Nupts-a most irregular series

I'm a sucker for a great love story, so in honor of my nephew's nupts next weekend, I have resurrected one of my favorite series.

These are excerpts from the June 13, 2010 NYT.

I haven't paid attention lately, but I am glad to see the Times has reverted to publishing the banns of those at all levels of the meritocracy. What is also obvious, and admittedly the survey sample is skewed, is that hard times continue for ordained ministers. A very large percentage of the listed weddings were officiated by relatives who wrote a check for their ordination papers.

I clearly understand couples not wishing church weddings, but to buy ordination papers is not only disrespectful to members of the cloth, but trivializes religious belief. Why can't all states,allow ANYONE to marry via the Colorado plan.

Nicki and Roni:Love can strike anywhere. For Nicki and Roni it got em at the post office. Nicki had briefly caught Roni's eye on the streets on NY. An hour later they were in line together picking up packages at the local Post Office.

Guys beware of this, in my heart I truly believe women really believe this. Be on your guard. I quote Nicki,"I thought I had missed my opportunity on the street corner, and now I had seen it as a sign that the two of us were supposed to meet that day because we were getting a second chance."

Believe it or not, romance ensued from that chance encounter. In March 2009, Roni walked her back to the same PO, walked to the same pick up window, dropped to one knee and proposed. Nicki accepted.

Amanda and Brad:This is double weird.

Amanda lived in Boston, Brad in NY. Mutual friends introduced them at a Halloween Party in NY in 2006, where they found an immediate connection. In 2008, Amanda moved to NY supposedly for her career, more likely to grease the skids for their future wedding.

The kids parents met in January 2007. Upon their introduction, the brides father asked the grooms mother, "don't I know you from somewhere?" They couldn't find the connection.

During one of those 3 AM Aha ah moments dad realized they dated in college. Wouldn't that give you the heebies? The bride to be saw it as kismet.

Farhanna and Andre: Times are tight, and you need to find work where you can get it to support your family. Take Andre for instance. He is a local city councilman, interim director of student recruitment at Bergen Community College, adjunct history professor at William Patterson University, and an adjunct psychology professor at Passaic CC.

Kahdijah and Kandar: Kahdijar's (Candy jar?) daddy and his brother Kool had a band. Remember them? No, they didn't perform, but dad did walk her down the aisle, and yes they did play Celebration when the couple was announced at the reception.

It's easy to get caught up in the gloom during these troubling times. The optimism of these young people is heart warming. May they always be as happy as Mrs. T and I.

Toad

Nupts- an irregular series

I admit I have recently given up reading the Sunday NYT Vows section. I became bored to tears of Dr. Superman meets Wonder Woman, Multiple PhD's at the day care center were they volunteer blah blah blah.

Seems like the Times became sick of it too, since at least this week they featured couples you may actually want to know in real life.

Take for instance:

Susan and Justin-They were married Saturday in Cincinnati. Regular folks with regular jobs. They met while living in the same apartment building. Justin bought two pumpkin pies and several canned goods for a church food drive. Once there he found they would not accept the pies so keeping one, he searched his building for someone to take the other. Seeing a door with Thanksgiving decorations he knocked and offered his pie. That's how he met Susan.

The following day she left a thank you note, and the following week as she was holiday decorating he asked her to linner. They have been together since.

Kaaryn and Demond- Kaaryn is a program director for several non profits. Until last March Demond was a project manager for an architectural consulting firm, He is now pursuing his bachelors degree.

Lindsay and Daniel-She teaches first grade, he's a personal trainer.

Aliza and Ariel-The couple met through mutual friends, but her never got up the gumption to ask her out. Finally, he manned up and asked her out, forgetting that was Holocaust Remembrance Day, a day he spends time at Synagogue, to read the names of family members lost.

To ask her to come would put her in an awkward position, so they met for drinks, and then he asked her to join him. She went.

In June 2009, he decided to propose during their first camping trip. He excused himself and went to get something out of the trunk of his car. He returned to the campfire wearing a suit, and carrying a rose and a ring.

She said yes, they celebrated with s'mores.

Thank you NYT for coming back to reality.

Toad

Ms. Mindless

Ms. Mindless of Mindless Musings is being married today. I am very happy for Mrs. M, and the lucky man who will share his life with her.

I found Ms. M's blog just prior to beginning mine. It has been a secret goal of mine to write as well and as funny about every day occurances as she manages to do. I'll never match her wit and panache, but it doesn't keep a boy from trying.

I can't wait for the pictures from the wedding and reception.

Best Wishes, Ms. M from Mrs. T, myself and all of us here.

Toad

This just in

I've had weddings on my mind for the past day or so. I'll more fully explain why tomorrow.

