I had my suspicions that Saturday’s wedding would fill me with matrimonial envy. I’d be overcome by every little awww moment (I do’s, first dance, best man’s speech) and walk away from the whole event just itching to get hitched. But I left the reception convinced not that I needed to get myself a husband, but that I must have a chocolate fountain.
And if I have to get married to have one at my reception, I will.
The wedding was flawless. The ceremony was brief (no kneeling!), every detail was exquisite but not overdone and even the standard wedding cheese was made bearable by a touch of humor. Like when it came time to cut the cake, Adam Sandler’s Grow Old with You played in the ballroom.
Classic.
I had thought I’d seen everything when we made our way into the reception hall before dinner and found ourselves in front of a Mojito fountain. Brilliant. An attendant filled your glass and then added some mint leaves and sent you on your way. I had two. But that was the closest I came to taking advantage of the open bar, and aside from champagne toasts to the bride and groom, the only thing I had to drink. I was playing designated driver. As it turned out, the hotel was not exactly next door to the reception.
As impressed as I was with the mojito fountain, when toward the end of the night, J appeared with a plate full of chocolate covered strawberries and told me they’d come from a chocolate fountain, I was overcome. A chocolate fountain? Who was doing the catering -- Willy Wonka? This I had to see for myself. Lo and behold, there it was in the anteroom, a four foot, three-tiered fountain of chocolate. And even though I was stuffed to the gills, I got in there with a couple speared strawberries. It was insanely good.
I managed to dribble some of that fine chocolate down my cleavage. Saving it for later, I guess.
When everyone was walking away with their centerpieces (I had no idea this was okay, not to mention tradition), I made one last pass of the anteroom to see if maybe that centerpiece was included in the deal. It wasn’t. Too bad no one got to take that home – not even the newly weds. But what a kick-ass thing to have at a wedding….and what a way to assure wedded bliss.
Because, I mean, what says Lifetime of Happiness like a tower of flowing chocolate? Exactly.
That's one of the best things I've ever heard.
Posted by: Laura at September 19, 2005 10:57 AMChocolate fountain, eh? I've heard of those. Although I thought the y only existed in a land far, far away and that regular people were only allowed to "rent" them from some monopoly company that has a supply of Chocolate fountains. And additionally, they make you buy their own "special" chocolate as to not clog the fountain. A nice touch however for things such as weddings.
Also you know you don't HAVE to get married in order to have a "reception" with a chocolate fountain, or even a mojito fountain. You could just throw a party in honor of yourself, just cause. It could be you "Fabulous Fish" party. That way, you can bypass all the messyness of finding a husband!
By the way, what ever happened with your laundry situation? Were you able to get it in time?
Posted by: Smilin.N.ny at September 19, 2005 11:07 AMI too have discovered the amazingness that is the chocolate fountain. And I completely agree that it is awesome and no special occasion should be without it!
Posted by: peyton at September 19, 2005 11:09 AMhttp://www.thefoodwhore.com/
See Wednesday, September 14, 2005
Whenever I hear mojito these days I always think of Brian, the dog from Family Guy. Why? Because I'm and idiot.
When you said "I got in there," I had a completely different picture for a second. It was a nice picture, if a little messy.
Hello, Heather.
Posted by: scott at September 19, 2005 11:19 AMThey sell them over here in the UK for about £90 (roughly $160 I think?) I saw one in the mall the other day. They were giving out free samples :-)
Posted by: kleesrosegarden at September 19, 2005 11:24 AMhttp://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?order_num=-1&SKU=13611645
They're awesome!
Posted by: sydneydawn at September 19, 2005 11:27 AMWelcome to the crazy world of east coast weddings. Remind me to tell you the custom martini bar story.
Posted by: Tanya at September 19, 2005 11:53 AMI'll be singing the Oompa Loompa song all day now. But it will be worth it!
Posted by: Heather Anne at September 19, 2005 11:59 AMehehehh..
I had one as well at my wedding, here in Italy it was extremely original but from what you say it seems they are not there! w
ell, it was damn good, and my friends simply loved the combination: strawberry, dark chocolate and champaign! I actually didn't almost have time to eat.... so I'll make sure I have it another time!
and yes, you don't need a wedding to treat yourself to chocolate ;-)
Chocolate + Wedding = Happily ever after
Posted by: Torrie at September 19, 2005 12:02 PMhere in texas they are at EVERY wedding...it is pretty wonderful! the best thing is the potato bar, have you had one of those yet?
Posted by: kristi at September 19, 2005 12:27 PMThere was one of those at my prom-- just crash one of those next time you need a chocolate fix.
Posted by: janna at September 19, 2005 12:34 PMBest wedding of the last 12 months, beside my own, was one we went to out in rural Illinois. The Knights of Columbus kept the chocolate fountain going from start to finish. Nothing like drunk people on a chocolate induced sugar-high. It was like being in a room full of Beavises were at any moment anyone could go Cornholio.
