A Dwyer Wedding in Las Vegas

Katie D.

September 4, 2011 - 10:05 PM

My wonderful cousin Lindsay was married yesterday in my uncle's house in Las Vegas. Of my eight cousins, she is the first to tie the knot, and her wedding will be the standard against which all others will be measured. The whole family came, and we turned it into a wonderful family reunion, as well as an epic party. I'm not much of a Las Vegas kind of girl (although my aunt did talk me into playing a single dollar in the slot machine: I did not win a million dollars, although my family awarded me the "most theatrical" gambler award), but this weekend has been a real adventure.

Lindsay and her new husband, Nick, are Hollywood people. He's an up-and-coming writer/director, and she is a production manager for TV shows. This translates to a delightful combination of glamour and nerd-dom that was truly delightful to witness. They received a truly astounding number of Star Wars-themed wedding gifts, including Star Wars pancake molds. But perhaps I'm getting ahead of myself.

My dad, sister, grandma and I drove across the deserts of Utah and Nevada to arrive in Las Vegas. My grandmother is one of the toughest people I know: she turned 92 this summer, and made the trip like a trooper. As we zoomed across the American West (and a desolate slice of West it was), she entertained us with stories from her life, from the Great Depression to WWII to these past decades living in the home where my father grew up. I feel incredibly lucky that she is still so gung-ho and enthusiastic about life, and that she was able to be at Lindsay's wedding.

The ceremony itself was beautiful, simple, and quirky. It was in my uncle Mike's backyard, which was HOT on a Las Vegas afternoon, but we all had lovely little parasols to throw some shade. There were only family members and a few close friends for the ceremony, which made it feel really intimate and special. My favorite part was that their friend, Oz Perkins, performed the ceremony. It was short and sweet and funny, complete with a reading from the book of John (dramatic pause) and Luke, and Ringo, and George. Oz was great, and it was fun to know that the guy pronouncing husband and wife was Anthony Perkins' son, who I had previously only known as the awkward friend in Legally Blond.

We also had a fabulous reception party, which included one of the all-times most hilarious dancing moment, which included storm troopers. I'll have pictures to post soon. But as far as weddings go, this seemed to be such a sweet, simple, and hilarious expression of the love between these two folks, and the support and friendship of their whole community. I am thrilled we were there to be a part of it.

With the wedding events over, I did spend a bit more time on the strip, and my relatives convinced me to have the classic Las Vegas experience of turning dollars into no dollars. I experienced Vegas as a kind of anthropological outing: witnessing the insanity of my own culture and trying to puzzle out the odd rituals of it all. One thing I learned, while helping my aunt work the slot machine, was that even if you think the whole thing is hilarious, the folks around you are completely serious about the whole thing. It gave my aunt and me the giggles.

Here's where I sign off, and wish my cousin Lindsay and new cousin Nick the happiest of lives together. Congratulations, and I hope your marriage is full of laughter and Star Wars jokes. I feel so lucky to be part of your family.