Who: Everyone is invited! Yes, that means you.
Where: The Enclosure and later on Deck
When: November 6th
What: John and Sokie are getting married and invited the entire Barge.

Pre Ceremony

After months of setbacks, Barge events, blow-ups, and other assorted madness, John Doe and Sokie Undertown are finally getting married.

Don't worry, you got an invitation: aside from the announcement a few days ago, a hand-made card with elegant calligraphy, stunning iconography, and iridescent inks was delivered to your door a couple of days ago, including a little note ensuring that you realized that it was for 'you, yes you!'

Every piece of this wedding was the effort of a community, of friends and family: Jedao's invitations, Hanna's small army of paper flowers, a variety of delicious food from Hakkai and Maggie (and of course the happy couple, given their shared love of cooking), and no one could miss the unique backdrop of the event itself, an unearthly setting highlighted by a galaxy of stars courtesy of Alexei. The wedding party, dressed smartly in flowing, shoulderless green, black and gold coutour courtesy of Istra, are assembled together for the ceremony, no delineation between bride's and groom's: fitting, considering. It's a sizeable group, though hardly surprising: Jedao, Maggie, Edwin, Hanna, Alexei, Ashton, Tendi, and Red, with Sheehan at the front, ready to perform the ceremony, and Arthur beside him, between his husband and where his partner will go, ready to support whichever of them needed it most (John. It's going to be John.) Each of them sports at least one piece of golden jewelry as part of their outfit, and it would be fair to guess that both the bride and the best man had allowed for significantly more than one if only to make the groom happy.

For all the restless energy, the most visible movement is from the galaxy below them, a swirl of colored gasses, some of it touching the feet of the guests in a playful interstellar dance. Which isn't to say that there isn't seating: there are comfortable chairs, a small gap between the front section and the back labeled the 'tentacle zone' to ensure no one gets surprised, as well as a pair of familiar ushers to assist folks in finding the right spot: between Malcolm and Will ensuring everyone finds a good spot and Shaw keeping an eye out, it would be a real hassle to cause any actual trouble. But for those who are just a little overwhelmed by it all, there is a slightly more mundane-feeling section off to one side to allow viewing while being surrounded by gentle white noise, beanbags, and other comfy items.

Even for the Enclosure, there's still preparations to be performed before the ceremony itself gets started. The decorations and little dais for the betrothed are all immaculate, of course, but there's still smaller things to be added - correcting the spacing on the chairs, all the usual little fusses and fidgets of Day-Of Jitters.

And as time marches on and the wedding time creeps closer, it's time for the early arrivals to start milling in, finding their seats and mingling gently before they're ushered to their seats properly in time for the ceremony to start.

The ceremony truly begins as Jinx and Aerith shoot a shower of flower petals to herald John's arrival to the group, the music swells in a jazzy tune, and Sokie- in a cape, mask, her golden dress complete with a paper flower bouquet- starts down the aisle.

From ceremony to reception

As might have been taken from the invitation, the party is about to begin. After the kisses, the tears, and tentacles (which there had been many. So, so many) guests are invited to go onto the deck for the celebration. From seemingly out of nowhere, the buffet, lovingly made by the happy couple, along with Maggie and Hakkai appear for everyone to salivate over.

The chairs and tables, along with a booth for drink taking, and a series of speakers for Alastor's music merry making, is far more mundane and can be arranged with a gentle touch for people to sit where they wish, as well as mingle.

The Enclosure is still open, with the wisps of gas and the beautiful galaxy for picture taking, private conversation, or to simply get out of the way. Or for those who need a breather with the crowds, the mundane zone, with soft squishibles, gentle white noise, and sink-able beanbag chairs and giant pillows, will be there for those who feel overwhelmed, and will be there the entire night.

Reception

Here is the true focus and the desire from the now married couple: the reception. With the entry of the couple in their newly found reception wear, the feast is set to begin, with everyone encouraged to their plates, bowls, and various spoons and forks to enjoy their meal.

There is an assortment of various foods, many of which have vegetarian options. As for the drinks being served, there are teas from various places that are to have their teas filtered over top of the cup, aguas frecas like horchata and, of course, coffee and water.

