Out & About #465 | Wedding Reception at The Doctor's House

​Our three-day excursion in Barrie concluded with a well-deserved detour to Starbucks - one can only withstand a caffeine-free diet for so long, after all.

​Having been deprived of quality matcha from Momo Tea for at least two weeks, I opted for an Iced Microground Green Tea Latte, considering that the hot version had been adequately appetizing. Near the entrance of the shop was a sign notifying patrons of newly launched beverages, with the Mango Dragonfruit Refresher as one of them.

I resorting to adding bits of the fruity elements into my iced latte for the best of both worlds, ultimately creating an intriguing yet mildly confusing pink-green gradient. Either owed to the hefty amount of ice ("Light Ice" people!) or insufficient matcha powder, the concoction emerged bland and watery.

The rest of the afternoon was a blur of laundry and unpacking, immediately succeeded by a trip to Kleinburg for the purpose of attending feedthebear's wedding reception.

​Due to schedule conflicts, I was unfortunately unable to participate in the ceremony at Casa Loma. Regardless, it was a definite honour to earn an invitation to such a wonderful celebration.

​Situated north of Vaughan, I had anticipated The Doctor's House to involve a forty-plus-minute drive. Thankfully, the route wasn't as fearful, nor as lengthy, as Google Maps had predicted. As I turned uphill onto a quaint, quiet street reminiscent of Main Street Unionville, I had counted less than half an hour of active driving time.

​The venue comprised to two floors, each featuring a banquet hall and bar area, along with a contained steakhouse. Cocktail time and hors d'oeuvre rotation commenced at 6 PM sharp, which the time that many guests began to pull in. Parking was ample, especially considering the size of the building; there was a vast asphalt lot in addition to the more accessible spots surrounding the accessway.

​The ceremony was initiated in a very orderly and thoughtful manner. A Chinese wedding tea ceremony took place while guests meandered through the various tables in search of their designated seat. As the clock neared 8PM, servers carrying hors d'oeuvres gradually faded into the background, allowing the emcee to introduce the families of the bride and groom, the bridesmaids and groomsmen, and, of course, the newlywed couple themselves.

​Heartfelt speeches, games, and audience interaction took place between the delivery of each dish. The entire meal was approximated to span between 8 PM to 11 PM, inclusive of the final dance segment and the announcing of Free Dance time.

​Upon each table was a floral centrepiece of pale pink and white flowers. Surrounding the slightly shriveled petals were jugs of water and sparkling water, chilled white and red wine, and condiments.
Bread rolls were served amidst the first game: while placed onto our table in a napkin-lined wire basket, the mounds were not warm. Stale and dry in appearance, I cannot comment further as I did not try any of these varieties for the sake of saving stomach space.

​A vivid Butternut Squash Soup was the appetizer of the evening. Its warmth and substantial chunkiness was comforting to many of us, seeing as it was nearing 9 PM by this point and many of us had yet to consumer a proper meal. Neither too runny nor viscous in consistency, it was clear that the soup had employed blending of the seasonal vegetable, instead of merely relying on preserved flavour enhancers.

The squiggle on its surface was quite concerning, might I add, for it was neither milk nor cream. The trails had hardened and congealed without forming a layer of film, leading my table mates and myself to contemplate the possibility of mayonnaise in our shallow bowls.
​In a general sense, the soup was a great palate cleanser for the items to come. On the other hand, this also drew attention its utter lack of seasoning and depth.

​Next came a small plate of Penne Bolognese. Adorned with a single strand of microgreens and coated uniformly in a light bolognese sauce, this dish was, yet again, rather conservative as far as pasta goes. Grated Parmesan made its way around the table to compensate for the absence of cheese (and basic levels of sodium).

​Majority of the my table had taken to the consumption of alcoholic beverages throughout the night, regardless of their post-celebratory responsibilities at handling an automobile. While curious to taste the various cocktails available, I was not willing to endanger myself, my vehicle, nor the vehicles around me. A virgin Sex on the Beach consisting of orange juice, cranberry juice, and club soda was requested instead.

​Towards 10 PM, the main dish arrived. Inarguably the most generous portion of the evening, a medley of roasted vegetables, roasted potato, steak, and chicken filled the plate.

Under regular circumstances, my stomach fails to process food after 9 PM. However, the exhausting activities of the day had clearly stimulated my appetite, extending its curfew to 10:30 PM.

​The vegetables, while presented intricately, had succumbed to the common mistake of oil overdose. Firmer vegetables such as carrots were still acceptable, though leafy stalks of rapini were beyond satiating. The outer layer of zucchini had been seasoned to a lesser degree, and was therefore easier on the stomach.
Dry and powdery was the roasted potato chunk. One forkful in, and I had quickly shifted my attention to the two sources of protein laid before me.

"This is Well Done!" exclaimed one of members at the table.
"The chicken is better." responded another.

Both of their statements were proven correct. Despite the evident pink centre of the sirloin, its interior had been ridiculously overcooked, leaving nothing but toughness where suppleness should have reined free.
In sharp contrast was a tender piece of chicken possessing a nicely-browned surface and apparent stuffing of ricotta and spinach. While largely full, I couldn't help but obtain a few more pieces of the fleshy goodness before restoring the silky pink napkin to its unused position.

​Speeches from the Maid of Honour and Best Man resonated the strongest amongst the younger attendees. First came stories about the bride and groom's first meeting, followed by amusing recounts of their respective sides of the couple's adventure. To be a part of such a ceremony is such a delight - even more so to observe their love and dedication bloom before the eyes of roughly two hundred invitees.

​Leaving me with the deepest impression was a slideshow that featured images of the bride and groom's journey through childhood, then adulthood; everyone from family to co-workers to friends (new and old) made their respective debut. I was particularly surprised to find myself amongst the many snapshots, given that our very first outing was the day that feedthebear had enthusiastically described her proposal to me.

​A trio of mini desserts arrived as heartfelt words from the bride and groom echoed throughout the hall.

Arranged right to left in order of heaviness, the narrow plate consisted of: an airy sponge cake encased within a chocolate shell, an uttterly mediocre crème brûlée, and an absolutely stifling New York Cheesecake. Perhaps our responses were owed to the delayed serving of gustatory items throughout the night, for it was observed that many left their cheesecake minis untouched.

​The announcement of the bouquet toss came as the first spoonfuls of sugar were ingested. I couldn't quite believe I was taking part in my first bouquet toss, well, ever.

​Shortly afterwards, I took my last sip of sparkling water, retrieved my photobooth strip, and bid my farewells. The night was young for eager dancers, but the exact opposite for someone who had been driving nonstop since the early hours of the morning.

The event was lovely - endearing even. I guess I can finally understand why people appreciate weddings.