A wedding of two cultures
This afternoon and evening we attended the wedding and reception of one of my son’s friends from high school. The wedding was planned as an outdoor wedding (October is often a beautiful and warm month for outdoor weddings) at the Lawrence Hall of Science (which we briefly explored), but rain today forced a change in plans, and the wedding was held at the residence of the groom, in the Berkeley Hills, with a sweeping and spectacular view of the northern portion of San Francisco Bay. Although other photographers and videographers were hired to shoot the wedding and reception, I enjoyed taking some photos as well. The view was still spectacular, even with fog and clouds and temperatures in the 50s F.
The reception was held in a Chinese restaurant in Emeryville, where we have dined a couple of times with other friends. As the sun set, we watched the lights come on across the Bay Bridge and in San Francisco, as we enjoyed a 10-course dinner.
Although I did not understand all of the traditions, including the several wardrobe changes of the bride, my family and everyone else present seemed to have a wonderful time! People attended from Upland, CA, Sacramento, New Orleans, and elsewhere, and we made new friends.
This sort of multicultural event happens all of the time in the Bay Area and is one of the reasons that I enjoy living here. Events like the wedding tonight make me wonder why humans sometimes have such a hard time putting aside differences, even for a short time, to enjoy together some of our very short lives on this planet.
I wish the bride and groom a long and happy life together.
(Note added October 18, 2010, in the YMMV [“Your Mileage May Vary”] Department: A conservative CNN columnist, David Frum, generalizes the German experience with multiculturalism and makes the statement “Multiculturalism has Failed.” Sorry, Mr. Frum, multiculturalism is working just fine in California. Open your mind and your heart.)
-Bill at
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