Posted by: Mike at September 19, 2005 01:03 PMcheck out www.thefoodwhore.com for a fab pic.
Posted by: carol at September 19, 2005 01:09 PMSo did you hook up with J? dying to know.
Posted by: Kristin at September 19, 2005 01:51 PMNo, no, no, no.
I had no intention of doing so, and after seeing him, knew that there was just NO way even tipsy me would do any such thing.
Posted by: Fish at September 19, 2005 01:52 PMwow good for you- I had my own Jish problem- and even though I know I NEVER should- i probably would anyway- especially sleeping in the same room, especially with alcohol, especially after a wedding ;)
Posted by: Kristin at September 19, 2005 02:17 PMSo, did you go naked, or did the UN get their acts together and allow your laundry to be completed in due diligence?
Posted by: africankelli at September 19, 2005 03:17 PMi love chocolate fountains. i haven't been to a wedding all summer that didn't have one. they are most certainly the best thing ever invented for receptions. well, aside from the ever-flowing alcohol fountains.....
:)
Posted by: red at September 19, 2005 03:56 PMChocolate fountain? Definitely had to come at the reception or she would've married it instead!
Posted by: Arctic Teacher at September 19, 2005 04:00 PMI also attended a wedding with a chocolate fountain this weekend, and let me just tell you, chocolate-dipped Rice Krispy treats beat chocolate-dipped strawberries HANDS DOWN. I don't know who thought of the combination, but that person deserves a Nobel prize. Yum.
Posted by: Miss Issues at September 19, 2005 04:12 PMwhen you wrote, "and even the standard wedding cheese was made bearable by a touch of humor," i swear i was picturing squares of cheddar and pepperjack cut into smiling faces or golf balls or flowers or some other such silly shape. you meant cheese, not actual cheese. duh me.
Posted by: RazDreams at September 19, 2005 04:45 PMHeh. that's the same song we cut our cake to! Of course, our first dance was to John Denver (the groom's choice) and our last was to That's Amore (my choice), so the in-betweens were anyone's bets.
Posted by: jennifer at September 19, 2005 05:25 PMWhen I was in college I worked at a candy store. And they played "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" over and over and over. And you know what? I never, ever got sick of it. Oompa, loompa, doompety do...
I love chocolate fountains and rivers. *sigh*.
I have seen this chocolate fountain, and I have partaken of it's joy. However, there was no chocolate fountain at my reception. I knew that I would not have been able to peel myself away from it, had I even the moments chance to enjoy it. As it stands, I had little time to even eat dinner at my reception...so the chocolate fountain was not missed.
I intend to have one for my 35th birthday though...THAT will be fun.
the chocolate fountain of bliss also attended the last wedding I did... we were contemplating smuggling it out, as we took far more advantage of our friends' open bar then you did... we unfortunately had no luck.
Posted by: rg at September 20, 2005 02:11 AMchocolate saved for later in cleavage, hotel room with j ...???
Posted by: elise at September 20, 2005 08:10 AMYou've got to be kidding me right? A chocolate fountain? WANT IT! And not just at my wedding, in my livingroom, kitchen, bedroom, garage, you name it. That does say Lifetime of Happiness like nothing else does :-D
Posted by: SillyCrazyMe at September 20, 2005 08:50 AMYeah, those chocolate fountains are really trendy right now. As is the Adam Sandler for the wedding reception. Other cake cutting song trends: Sugar Sugar, Pour Some Sugar on Me, When I'm 64.
When you plan your own wedding, you get totally jaded about all of these things. It's like chocolate fountain? Whatever. Adam Sandler? So cliche. It's a sickness, I tell you!
Posted by: misspixie at September 20, 2005 09:57 AMThe new Whole Foods that is opening this weekend is suppose to have a chocolate fountain and a exotic chocolate bar (like salad bar with chocolate instead, not just one little bar)... Can't wait! I don't think I will ever leave. I will just keep asking them to cut more fruit for the fountain and keep dipping. I will take all of meetings at the fountain, all of my calls from the fountain. I will be 400 lbs but that is ok.
Posted by: Sara at September 20, 2005 01:45 PMI love wedding stories! My own was so very boring; City Hall at lunch. It was good for what we wanted at the time, but in retrospect I wish it had been a little grander.
>Remind me to tell you the custom martini bar story.
Consider yourself reminded! Share with the class, please. Although the idea of a custom martini bar for any occasion isn't a bad one...
Posted by: cowbellcordelia at September 20, 2005 02:37 PMwe celebrated our 10th anniversary this past labor day weekend. when one of our songs was Adam Sandler's little song of love, everyone smiled. i don't find it a cliche...but a true feeling of what love is...especially after 10 years.
i enjoy your blog...thanx for sharing it
Posted by: apryl at September 25, 2005 10:12 PM