The Outback Wedding
This weekend was the festival of Miriam and Marcel's wedding. The Outback Wedding, and my first ever Jewish wedding.
We were super-excited about attending our first Jewish wedding. Jason carefully packed a bobby pin for attaching his yarmulke, and then was quite proud when it stayed on of its own accord. We practised our three Yiddish expressions; schvitzing, schlepping and alter kocker; and carefully read the 'Guide to a Jewish Wedding' enclosed in our invitation. I even befriended a teacher of Jewish studies who told me about klezmer music and the hora. So exciting!!
We gathered at the entrance to Alice Springs' botanic gardens, and were lead into the desert garden by two traditional owners and a klezmer band. Several people (including my Jason!!) carried colourful flags in the procession. It rained during the procession, but during the ceremony the sunlight snuck in right under the huppah. Miriam's little nieces sat around the huppah clutching their banksia bouquets, occasionally running back to their parents in the front row. The ceremony was performed by rabbi Gersh, with English translations of the sung Hebrew. His blessings were punctuated by bursts of Miriam's overjoyed laughter. Marcel stomped on the glass and we shouted 'Mazel tov!'
I was astounded by the overwhelming joy of the Zimmet family in particular. Seeing Marcel's father Paul on Friday night, I remember thinking ,'He looks like the proudest man in the world!'. Then Sunday saw Hendrik holding a post of the huppah, wearing an impossibly wide smile. And finally the groom Marcel, confirmed for me the extraordinary capacity of Zimmet men for unabashed happiness.
Other highlights were hearing Miriam's father, a high court judge, admit to making Ferris Bueller jokes in court (AWESOME!), the trays of mini-desserts (mini desserts mean you can eat seven, right?) and dancing under the outback stars.
Nice job, Miriam and Marcel. Mazel tov!!
We were super-excited about attending our first Jewish wedding. Jason carefully packed a bobby pin for attaching his yarmulke, and then was quite proud when it stayed on of its own accord. We practised our three Yiddish expressions; schvitzing, schlepping and alter kocker; and carefully read the 'Guide to a Jewish Wedding' enclosed in our invitation. I even befriended a teacher of Jewish studies who told me about klezmer music and the hora. So exciting!!
We gathered at the entrance to Alice Springs' botanic gardens, and were lead into the desert garden by two traditional owners and a klezmer band. Several people (including my Jason!!) carried colourful flags in the procession. It rained during the procession, but during the ceremony the sunlight snuck in right under the huppah. Miriam's little nieces sat around the huppah clutching their banksia bouquets, occasionally running back to their parents in the front row. The ceremony was performed by rabbi Gersh, with English translations of the sung Hebrew. His blessings were punctuated by bursts of Miriam's overjoyed laughter. Marcel stomped on the glass and we shouted 'Mazel tov!'
I was astounded by the overwhelming joy of the Zimmet family in particular. Seeing Marcel's father Paul on Friday night, I remember thinking ,'He looks like the proudest man in the world!'. Then Sunday saw Hendrik holding a post of the huppah, wearing an impossibly wide smile. And finally the groom Marcel, confirmed for me the extraordinary capacity of Zimmet men for unabashed happiness.
Other highlights were hearing Miriam's father, a high court judge, admit to making Ferris Bueller jokes in court (AWESOME!), the trays of mini-desserts (mini desserts mean you can eat seven, right?) and dancing under the outback stars.
Nice job, Miriam and Marcel. Mazel tov!!
Comments
Post a Comment