RoBBlog

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, Mr. & Mrs. James Tommey!

James and Kristin's wedding weekend was months in the making. Thankfully, and to the benefit of all parties involved, I was only present for three days.

I traveled to Boston Thursday evening in hopes of attending the bachelor party. Unfortunately, late arrival prevented my participation in what was later explained to be a very low key affair. I grabbed dinner and a couple of beeryas (phonetic spelling for my friends in Boston) at the hotel before hitting the sack. Friday was to be a long day.

Upon unpacking, I discovered that the coat and tie intended for the rehearsal dinner had not make it to Beantown. This was a problem. A shopping trip would be needed to acquire the items. Between picking up the tuxedo, picking up Nicole at Logan and other obligations, little time was available. Luckily, the hotel was attached to a shopping mall housing a Banana Republic store. Problem solved.

After a brief shopping excursion to the mall, I took the subway to Logan. Nicole's arrival was a relief. Wedding tensions were already running high and I needed my friend to keep me out of the blast zone. Thankfully, her flight was on time making the afternoon feel less rushed. We hung out at the hotel and had a couple of cocktails before attending the rehearsal and dinner. We ended the evening by taking my sister, Meredith, to the Fairmont for a night cap. It was lovely having adult conversation and drinks with her. She can no longer be called "my baby sister" :-(

The big day started with a trip along the Freedom Trail. Nicole and I brought gym clothes and decided a long walk through historical downtown Boston fit the bill. We walked from Copley Square to the Commons and finally stopped 2 1/2 hours later at Bunker Hill Monument. Needless to say, we got a cab back to the hotel.

Starving from our exercise, we walked over to Newbury St for lunch at Stephanie's. We were not alone. The sunny and mild day coaxed the masses out. We had to sit at the bar, which in the end was perfect. Nicole is a true football fan. It is always fun to watch games with her as she can actually converse on the subject. Truly, charming!

Finally, it was time for the wedding. I put on my tux and rushed down to the lobby. Wedding party pictures were taken in front of the beautiful Boston Public Library. And although the wind was high, it did not stop the photographers from getting the necessary shots. Once finished, we traveled in mass to Old South Church.

As the ceremony began, memories of a young Kristin flooded my mind. I quietly reveled in those thoughts until finally the processional began. She gracefully walked down the aisle in her beautiful dress, escorted by our father. The ceremony was touching. I had to suppress the tears as the vows were exchanged.

The reception was back at the hotel. James' father, a professional musician, and band provided the reception entertainment. After drinks, toasts, dinner and cake, we all took turns on the dance floor reliving our youth. Of course, some had to regress much further than others. :-) A good time was had by all.

Sunday, we had brunch at the hotel with the family before taking the subway to Harvard Square. We walked the Harvard campus. The fall colors were simply amazing. The breeze caused the multicolored leaves to constantly stream down. It was like a movie scene for a couple of southerners! We stopped at John Harvard's for lunch which lasted longer than expected. Nicole and I decided to try the micro brew sampler which left us in no big hurry to move on. Eventually, we unglued our butts from the chairs and finished our little adventure with some shopping before heading back to the hotel.

Sunday evening was the payoff. We decided to take full advantage of our time by wining and dining through some of Boston's finest offerings. It began with hotel hopping. We stopped for drinks at the Taj and Four Seasons. Then we ate at a wonderful North End restaurant called Prezza (Thanks, Kristin for the recommendation). The food was excellent and the service impeccable. Lastly, and based on a suggestion by our waiter, we visited the Top of the Hub at Prudential Center. It is an extremely elegant jazz bar sitting on the top floor of Boston's 2nd tallest building. We enjoyed a bottle of champagne while admiring the breath taking view. It was a truly wonderful experience.

Monday morning finally came much to my dismay. A wonderful weekend was over. We packed our bags, hailed a cab and headed to the airport. As sad as it was to leave, the memories of the wedding, the walk along Freedom Trail and the spectacular view from Top of the Hub were well worth it.

Photos from the trip can be found below.

The Rehearsal

The Big Day

The Day After