I must have been sending out some kind of vibe, since out of the blue daughter Katy sent this to me with the tag, "Could you even imagine?"

This would never fly in a suburban Catholic church, and maybe not yours either, but it's not my wedding to judge. The kids look like they are having fun,and they end up just as married as the couple married by a bishop.

So take a couple of minutes out of your busy day, and wear a smile every time you think of this.




Toad

Want your name in the paper?

All of your life you've read the Times wedding section. Seen the beautiful brides, fantasized about the church, the ceremony, your spouse to be. And dagnabbit, you've work hard, done the right thing, found the right partner, and you deserve for your wedding announcement to appear in the Sunday NYT vows section.

So how do you go about it? Go Bridezilla on them and your toast.

According to a recent story in the Times, its not all that hard. You just have to complete the following info and submit. They are looking for achievers, so you better have done something worthwhile. If your submission makes the first cut, every blessed thing you submit will be fact checked, six times to Sunday so DO NOT LIE. Revisions to the rules are coming soon, but I doubt it will make it easier to get in. You have about a 1 in 5 chance of making it.

How to Submit an Announcement


To submit news of your celebration to The New York Times, please observe the following instructions closely.
Weddings and commitment ceremonies are reported in the Sunday Styles pages and on the Web at nytimes.com/weddings. We report ceremonies taking place during the previous six days. Events that take place on a Sunday are reported on the day of the ceremony. The timing is governed by the date of the formal event. Submissions are rewritten, fact-checked and edited according to the standards of The Times.

Engagement notices are no longer published.

Please send in requests for weddings or commitment announcements at least six weeks before the event. Although we sometimes consider submissions received after that deadline, we give preference to those received first.

The Times does not charge for publishing these news articles — but space is limited, and we cannot guarantee publication.

Your request must be typewritten and include the full names of the couple, the date of their event and the approximate time of day. We need their addresses, schooling and occupations. Also mention any noteworthy awards that the couple may have received, as well as charitable activities and/or special achievements. We also ask that you tell us how the couple met.

We also require information on the residences and occupations of the couple’s parents. Please include this information even if the parents are no longer living.

In the case of a wedding, a civil union or a partnership registration, we must have the name of the person who will sign the official certificate. Please give the exact title and affiliation. For an interfaith event, please include the names and affiliations of any other officiants who will participate. Please also state the exact location of the event.

All announcements must include daytime, evening and cellphone numbers for the couple and their parents. We also need the office phone numbers for those performing the ceremony. Please identify each number. Submissions without telephone numbers cannot be considered.

If you wish, you may demonstrate your preferences by following the form of an announcement that has appeared in our Sunday newspaper.

Our policy on photographs has changed. While we continue to include formal portraits of couples and individual brides, we also include full-length images of brides in wedding dresses, as well as informal photographs of individuals or couples at home, outdoors or in other attractive settings. Those posing for pictures should be neatly dressed, and the images should be of professional quality. Five-by-seven or eight-by-ten prints are preferred. They may be either black-and-white or color.

Couples posing for pictures should arrange themselves with their eyebrows on exactly the same level and with their heads fairly close together. Couple pictures should be printed in a horizontal format.

Please be sure to write the couple’s names and the date of the event on the back, and include the photographer’s name if credit is required. Photographs altered in any fashion are not accepted. And pictures cannot be returned.

If necessary, photographs can be submitted under separate cover, but they should be delivered to The Times, at the address given below, at least 10 days before the date of the event. Please note that while pictures may be sent by regular mail, recent events have dramatically slowed delivery. To ensure that your photo reaches us on time, we suggest sending it by overnight delivery or messenger service.

Guidelines for Sending Images by E-mail
Image requirements: - JPEG file format- File compression size of 9 or more- RGB color- 300 DPI at an 8x10 size (or 10 inches on the longest dimension).- File size of 12mgs or more (this will be determined by the above).

Other suggestions: - Please try to avoid images with red-eye.- Images should be sharp, in focus.- Try to avoid busy or confusing backgrounds.- Try to select an image where couple's heads and eyes are on the same level.

If you wish to have us consider your event for the Sunday “Vows” column, please prepare a duplicate submission, along with a covering letter giving details about the planned ceremony and reception. Tell us about how the couple met. Please direct your request to the “Vows” column.
Where to Send the Information
By e-mail: society@nytimes.com.
By fax: 212-556-7689. (Fax users will not receive confirmation of delivery.)
By mail or overnight courier: Society News, 4th floor, The New York Times, 620 Eighth Ave., N.Y. 10018. (If you would like to verify receipt of your submission, please also include a stamped, self-addressed postcard with your mailing.)

Again, please note that we cannot guarantee publication. If your announcement is selected, you will be telephoned by a member of our staff a few weeks before the event.

