Baker's Wedding, May 1999
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Friday April 30th - Houston to Erie, Rehearsal Dinner
Cecilia and I took Friday off, and left Houston at 11am.  We flew to Cleveland, rented a car, then drove the final ~90 minutes to Erie.  I stopped and picked up my rental tuxedo at a local Erie Mall, and proceeded directly to Greg's house.  We arrived at 5:30pm, just in time to make it to the rehearsal dinner at 6:30pm.  The dinner was held in the Anastasia Mansion in downtown Erie - it was an old mansion converted into one of the best restaurants in Erie.

After dinner we met back at Greg's house, where we found the other Penn guys - Eric, Bullard, Brian, Luke, and Chad.  We went to Scully's Irish Bar across the street from Greg's house, and spent the rest of the evening reliving old times.  At the end of the night we together checked into our apartment/suite at the Peak n' Peak ski resort and golf course, located just outside Erie.  The Peak n' Peak is an important location for Greg and MC - it was the site of Greg's near-fatal snowboarding accident, and also the spot where he proposed to MC after more than a year of recovery from the accident.  Fittingly, the resort would also be the site of the wedding reception on the following day.

We had more than enough luxurious space in the apartment/suite, but we had no more food or drink!  Luke was quite displeased about this fact, and we had no choice but to go to sleep. 

Saturday, May 1st - Ceremony & Reception
We woke up late, since the wedding was not due to start until 1pm.  Cecilia and I showered and dressed for the wedding, had breakfast, then drove into town.  Cecilia and I had to be at the church early for pictures.  I looked pretty slick in my rental tux.

The rest of the Penn guys arrived just before 1pm, as the church began to fill with guests.  Brain and Luke had gotten up too late for breakfast, and were starving.  They decided to make a last minute run to the McDonald's across the street - it was about 12:55pm, so they had to hurry.  They snuck in as the bride was walking down the aisle.
 
Brian & Luke on their way to McDonald's
Brian & Luke happy and full

MC looked great (as expected), and the wedding went smoothly (as expected).  After the ceremony we took several more pictures, then drove to the house of one of Greg's best friends in Erie.  We relaxed on the back porch, and threw the football around the backyard.  It was a warm spring day in the Philadelphia area, and we enjoyed the fresh air.
 
The Newlyweds in the church
Hanging out in the backyard

We drove to the Peak n' Peak resort at 5pm, where the greeting line had already formed outside the reception.  We found a table, enjoyed the shrimp appetizer buffet, and waited for the party to start.  We danced, drank, and enjoyed the party until 11pm, when they finally threw us out.  We drove to a nearby house (inside the resort) that Baker's family had rented for the weekend.  We spent the next few hours in the basement playing cards, eating, and drinking.  Cecilia taught the group a card game called "Mafia", which tests a person's psychology and ability to lie more than it tests their card playing skills.  It was certainly enough to keep the group entertained and interested for the entire night.  After complete saturation in the game, we left the party and were back in our suite by 3am.  Other images from the day:
 
Aaron ready for some shrimp
Luke getting the first piece of cake?
The slow dance....
Twisting the night away....

Sunday, May 2nd - Presque Isle and Return to Houston
We woke up late again, checked out of the hotel, and said good-bye to the group.  We drove to the nearby Presque Isle National Wildlife area, picked up lunch at Taco Bell, and enjoyed a relaxing lunch on the seashore.  The weather was still perfect - blue skies and cool breezes.  We were at the airport by mid-day, and back in Houston on-time.  Another Penn friend turning in his bachelor shoes!
 
 
 
 

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