Love is in the air...The Bergen/Brynner nuptuals

Nothing quite like a wedding to pour happiness into the world. We all gathered in white under a big orb-like Tunis moon (an enormous milky electric ball of light), with a simple chuppah fashioned of silver birch poles and a black and white prayer shawl, holding candles, as the Rabbi, Sharon Brous, as inspiring a woman as anyone could find, particularly for clergy, oversaw the service. Both the bride and groom, sartorially resplendant, had written their own vows and we listened of course, biting our lips to hold back tears, and watched children in wide-eyed awe with their wax-dripping candles held askew, against the night sky. This wedding felt solid and grounded on something real. Both have loved and lost love, and despite their natural cynicism (the institution of marriage is innately arcane) both came to this moment soberly and with an open heart. Under the stars on a cold night in the desert, sheltered by mountains, surrounded by their children, their families and all the people that love them, Lynn and Matti became man and wife. The wedding announcement is here.

Many deserve special mentions: My beloved, the Maharishi who held up his corner of the chuppah very seriously (for a goyim); to my youngest child in strapless white seersucker with pale blue shoes and fingernails; to Gibbin for adding a dash of jaunty daffodil to his white dhoti (and for the first celeb sighting of the day -- Martha Stewart); to all the tiny children who stayed up far beyond their bedtimes and stood quietly through the service; to @tmcromi for endless good humor and lending a gorgeous gold necklace to my child (and for spotting the second biggest celeb of the day -- Paula Abdul with chihuahua); to Day for making me laugh till we cried as we sat knickerless and be-towellingrobed in the Parker Spa; to K & N the bridegroom's children for writing beautiful, thoughtful, funny, touching speeches for their father and much loved stepmother; to Lynn for dashing about all weekend making sure everyone was fed, watered, wined, petanqued, tennised & slathered, while remaining deadly calm and serenely stunning (imagine Candace Bergen circa 1977); and to Matti, the splendid groom, whose one-woman show promises to be the hit of 2010.