Cotton Family Garden Party

My pal Andie sent me a cute, old-fashioned paper invitation in the mail, so I went out of my way to attend her family's garden party. It was part re-wedding ceremony, part birthday party, part springtime fun time.

Wedding #3

Q helps out
I was recruited to help with the music during the ceremony as their first choice had to go to hospital with his wife... I was a little freaked out about it until someone told me that his wife was being released early so his going to hospital was a good thing. I started the music and the ceremony went quite well. I scarpered the denoument a bit, but everything worked out and it was a beautiful re-commitment ceremony.

Document The Day

Parents mean pictures
There were so many people running around all day documenting the event. I didn't feel self-concious about taking pictures as I'm usually the only one doing it. My pal Vivian ran around interviewing people with his video camera, then a lady came round with a tape recorder so we could offer comments for the Cottons. I suppose they will listen to the tape on their way to Disneyland as the trio planned to spend their "honeymoon" there.

Quite a mix

A mix of new people and familiar faces
I recognized a few folks from back in the day and we met some really nice new people. Surprised that there were so many Santa Cruz people in the mix that I remembered. Dave and Andie met while they both lived in Santa Cruz and without a car, I barely got down there. We met a lot of kids too and I "learned" how to use the bubble machine from a six year old who was quite eager to show us how not to jam the motor.

A mix of musical styles
Several friends took turns on the tables. Jonah played some sophisticated instrumentals, Gina played some jazzier stuff peppered with reggae influenced numbers and Pete played some old-skool classic house tunes that were so soulfull and evocative they provided the perfect accessory to the party without being the main focus. It wasn't a dance party and it didn't have to be, even with a day of dance music and it sounded excellent.

A mix of culinary delights
We tried lots of tasty bits as each guest was encouraged to bring an appetizer. Irwin had a run on the entire buffet while I enjoyed the vegan half of the table.

A mix of gardens
The Cotton house sits on a hillside lot with at least five different garden terraces. Each creates a unique scene and provided a perfect backdrop for the various stages of the party.

A mix of triumphs
Overall, the day was a wonderful celebration of the triumph of optimism over pessimism and apathy. It was also a day to mark love's triumph over life's unexpected twists and turns.