The Blessed Event

Congratulations to the happy couple!

Mr. Christopher Joseph Erdmann and Ms. Katrina Anastasia Lambrianou were married at the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Mayfair, London on April 14th, 2007.

The weather was perfect and the wedding was lovely.

As most of you know, the primary reason for my trip to England was to witness this blessed event and share in celebrating the wedding of my dear friend Chris. He is truly blessed, and God has smiled on him by delivering Katrina into his life.

It was a storybook wedding in an historic church in Westminster with a complete Catholic Mass and full choir. I felt like I was witnessing something out of a film - it was so beautiful. The details of the event were impressive - Chris and Katrina did an amazing job in planning the event. I especially enjoyed the music during the service.

But, before the wedding, as is the tradition on both sides of the Atlantic, the guys took Chris for an evening out a few days before. In America we call it a Bachelor Party, in England they call it a Stag Night. Katrina's brothers - there are three (not pictured) - and all the guys who came over from the States gathered at Kettner's Steak House in Soho for a dinner.

Since the ground rules were clear - no booze, no scantily clad women and nothing that might get Chris arrested - we had to be creative to make the evening more than just an opportunity to eat red meat, smoke cigars and speak coarsly. Thus, I came up with a plan....

As many of you know, Chris is a very AMERICAN American, and when it sunk in that he had moved to London, was marrying an Englishwoman AND applying for a British Passport, I began to worry that his patriotism was in danger of erroding, so...

...we dressed him up in an extra large t-shirt dress that said "All American Girl" on the front and put a star-spangled banner USA cap on his head for the evening. In order for him to prove his undying allegience to the good old US of A, I printed up the lyrics to various patriotic songs for him to sing at a number of places in central London.

In addition to climbing on one of the lions in Trafalgar Square and singing in a loud strong voice, we headed for 10 Downing Street (the official residence of the Prime Minister Tony Blair).

Chris is singing Lee Greenwood's famous song "God Bless the USA" to the uniformed security officer at the front gate. Alas, they would not let us in to have Chris serenade Mr. Blair. For those of you not familiar with this American classic, penned during the first Iraq War and popular at Boot Camp Graduations and NASCAR races across the US, here is the first stanza:

"If tomorrow all the things were gone, I'd worked for all my life. And I had to start again, with just my children and my wife. I'd thank my lucky stars, to be livin' here today. 'Cause the flag still stands for freedom, and they can't take that away. And I'm proud to be an American, where at least I know I'm free. And I won't forget the men who died, who gave that right to me. And I gladly stand up, next to you and defend her still today. 'Cause there ain't no doubt I love this land, God Bless the USA!"

Alas, no arrests were made that night....

But, back to the WEDDING!

Did I say that the weather was perfect? Here is an exterior shot of the church:

The interior was even more beautiful. Here, Chris and Joe get some last minute instructions from the Priest.

"You may kiss the bride..."

Below are Chris, Katrina, the Best Man Joe and little Charlotte.

Chris' friend Joe was everything one could want in a best man - not only a good friend to Chris, but articulate, funny and devastatingly handsome (the ladies tell me that is....)

The Wedding Party, including the parents (two sets for Chris).

Yours truly and Chris.

A recent addition to the clan sleeps peacefully after the service. The family Chris has married into is rather large, so the wedding was crawling with cute kids...

Every wedding needs an adorable flower girl - Charlotte Lambrianou was a bit reluctant at times, but performed admirably!

The boys were very excited about the idea of throwing handfulls of flower petals at the couple as they emerged from the church - we had to remind them to throw the flowers UP into the air, not AT the couple!

Alas, the Father of the Bride suffered a stroke recently and could not give a speech at the reception, but he was there to preside as the patriarch of the family. He is a Greek Cypriot and is on the right. His brother - who does not speak English - made the trip from Cyprus and is on the left.

To transport the many guests from the church to the reception site, Chris and Katrina hired suitable transportation.

The reception, dinner and dancing took place at the Chandos House, also in Mayfair. It used to be a College of Medicine - now it is a private club and available for events.

A closer look.

No shots of the reception itself - I was more interested in eating wonderful food and talking with the diverse group of wedding guests. The party went until midnight and included a cocktail reception on the back terrace, a full four course dinner with French service in the upper ballroom, and Greek dancing in the main hall. A good time was had by all!

Chris and Katrina are off to Fiji and New Zealand for three weeks - all the best to them!