I find weddings surreal. They're like complicated programs of if-thens that all the women in my family but myself can run with their eyes closed. Who is innately born a wedding planner? Balaban women, that's who.

Part of the stresslessness of this one was the bride. Some brides are so worked up that if you don't get a manicure for their big day then they take it personally. (Christ, they're fingernails. Fingernails! I'd go on about the other shit I had to do just because I'm a girl but it's boring. Guys, you're lucky when it comes to special occasions. Put on a suit and stand there.) This bride was as easygoing as I've ever seen one. Regarding the minutiae (what kind of flowers/colour scheme/dress/etc.) of wedding planning, she left it to the mothers of the couple and said, "I just want to show up at a really great party wearing a dress I picked myself." Right on.

Fun as all hell. An open bar and a huge crowd of my crazy family and a meat bar. That's right, I said meat bar.