St. Louis, MO

Ahhh . . . weddings! Rashmi and I made it up to Saint Louis, MO, home to Washington University, for the Henley-Salomon wedding (both pictured dancing below). Simon's crew came from all over (e.g., Knoxville, Vancouver, South Africa). Martha's contingent hailed from St. Louis, Oklahoma, and Vanderbilt. It was pretty cool to look around the room and see people from so many parts of the globe. It was even cooler to hear their stories, such as the South Africans fending baboons away from their back porch with rocks (this is not an uncommon experience I am told). Rashmi was part of the bridal party, which meant that most of my weekend involved ferrying her from hair appointment, to nail appointment, and so on.
The wedding itself was almost picture perfect. It took place in an old, picturesque Presbyterian church near Wash U, and Simon's minister from Knoxville officiated. I say almost perfect, however, because at the end of the ceremony, right as the preacher pronounced the couple man and wife, there was a tremendous peal of thunder and lightning and all of the power in the building went out. You couldn't have timed it any better. Everyone in the church sat speechless for a few seconds, until the lights began to flicker back on and people remembered to laugh. I guess God must have an impecable sense of humor.
The reception took place at the Bevo Mill, which for those of you not from Saint Louis is literally a giant working windmill in the middle of the city. Very cool, and a good time was had by all -- some better than others as you can tell from the last picture.