In a recent conversation about travel packing, M asked me if I took my bathing suit to South America.

“Yes,” I replied, “since we went snorkeling, but I could have gotten away without it by unzipping the legs of my jungle pants, and I wore a shirt anyway to avoid sunburn on my back.”

“Oh, what shirt did you wear snorkeling?”

“It was,” I said, with sudden realization, “the top I wore to S’s wedding.” (S is her daughter.)

We laughed hysterically at my wardrobe. Imagine the fashion show… “Here is Clare in a lovely sleeveless top that will take her straight from the deep sea to her niece’s wedding.”

The wedding took place on a lovely day in August at a former farm (now serving as an event site owned by the University) an hour’s drive from Toronto. Most of the guests partied late and camped or slept in the dorm room overnight. The photo above shows me with my mother and sister taking part in a tea ceremony with the bride and groom. Below is the entire group of guests (even including the photographer/friend, the cakemaker/sister-of-the-bride, chef/brother-of-the-groom, florist/cousin-of-the-groom, videographer/cousin-of-the-bride.) It was a beautiful day and everyone was happy.  Most of us partied late and camped or slept in the dorm room overnight, for brunch the next day. I thought that two highlights of the wedding were the guest participation in the preparations and activities, and how relaxed everyone was, including the bride and groom (although that may have been a good act).