The reception was in a large clear tent behind Casa Feliz, 656 N Park Ave, Winter Park, FL. Heat trickled out of the Casa into the tent but it couldn’t keep up with the cold. The wedding planner suggested I stand at a table behind the wedding couple, but that made no sense to me to sketch them from behind, instead I sat on a low brick wall that looked across the space towards the wedding couple. The loose flaps of the tent billowed open in the cold breeze. The brick wall was cold, so I asked a server if they could just get me one of the chair seat cushions. That did help keep my butt warm.
Carrie and Doug Gesiorski sat in large ornate wooden chairs. Carrie had a warm cream colored shawl to warm up her shoulders. The Cook Trio performed during the reception. They were in a large archway behind the wedding couple. There was no tent to block the cold wind from hitting the band. They were troopers and did an amazing set.
Couples who had never met before sat across from each other. Many couples were from Washington D.C. so I overheard some tips on great restaurants in D.C. The place was opulent. The animated conversations slowly grew louder. There were full place settings with ivory and gold chargers, champagne linens on the tables with nugget crushed organza runners. Ivory draping and a chandelier illuminated the setting. Rose bouquets stood on tall wrought iron stands on each table.
At one point, guests at a table started a football stadium styled wave. The guests stood and raised their arms in the air while whooping. Not every table was on board, by by the third try, the wave had swept around the whole tent. I’m guessing it was a good way to warm up.After dinner everyone quickly went back inside to warm up. I heard the cake cutting going on inside as I finished this sketch. When I was done, I got a plate of ravioli. As I ate, Carrie and Doug came over to say hello and see my sketches. Carrie was digging out some wedding cake from between her cleavage. They had planned to serve each other wedding cake with quiet dignified reserve, but as Doug raised the fork to Carrie’s mouth, the cake slipped off the fork and down the v-neck her dress. The best laid plans of mice and men often go astray, but it doesn’t matter as long as you are still having fun. I left feeling truly honored to have documented this pivotal moment in the young couples life.