1. Real Weddings

Putzi & Alan: An Outdoor Wedding in Millwood, VA

The late April wedding was a graceful evening. It was as sweet and subtle as a classic love poem -- like the very words that stole the bride's heart o

The late April wedding was a graceful evening. It was as sweet and subtle as a classic love poem -- like the very words that stole the bride's heart one wintry evening months before. THE BRIDE Putzi Wesson, 54 THE GROOM Alan Hirshberg, 59 THE DATE April 21 Putzi and Alan were dining out, enjoying quiet conversation and a fabulous meal, when their waiter dramatically lifted a pastry-made dome to expose a ring embedded in the petals of a single ruby-red rose. The rim of the plate had the first line from one of Alan's favorite poems by Andrew Marvell, 'To His Coy Mistress,' which starts, 'Had we but world enough, and time' written in chocolate, remembers Putzi. It was not surprising then that love poems encouraged romantic revelry the night Putzi and Alan wed. Guests were invited to a pre-ceremony gathering at Lockesly Manor, in the foothills of the Shenendoah, chosen for its grandeur and beauty.

We didn't have any attendants per se, but my son Josh and Alan's daughter Ellie participated, says Putzi. Josh, 30, escorted Ellie, also 30, down the aisle lit with candle lanterns to the huppah, which was dressed in a spray of ivory, champagne, purple, and celadon spring flowers. Alan had asked his eldest nephew Marc, of all his nieces and nephews who had come all the way from Nantes, France, to read to me the same Andrew Marvell poem he had written on the dessert platter for his proposal, remembers Putzi. And I asked a good friend to read 'To My Dear and Loving Husband' by Anne Bradstreet to Alan.
A dessert buffet -- which included individual orange and vanilla creme brulee; miniature fruit tarts; milk, dark, and white chocolate truffles; and triple-dipped strawberries -- took the place of a traditional wedding cake.
The rest of the evening, guests mingled to classical numbers performed by a string quartet, enjoying the intimate atmosphere. The wedding was festive, warm, and loving, says Putzi. Everybody seemed to have a good time.
The Couple
Dinner was held inside the house. One friend of the couple played Schubert impromptus on the piano as guests were seated, and another sang a Neapolitan love song. The lighting in the dining room was dim, with just hints of sparkle from the votive candles resting on tabletops. Guests spent most of the evening dining on creative cuisine. Passed hors d'oeuvres included sushi, tuna tartare, and swordfish skewers; entrees included Chilean sea bass topped with wild mushrooms and served with lemon-dill beurre blanc, brioche with sun-dried tomato, and double lamb chops with a red-wine reduction sauce.
Putzi, adorned with a collection of rosebuds in her thick red hair, Alan, and their ring bearer Adam (Alan's 7-year-old son from a previous marriage) made a grand entrance via horse-drawn carriage at 6:30 p.m. Putzi wore a champagne gown designed by Lucille Valentino that featured a beaded-bodice and a bolero jacket. She carried a bouquet of spring blooms consisting of tulips, roses, and viburnum. Alan and his son donned Ralph Lauren tuxedos with white Dutch roses tucked into their lapels.
After signing the ketubah and greeting guests, the couple along with everyone else filed outside for the Jewish ceremony that began just after sundown.