The feasting can happen all throughout the night, of course. But the music picks up, and people are encouraged to have fun: they can toss balls of light that will burst harmlessly into the air, dancing with music provided by the radio demon himself Alastor- that comes from a variety of ages, but mostly jazz from the 1930s.
Sometimes the music does pause, so other people can make toasts, or, in the case of John and Sokie in particular, to sing or play songs for the audience.

Iago is, of course, making all kinds of drinks at the set up bar. There is no special drink for the couple, but there is a mention, at least, that John likes spice, and Sokie likes coffee, so if someone wants to drink in their honor, something from that variety may work.

And if you want to draw in the married couple or others in to wedding party games- you can!

You might just have to explain the rules first.

There is also a gift table for those who wanted to leave something for the happy couple!

On the deck and in the Enclosure, the reception will continue for hours, until everyone decides to leaves, or falls asleep.

The Food

There is a variety of food that has been prepared for this day. From Hakkai, there has been a variety of dumplings and noodles that have been prepared, some of the noodles being very long indeed for the symbol of having a very happy long and happy marriage! (which is very possible with two immortals). There is a variety of roast fowl as well which wafts out onto the floor with a mouth watering aroma.

From Maggie, there are such vegetarian dishes such as Enchiladas Verdes, elote, even some tostones and pozole. All of these do not have meat from a mammal specifically, and are more often than not vegetarian, or labelled to have chicken within.

The star though is, as labelled, dinosaur meat that has been prepared with a variety of Mexican spices and sauces, or even part of a small taco bar where people can try some of the meat for themselves.

There is a different assortment that has been made by the bride, with foods that come from Earth from a variety of histories and times. There is Barszcz Czerwony, a Polish Red Borsht; Kaczka Faszerowana Mięsem, a roast duck filled with apples; pierogies filled with chese, herbs and potato or sauerkraut; Salatka Jarzynowa, a traditional Polish Salad; Karavai, a beautiful wedding bread decorated with braids, flowers and swans; Pirozhki, small stuffed buns filled with meat, or mushrooms or vegetables; chestnuts and jujubes; kook-soo-sang, a Korean noodle soup; tea sandwiches and smoked salmon camapes; pumpkin soup and Swedish Meatballs; a variety of deviled eggs; aubergine salad, carp roe salad, chicken ciorba, a Romanian chicken soup; vegetarian sarmal, Romanian cabbage rolls; charcuterie boards filled with a variety of cheeses, meats, breads and roasted vegetables; and a variety of bite sized desserts.

One set of desserts is especially welcome. It is a cookie tray, not made by anyone in board, but by the Barge herself.

These are just a sampling of some of the dishes that can be sampled and feasted upon. Though this is not the star of the feast. That comes with John’s contribution of the wedding cake.

The cake (sort of)

The 'cake', for lack of a better word, has been set up on the opposite side from the garden and the greenhouse, because it isn't really a cake at all. Instead, it is an entire miniature landscape, a walkable alien Garden filled with fantastic plants, strange insects and creatures, and exotic, impossible flowers in a loose, naturalistic display complete with a small table set up near the entrance containing forks, spoons, and plates.

Because every single inch of it (besides the sections people need to walk on) is edible.

The massive arch of red roses? Rice paper, delicately sweetened, gumpaste, and chocolate. That massive tree trunk? Chocolate ganache. Those giant blooms? Contain cupcakes. Strange gel sacks filled with glowing creatures are confections of gelatin and agar agar, delicately flavored and carefully textured to be consumed with the 'plants' around them. There are marzipan roses and something like bright pink and blue dragonsbeard spanish moss hanging from the 'tree' and a tiny pond entirely made of liquid chocolate with delicate candy glass lily pads and royal icing lotus blossoms. The various grasses are all made of wafer that moves and sways like the real thing, mushrooms and fungae made of turkish delight, and the rocks? No, not rock candy (who could eat a piece that size?): they are individual 'cakes' with small signs identifying the flavors and cake servers for one to take a piece to enjoy. The tiny alien creatures are similarly edible, delicate shells often containing a creamy filling or a liquor (depending on the size) and some of the larger ones being made of shaped and braided sweet breads with fruit and nuts, including a baked 'Lilly' with candy floss greenery on her back.

A sign near the plates makes it clear that you are welcome to take as much as you want, and that if there's something you can't eat, John'll be happy to put it in a container for you to take home and enjoy later. He's been working on this for months, after all. He doesn't mind if it takes a while to get through as long as everyone gets to enjoy as much of it as possible.