September 9, 2013.

The eldest girlchild called us the other day and invited us to a wedding. Hers. Weddings are fun so whenever we're invited, we do our best to attend.

The ceremony was to be performed at the City Hall in Manhattan, NY. Being new to all this, I found the whole process interesting. They had to go to the city a few days before the big day to pay for and pick up their marriage license.

On Monday we all trekked to the city to meet at City Hall at around 1100 hours. The staff averages about 70 weddings a day beginning at 0900. Just like a New York deli when you arrive the bridal party gets a number.

There were hundreds of people seated in a long narrow room waiting for their turn at entering the Marital Bliss Regatta. There were overhead screens showing what number marriage was being performed. We had 21 weddings ahead of us so we all strolled outside and hung around in the Bridal Gardens.

It was a nice shady spot with flowers and benches. The trippy thing was that there were always at least a dozen brides milling about. There were small clusters of family all around and each one had its own bride. It was kinda like an 80's music video.

New York is one of the states that have approved same sex marriages so throughout the day I saw girls marry girls, dudes marry dudes and some of the traditional guy/ girl weddings. I even got to see guys dressed as girls get married. It didn't matter who was marrying who, everyone was pretty darned happy. It would have made the day if someone had had an inter-species wedding but alas there were no barnyard animals anywhere to be seen. But it was still quite the show.

When our number was called the kids had to sit and sign the paperwork before moving into one of the several marriage chapels where the actual ceremony was performed.

After a quick bite to eat we all walked to the center of the Brooklyn Bridge to take a few pictures.

Then it was a 20 block forced march to the small restaurant that the kids had had their first date in oh so many years ago.

It ended up being a wonderful day and fun was had by all.  Allow me to present Allyson and her husband Sunil of the Veranda Clan.