WE DID IT!
We got hitched went on a fabulous honeymoon in the city of sin and now we’re trying to get back on track with “normal” life. The wedding was absolutely everything we had hoped for. It was definitely worth all of the hard work that went into it from everyone involved. This event challenged Alx and I to analyze, digest, and ultimately accept whole heartedly the differences between us much deeper than we ever had before.

It gave us the opportunity to truly understand each others beliefs as well as incorporate each others’ as our own in our own way. Our Rabbi was key in this process. We couldn’t have done it without her. She taught us how to appreciate the small things in each other and it was those small things that got us through the stress and anxiety of not only the planning of the wedding but especially the planning of the interfaith aspects of the wedding.

The day was absolutely gorgeous and a miracle in itself. It rained for weeks before and for weeks after but on our wedding weekend it was clear skies and in the high 70s to low 80s the entire time! The garden setting was stunning and the semi-circle arrangement of chairs around our huppah made us feel completely enclosed in a circle of love with our friends and family.

Our ketuba sculpture that I’ve lovingly named Beetlejuice Bonzai was perfect and filled with blessings when we took it home. Alx and I will have the honor of reading them on our first anniversary. In the mean while, we enjoy looking at all of our guests initials as witnesses that are signed on each beaded leaf that dangles from our tree. Within its hollow trunk lies our written ketuba with our signatures along with our Rabbi’s.

For the wine blessings we drank from a beautiful handmade silver kiddish cup straight from Israel. This was special for Alx to have that connection and what can I say, I got a really cool cup out of the deal! All kidding aside, I am proud to have such a wonderful kiddish cup that we can pass down through our family to maybe even be used at our children’s weddings.

The ceremony was flawless. It embodied so many of the things that Alx and I hold precious separately and as a couple. We were surrounded by our friends and family on a gorgeous Spring day. The ceremony was happy, relaxed and full of humor…Alx cried, I laughed. One of my most favorite moments was the Seven Blessings. Rabbi Berman said the tradition ones in Hebrew and they were accompanied by seven of our friends’ and families’ blessings. These modern blessings were in haiku form as a nod to my Japanese roots. It was perfect. They were heart felt, gave advice, cherished the moment, and of course had humor.

Our wedding was completely filled with little surprises that made it very LULAX. From the handmade favors by each member of our wedding party that fully expessed them as individuals and why we love them to the hand painted cake toppers that my Maid of Honor designed for us.

Most importantly, our wedding was about family, our family. Our son, Raiden, was included in every aspect of the ceremony. He walked the aisle with us. He stood with us under the huppah adding his own rendition of the Rabbi’s words at various points. He cut the cake with us and he party like it was 1999 with us.

He is the reason we tied the knot. Raiden is the embodiment of everything good that Alx and I could give to this world and in the spirit of that, we made it official. Cheers to you Rai guy. Way to make the love go ’round.