together. How often does that happen?
Here’s Daniel, his friend Marco (Marco lived across the hall from us many years ago, and he’s been close friends with Daniel since about the age of 3), and David. Judy and David’s partner Meredith are in front.
This room is officially called Horticulture Hall, and it’s where the wedding ceremony took place. Everything is set up for the main event. 
In some ways the ceremony was quite traditional, in other ways not at all. Daniel and Beckee stood under a chuppah, a Jewish wedding canopy. When they discovered how expensive chuppahs are to purchase they made one of their own.
Their DIY chuppah consisted of birch logs slid into PVC pipe, which in turn was held in place by concrete poured into utility buckets. It looked quite nice, I thought.
I’ll write more when the wedding pictures become available. In the meantime, I am still slightly disoriented by the fact that my oldest child is now a married man. The same person who used to run up and down our apartment hallway shouting “Up! Up! And away!”, dressed in a Superman outfit that Judy made for him. Then he would run back and forth shouting “Down! Down! I’m coming back!”
But of course, it is a blessing for all of us that he and Beckee found each other, and that they have decided to make a life together. And Judy is thrilled to finally have a girl in the family.
gardeninacity 
Congratulations. It looks like a wonderful time was had by all.
Mazel Tov! It was a wedding to remember for all the right reasons. Best wishes to you all.
Reading this post and seeing the photos, I feel so happy for all of you. May the good memories that started with the wedding grow into many, many more.
It looks like it was a lovely and celebratory time! I hope for all good things for your son and his new wife.
Mazel tov! What a lovely family, experiencing a lovely event, in a lovely setting. All the best to the couple and both families.
Congratulations! This is truly wonderful. And I think DIY chuppahs should be a trend.
Congratulations to the loving couple, and to you all. Wishing you all only the best in the coming years.
What a wonderful wedding, congratulations to you both, and to the happy couple. I know exactly what you mean about your little boy running up the corridor in his Superman suit, the time slips away. Before you know it, you may have another little boy/girl running up and down the corridor.
One thing for sure, they look very happy, and obviously are well suited to each other.
Warm wishes from Paul and I …to both families.
So happy for you all!
Congratulations to the beautiful couple and their parents. It looked a wonderful wedding and I wish the happy couple every happiness in the years to come.
How lovely to see them all so happy! Congratulations to all – look forward to more photos. 🙂
What a wonderful setting for the wedding. All my best wishes for the couple’s future.
A huge congratulations to Daniel, Beckee and your entire family! An exciting new chapter has started in your lives 🙂
Congrats!!
Jason, I’m glad that you son is a married man now. Congratulation to a new family and parents!
I’s sorry to hear Judy is ill, the stomach flu is dangerous and I wish her to be better soon.
It’s was a great idea to set a wedding in the Conservatory!
Congratulations to the bride and groom and to both families!
First of all, congrats, congrats to your son and his wife! Bittersweet when such events occur. Even though your son is now a man, he will always, to some extent be a little boy to you, at least in your memories. Beautiful place for a wedding, and what a lovely chuppah. Wonderful creativity! I, too, look forward to seeing more pictures.
Whew, hope you’re able to get some rest now that the big event is a fond memory. So glad that Daniel and Beckee found each other. What a beautiful venue, event, and chuppah! Congratulations!
What a beautiful bride and handsome groom! I was just thinking about you guys this morning. We have a wedding in our future too, our son is getting married back east in September and so we’ll be traveling back to New England then. We’ve met our daughter-in-law-elect and love her (she’s a plant-lover) but haven’t met her parents yet. I’m so sorry Judy was sick, that’s the worst. Congratulations/Mazel tov to everyone!
Congratulations!
The most beautiful chuppah ever! [Judy’s coat also a knockout.]
Congratulations and best wishes to all.
That’s a great place to be married in! May their love last forever.
Ahhhh, how lovely! Congratulations to you all. How wonderful that two families get along so completely, that is a blessing for sure. I hope they will be very happy together. Just loved all the photos, and I’m so impressed with the chuppah, ingenious! Looking forward to seeing and hearing more.xxx
P.s, so glad Judy is feeling better.xxx
Congratulations!
What a wonderful location for a wedding especially at this time of year when one is not sure what Midwest weather will be doing. Looks like a lovely day was had by all. My youngest sister got married 20 years ago. She’s a professional photographer and had to develop her own photos, so we’ve never seen them!
A photographer who doesn’t like to share her photos?
Congratulations to all! What a lovely spot for a wedding.
Oh, what a lovely day it looks like! Thank you for sharing these pics! And what a marvelous venue!
Congratulations!! What a happy day. :o)
Thanks, Tammy! Hope you are well.
Congratulations! And, there couldn’t be a more perfect place to have your family have a wedding. 🙂
Well, of course they had to be married in a garden in a city. What a perfect place to start a new family. And that chuppah! Loved the birch supports, but really loved the fabric. Now you can get some rest, just in time for spring planting.
Looks like a beautiful bride, ceremony and happy day. Love all the pretty flowers too.
How wonderful, I love weddings. It is a joy to see your children marrying into a lovely family. It looks like a very joyous occasion.
It certainly was!
Many congratulations! You know, I was looking forward to this moment ever since Beckee and Danny first made their appearance on this blog. I’m very happy for your newly expanded family! I hope it was an exceptional and memorable day.
Congratulations! You and Judy have a daughter now. I am so happy for you all. I hope the newly weds have a long happy life together. A beautiful venue. Their Chuppah is gorgeous and personalized. I can’t wait to see pictures and read more about the ceremony.
Great post!
Thanks!
Congrats to the couple from http://www.mazeltovstudio.in
Congratulations to the Couple. The Blog and Images are Excellent.
Wishes from KWP Kochi Event Management https://eventmanagementcompany.weddingplannerskerala.com/