T & M meet the rabbi

If there was one person with insight to the New York Times Weddings & Celebrations selection process I thought it would for sure be my rabbi. She has officiated a number of New York City weddings that have been mentioned in Sunday Styles. So for this reason I thought maybe, just maybe, she had a friend on the inside-- Lola Ogunnaike, Cathy Horyn, some editorial assistant peon—whomever.

Well, I learned this weekend when Matt and I met with Rabbi I. for our first pre-marital counseling session that she in fact has no clue what it takes to make it into the New York Times. Her and her husband tried and thought for sure they were a shoe-inn. No luck. Like me, the rabbi even said she was at one point obsessed with being in Weddings & Celebrations. Her advice, get over it (in much nicer words).

The conversation came to be because our session centered on teaching the rabbi about us as a couple and as individuals. We walked her through our days at Penn when we didn’t know each other but came close to meeting many times. How I knew some of Matt’s friends and he knew some of mine, but we just never seemed to connect until being introduced outside of Pizza 33 in 2001. Matt talked about his passion for music, the importance of family, etc. etc. I talked about some of our special memories and how my love of writing led me to Chicago to pursue my master’s in journalism. Having established myself as a writer, I saw no harm in mentioning the blog and my mission. Of course Matt rolled his eyes and said he wanted no part of it.

Our first session lasted close to two hours. Matt cried a couple of times. It was hard not to after talking about the recent loss of his cousin Brian, an incredibly special guy who meant so much to both of us. We reminisced about our grandparents and thought about whose Kiddush cup, whose talis and whose rings we would incorporate into our ceremony. We also had some good laughs. When the rabbi asked if I planned to go to a michvah (a cleansing bath for Jewish women before they get married or experience a major life change), Matt had the perfect response— I’d being going to the Red Door Spa for a facial instead. Right on.

It was a very celebratory weekend over all—an engagement dinner for Matt’s friend, an engagement party for my friend, a birthday party. I also received an invitation to my shower in Chicago. It’s a funny thing, getting an invitation for your own party. Also, just as important, Penn is playing Texas A&M in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Let’s go Quakers!