If questions remain, you may telephone the Society News desk at (212)-556-7321. Because of the volume of requests, we may not be able to reply immediately.

How to Submit Yourself for Our 'Vows' Video Series
Please submit your wedding announcement for consideration to the paper before being considered for the video series (see above).

If you would like to be considered for our Vows video series, please send an e-mail to videovows@nytimes.com. Please include the following information in your e-mail:
1) The full name of the bride and groom and contact information, including address and phone numbers, for both.
2) The date of your wedding.
3) How did you first meet?
4) Who proposed and how?
5) Is there anything else that you would like us to know?
6) Do you have any home video of the two of you that you would be willing to share?
If you are selected for the series, a Times producer will contact you.

Nupts, an irregular series

As condensed and retold form the Sunday July 5, 2009 New York Times

First, I wouldn't have thought that the July 4th weekend would be a wedding biggie. Was I wrong.

Erika and Ted At heart, I am a sap for a good story, especially a good love story. Their story has elements of all the great movies you have ever seen, the fantasies you've conjured, and a beautiful ending.

Ted and Erika met 17 years ago in high school. He was a wrestler and cartoonist, Erika was the new kid, a transfer student focused on her love of equestrian show jumping. The girl was disciplined, and had little time for socializing. At a graduation party she told him she had a crush on him. he replied" I've had a crush on you since the moment I met you". After that they were an item.

August, she went to college in Colorado Springs, while he stayed home. By October the distance became too great. They broke up. He tried to keep it going, but to no avail. So he made a vow, " I will never date you again".

So Ted got on with his life, moved around the country for a while, writing long letters he never sent, but he still kept tabs on her. Friends would tell him Erika is going this, Erika is doing that, but he never contacted her.

In the mean time, Erika got on with her life too. She never found Mr. Right, but she never called Ted, remembering his vow.

In 1988 they were each living in NY but had minimal contact. Then in 2007 he emailed her, inviting her for a drink. Ted was in a 3 year relationship, but couldn't pull the trigger, stymied by his memories of Erika.

Erika was late, but he didn't notice. They had a quick drink, hugged on the sidewalk, she walked around the corner and cried hysterically.

Another year goes by without contact, then out of the blue he invites her to a reunion for a mutual friend. By the end of the evening they were goners. Remember his girlfriend? Kicked to the curb.

Six months later they were engaged, six months after that they were married.

I think they'll make it.

Allegra and Richard: A common story of boy meets girl, boy marries girl, but with a twist. "The couple were married on their birthday" Odd?

Priscilla and Derick:The bride 34 is in her final year of a 4 year dual degree program at Columbia. Picking up a MS in Nursing, and Masters in Public Health.

Derick, 40, is the communications officer of the Texas State Library in Austin, Tex.

What, they couldn't wait a year? Any thoughts?

Last story

Jana and Robert: The couple met in 6th grade, where they attended classes together. When they shared a gym class in 11th grade, she developed a crush on the shy unsuspecting lad. He accepted her invitation to the Junior Prom, and they have been together ever since.

On Jana's 21 birthday the suave, devil Robert proposed in Nordstom in Seattle of all places. He didn't have any money or a ring, so he gave her a pair of Chanel sunglasses. Later, after taking work he presented Jana with one of his great-grandmother's rings, which he had reset.

Says the bride, "It actually has more diamonds than his great-grandmother had. I designed it and made it more modern, so now it's my own."

Secretly, I have my doubts about these two, but I wish them the best.

And to all the happy couples I offer this one wish. May you each be as happy as Mrs. T and I all the days of your lives.

Toad

Nupts- an irregular series

A banner week girls and boys. Love is in the air, and this is over achievers week.

Sabrina & Jamie:The couple met while earning law degrees from Yale. She graduated from Michigan and picked up a masters from Harvard. The groom, no slouch himself graduated from Stanford, picked up a Master's in secondary education from the University of Mississippi (go figure) as well as an MFA in creative writing from Iowa.

Sara & Doug: Sara is an OB/GYN. Doug is in radio. Both grew up on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, attended Brown, and have long time mutual friends, they did not meet until they were fixed up on a blind date. A year later they proposed to each other with Doug's dog along for the show. "We met relatively late in life, but just in the nick of time, says Doug. We were both looking for love and didn't know if we would find it. I'm really happy we did." Doug's dog had no comment.

Harlyn & Srinivas: Classic immigrant kids. She: Wellesley, Boston University, Harvard. Dr. Srinivas: Princeton, Harvard, Harvard.

Georgia and Micah: Did I mention that Georgia is a soprano? She is. Sings opera. Who would have guessed that Micah is a stage manager. See if you can follow along. They met when she ...(sang) in one of Micah's..... operas. Very good. It was love at first sight even though she did not show for the first day of rehearsals. At the end of the run, Micah knew he was a goner. Before they parted ways at the airport, suave Micah picked up a piece of pink string and tied it around her finger with a bow. She said yes.

