The culture of weddings

Philip & I had our first British wedding experience this last weekend. The OT that I work with married her highschool sweetheart (okay so they don't do highschool in the UK like we do, but that same general idea. . . technically they were British highschool sweethearts but British highschool is actually only the equivilant of US junior high). I DIGRESS. . . Weddings typically happen in three parts over here. 1. ceremony (small, close friends & family only), 2. reception (small, close friends & family only) 3. evening reception/dance (more people invited, informal meal for everyone --- at this wedding it was a hog roast)

Cultural observations Philip & I made about this social setting:

- distance & proximity --- people stand very close when socializing

- greetings --- it was one of the first situations we've been in whilst in Britian where everyone

greeted with a kiss on the cheek

- um, well, cleavage --- no joke you could probably see part of the bra of 90% of the women in

attendance (no mom, I was not one of them)

- tattoos --- Philip noted that working-class Brits tend to have tattoos in more visible,

prominent places on their body than you may see of someone in the US

It was a really fun experience. As a gift I gave Sarah my recipe for "Puppy Chow" (everyone in the office goes WILD when I make that stuff and bring it in, absolutely WILD) and bought her a stock of chex, Skippy pb and semi-sweet choc. chips (each not something that if you can manage to find in the UK it will only be after a very difficult search - well, not Chex, but I'm trying to figure out an "equivilant" cereal for them to use in the recipe). I figured it was a bit like "give a man a fish and he'll eat for a day - teach a man to fish and he'll eat for a lifetime" - this way the Drake family can enjoy this chocolatey, peanutbuttery delight for years after Philip and I have left the country.