Cory and Chris’s wedding reception was held at Maxim’s de Paris in the Gold Coast. It’s a unique venue, decorated in the stylin’ art deco style. Cory wrote a bit about Maxim’s here if you’re interested.
After busting open the sake and cutting the cake we all had dinner and drank and ate and drank and drank and danced and danced and drank and danced and danced. It was a super fun time. You can tell from everyone’s huge smiles in the photos below.
(Click on photos below to see them bigger.)
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Chris and Cory’s wedding reception was held at Maxim’s in the Gold Coast neighborhood of Chicago. The star of the night? The Sake Keg.
And don’t forget the cake, even though it was a more minor player. Chris’s aunt made it and it was delicious.. lemon and raspberry inside.
First off, Cory’s dad, Steve, gave a short speech.
I believe Steve talked about the sake ceremony, but to be honest, I can’t remember at all.
Luckily I found this tidbit: Kagami-biraki is a ceremony performed at celebratory events in which the lid of the sake barrel is broken open by a wooden mallet and the sake is served to everyone present. Kagami refers to the lid of the sake barrel and biraki means “to open” so kagami-biraki literally means “opening the lid.” Because of the lid’s round shape, the kagami is a symbol of harmony. The kagami-biraki, therefore, represents an opening to harmony and good fortune.
Talk faster Steve, they are about to rush the keg.
These guys are about the grab the mallet themselves.
The masu waiting to be filled. (Note the M monogram. M for Marello, Cory & Chris’s last name.)
Finally it was time for Chris to knock the cover off the sake keg.
Cory and Chris get the first pours.
Cory and Chris wanted to get all of the traditions out of the way, so immediately after the sake ceremony, they cut the cake. A lot of people missed this because they were too busy rushing the keg, but I got this nice photo.
Tomorrow I’ll post more photos from Cory and Chris’s reception.
On a side note, Naoko and Doug had a sake keg at their wedding a few years ago. I’m not going to spill any family secrets from either party, but I think it’s safe to say there may not ever be any more sake kegs allowed at any family events after this past Saturday!
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Saturday night was Cory & Chris’s wedding reception. They didn’t want a big ceremony, so they got married on their own a while ago, but still held the big party for all of their family and friends. That’s the part everyone likes anyway, right? A lot of wedding guests were staying at the Ambassador East hotel so before heading to Maxim’s for the reception, we took photos at the hotel. As you can see the kids could not have been more adorable. Aunty Laura, Cory’s mom, bought all of the boys tuxedos. Even Kenji, who is only about 7 months old! I couldn’t get enough. So funny to try to take photos of all of them.
Back: Mitch, Chris, Cory, Kenji, Chris. Front: Ben, Derek, Hideto, Tommy :: Ambassador East, Gold Coast, Chicago
Back: Mitch, Chris, Cory, Kenji, Chris. Front: Ben, Derek, Hideto, Tommy :: Ambassador East, Gold Coast, Chicago
Back: Mitch, Chris, Cory, Kenji, Chris. Front: Ben, Derek, Hideto, Tommy :: Ambassador East, Gold Coast, Chicago
Tommy :: Ambassador East, Gold Coast, Chicago
George, Kathy, Caroline, Dallas :: Ambassador East, Gold Coast, Chicago
Caroline, George, Kathy, Rachelle, Dallas :: Ambassador East, Gold Coast, Chicago
Rachelle, Dallas :: Ambassador East, Gold Coast, Chicago
George, Kathy :: Ambassador East, Gold Coast, Chicago
Danny, Caroline :: Ambassador East, Gold Coast, Chicago
Kate, Derek, Tommy, Ben :: Ambassador East, Gold Coast, Chicago
Kate, Derek, Tommy :: Ambassador East, Gold Coast, Chicago
Back: Mitch, Chris. Front: Kate, Kenji, Tommy Ben, Derek :: Ambassador East, Gold Coast, Chicago
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I’m taking a break from the Hawaii virtual vacation. This weekend Cory and Chris had their wedding events, so I want to post those now. Afterwards I’ll have more Hawaii photos.
On Friday night Cory and Chris reserved the pool room at Rock Bottom Brewery and we had dinner and drinks. I had a really long week and that first sip of beer was deeeeliicioussss. Fun to spend time with the family members that were starting to trickle in for the big event the following night.
Chris & Cory :: Rock Bottom Brewery, River North, Chicago
Scotty (Cory’s brother) & Cory :: Rock Bottom Brewery, River North, Chicago
Steve (Cory’s dad) & Danny (Cory’s brother) :: Rock Bottom Brewery, River North, Chicago
Dallas (Cory’s cousin), Scotty (Cory’s brother), Cory, Chris :: Rock Bottom Brewery, River North, Chicago
Dallas (Cory’s cousin) :: Rock Bottom Brewery, River North, Chicago
Steve (Cory’s dad) :: Rock Bottom Brewery, River North, Chicago
Scotty (Cory’s brother) :: Rock Bottom Brewery, River North, Chicago
Danny (Cory’s brother) :: Rock Bottom Brewery, River North, Chicago
Chris :: Rock Bottom Brewery, River North, Chicago
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As it got later in the night of the luau and nobody wanted to leave again. Everyone was having such a good time.
Back row: Garmon, Alika, Dallas, Kilo, Alan, xxx, Koa (and son), Lisa, Brandy
Middle row: BJ, Nalani, Donovan, Jacque, Roxanne, Monte, Rachelle, Jay, xxx, xxx, Hoku
Front row: Sheri, Kamu
The band Kapena was playing again. They’d played the night before at the Gordon Biersch party.
Kapena, Kamehameha Schools, Oahu
The girls danced a lot and the guys stood around with their hands in their pockets trying to look cool. Just like high school.
Back row: Alika, Jay. Front row: Haunani, Sheri, Jacque.
These guys all lived together for years when they boarded at the school.
Dallas, Jay, Kamu, Donovan, BJ, Alika, Kilo
Monte, Dallas, Jay, Kamu, Donovan, Alika, BJ, Kilo
After the luau a bunch of people went up to the dorms where there was a big party going on. We passed by this bench where all of the boarders used to always hang out, so everyone got there photo taken there for old times sake.
Back row: BJ, Dallas, Nalani, Kilo, Jay, Kamu, Monte.
Front row: Alika, Hoku, Roxanne, Donovan, Jacque, Sheri, Brandy
Nobody can remember what spurred this, but everyone was going crazy in this next photo.
Back row: BJ, Dallas, Nalani, Kilo, Jay, Kamu, Monte.
Front row: Alika, Hoku, Roxanne, Donovan, Jacque, Sheri, Brandy
Dallas loves this fruit punch. Probably 0% fruit. He stole a whole bunch of it to bring back to the dorms.
Dallas
Walking through campus for the first time in 15 years was quite a trip for a lot of people. When we got to the dorm there was food and drink as far as the eye could see. Many stories to be told and memories to be shared. There were at least 1 or 2 rounds of everyone singing the Kamehameha Schools fight song. Everyone stayed and hung out well into the morning hours.
It was kind of sad to finally leave. And to think the next day how far it was in between the last time Dallas saw his friends til now and how long it may be til we see them again. But if we all make an effort we will stay in touch, even if it’s just online. A hui hou!
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