Brittany and Carlyn: This is one of those things we are going to have to get are arms around if this is to become a better country. Brit is a mental heath counselor. Carlyn is in finance. Carlyn aunt is performing the ceremony. Brittany will take Carlyn's name. How would you ever come to that decision?

Last one, and the one I believe offers the most hope for the future.

Maria and Daniel: Maria is a post doc working in economics. Brown, Chicago, Chicago. Daniel U of Wisc, master's in sociology education from Cambridge, masters in sociology (Chicago) ABD Chicago in sociology. Both are addicted to student loans.

The couple met at a bus stop in Chicago. "He seemed nice", she said. The happened to get off at the same stop, and walked into a grocery store. As he was leaving he bumped into her again. They began a short conversation, ABOUT BEHAVIORAL ECONOMICS.

Gents, as a pick up line, I wouldn't recommend it, but it worked for him.

Our best wishes to the happy couples. Thank you NYT.

Nupts- An irregular series

Once again we pay a visit to the pages of the Sunday New York Times Vows section.

Not everything Girls and Boys is for our amusement. Some of these little treasures enlighten, some frighten. The improbability of the first story moved me. If this doesn't defy gravity nothing will.

Lt. Christine and Lt. Jeffrey: Lt C and Lt. J began dating when C was a high school freshman and, and he a sophomore at Homestead High in Mequon, Wisconsin. They broke up when he was accepted to the US Naval Academy. C fixed his ass and went to the US Air Force Academy. Must be one heck of a high school.

Both became pilots, he's a fighter jockey stationed in Virginia Beach, she pilots tankers from a RAF station in England.

They met again at a Navy/AF football game and rekindled their romance. In the mean time he became an Oxford fellow and picked up a masters degree at Oxford.

"She will hopefully be restationed somewhere near Virginia by next year...I can't wait for the two of us to be closer together-it would be nice to take a weekend drive and be able to see her"

And I complained of his and her apartments.

Sada and Brendan: Yale grad Sada is a 3 time Olympic medalist in the sabre. The groom, a Penn State boy epees. After a bit of parry and thrust they were married in Atlanta. "..he just struck me as a very loyal person" says the bride.

Gents I'd recommend caution while dating a woman trained in the deadly arts.

Olivia and David: Met as Rhodes Scholars at Oxford, and each are doing post doc work at MIT. Obviously they are both bright kids, and their parents are gratified to find that Cupid found matches for their nerd kids.

"The brides paternal great grandfather, opened a department store in London." Is this relevant?

Alyssa and Bretton: Married in Charleston, the couple met at University of Michigan where she just graduated from Law school, and he is doing post grad work.

So she was able to land a job. As an associate in the Hanoi, Vietnam office of a Chicago law firm. He had to pick up a Fulbright to work on his dissertation in Hanoi. The job market is tough.

Friends, Nupts are one of two times in your live that are absolutely, positively an affirmation of optimism. We wish these kids well.

Toad

Nupts-An irregular series Part 1

Does this count?

From Sunday May 10, 2009 New York Times

Toad

Nupts- a regular series - Maybe

Guys, you have no idea how many television channels are devoted to weddings. The deck is stacked against you and you have no clue. Considering the state of marriage in the world that is either incredibly hopeful, or deeply cynical. I prefer to look positively.

To honor a boys look at marriage I propose to run an infrequent series called NUPTS. Nupts are quick review of many of the wedding notices in the Sunday, New York Times. My view may be snarky, biased, disbelieving or just plain wrong, but hopefully always respectful. If they can be optimistic and so can I.

Let us begin with April 26's paper.

Elaine and Nirav: She's a travel editor for Modern Bride magazine. No mention of where the honeymoon was, but she elected to be married at home in Charleston. For a travel editor I thought this was tres cool. Charleston is pretty this time of year.

Anne and Gerald: She is 80, he's 84. They met at Harvard in 1947, and had wait for their spouses to die.

Catherine and Kevin: She's a nurse practitioner. He is a free lance financial analyst and works on spreadsheets. Unemployed?

Laurie and Joel: Married Saturday by Joyce ordained by the Church at Your House Society. Joel's father, a Methodist Minister, also took part. I'm feeling a little tension between Laurie and her in-laws.

Carlin and Andras: Cute couple. His mother is an art psychotherapist at Yale-New Haven Hospital. She's seeing like, Whistler's mother?

Pauline and Miguel: She operates a home based dessert catering business in Manhattan. Seems kinda limiting to me, but maybe I misjudge the need for dessert in NYC.

There are 8 million stories in the naked city. These are only some of them.

Toad