What's in a Name?

The other day we received our first piece of mail addressed to "Mr. and Mrs. Roger Borg" and I am sure it will not be our last. 

People... I am not changing my name. My mind has been made up about this since I was a little girl. Blame my mom (Hello, Susan Sokoloff), blame my feminist leanings and knowing that women most always get the short end of the stick in many things, or blame my stubborn nature, but it just does feel right to change something that has been part of me for the past 32.5 years. My last name isn't even all that interesting, but at least it is easy to spell unlike my first. And in my defense, I did ask Roger if he would consider hyphenating, but he is as stubborn as I am in this matter, meaning he wouldn't dream of changing his either. 

I absolutely respect those women who want to follow tradition. In many respects I am being somewhat traditional in my wedding: veil, long dress, Jewish ceremony, ketubah, etc. and that is how I choose to honor tradition in marriage. But the name thing for me is pretty arbitrary.

Oh no! What about the kids! - They'll be fine, trust me. Little Borgs, every one of them.

Don't you want to feel like a family? - Yes, that's why Roger and I are getting married. Names don't make a marriage, love does.

Isn't it just easier to change your name? - No, it's not, it is a big pain in the arse.

So from here on out we will be the un-hypehnated Hall and Borg family, and that is fine by me ... Roger however might have a quick retort.

License to Wed

We applied for our marriage license, no parallel parking required! When we walked over to City Hall there seemed to be a bit of an emergency in progress. The fire alarm was on and all the employees were out front. Thankfully crisis was averted... it would have been a real pain to come back. In order to apply we had to bring a witness to attest that we were both mentally competent to enter into a marriage. Thanks Regina for coming in from the Upper West Side! 

Maia and Jack's Wedding

Over the Fourth of July weekend Roger and I flew to Bangor, Maine for the wedding celebration of Jack and Maia Levner. Boy! Do they know how to throw a party! Maia is super organized and the whole weekend was fantastic.

Roger and I practice our smile (and I test my contacts!)

And several key players who will attend our wedding as well:

Shannon and Mike (Decorator and Sound Consultant)

Hilary and James (Hilary will read part of the Seven Blessings)

Stacee and Andrew (Bridal Couture Consultants)

Poofs! Let there be decor

The pavilion in which our reception will be held leaves much to be desired in the aesthetic arena. My friend Amy Smith suggested making Martha Stewart Pom-Poms to help liven the place up some. Here is what they should look like:

Amy was all set to buy a bunch of wholesale tissue paper and set up a "poofs"making sweatshop closer to the date of the wedding.  Little did she know that we'd get some help from Martha herself- or at least her minions. 

While attending a stationary trade show in New York, Amy just happened to be set up very near the Martha Stewart Living booth which had a whole display of pom-poms overhead. The curious and ever scheming Amy approached the fine folks at MSL at the end of the fair and politely inquired what they would be doing with the poofs once the show was done. "Trash 'em," was the reply. No way could Amy let pre-made poofs end up in the garbage! She somehow managed to stuff them into three large bags and save them from utter demise. Across town she trekked and not one cab would stop for poor, little Amy and her large bags of pink tissue paper. They ended up at her sister Stacee's office where they stayed until I managed to pick them up, for a ride on the NYC Subway and then onto the NJ PATH train to my house. And now their caper is done and they await another journey to Rutgers! My fine poofs courtesy of Amy Smith and Martha Stewart: