Julie followed the professional photographer and videographer around while they took pictures of the new couple . . .

Kelley and Dave in front of the sign for the Ristorante Albergaccio di Castellina.

Two shots of Dave and Kelley in the countryside behind the Albergaccio di Castellina.

Some more beautiful shots of the happy couple.

Dave started getting a little silly.

Dave and Kelley on the stairs to her waiting room.  Dave looking about ready to move on to the reception.

A private moment for the bride and groom as the wedding party made its way over to the reception area.

After a short but moving ceremony, we all went outside (where it was beyond chilly and damp) to another area of the inn to have champagne and hors d’oeuvres (including fried sage and fried zucchini flowers).

Dave and Kelley enjoy their first bottle of champagne as husband and wife.

The meal was served upstairs in another part of the inn.  It was a feast worthy of a royal family, accompanied by a jazz combo that was both entertaining and unobstrusive.

The wedding jazz band.  (Video Clip of Wedding Jazz Band - 7.76MB)

Kelley and Julie at the reception.

Kelley and Dave cut their wedding "cake" which was actually an incredible layering of cream puffs (some also with a custard filling).  By the time they served this, we were all completely stuffed, but it was so good that we somehow managed to eat just a little bit more.

Kelley feeds Dave the obligatory first bite of cream puff.  Dave then feeds Kelley her first bite.

Then things got crazy, with Kelley attacking Dave with some more cream puff, for which he then retaliated in kind.

After getting cleaned up, here are Kelley and Dave with Julie in between.

I was feeling pretty lousy, but not half as bad as one of the Swaims’ friends, Delores, who had come down with a similar syndrome to mine (I swear I didn’t give it to her).  Although it appeared ominous outside when looking through the upstairs windows, the drive back was not bad at all.  The fog was not as dense as it appeared, and we all were treated to a wonderful singing concert featuring Kelley (with Julie, too).

The evening still wasn’t over. . .

We all traipsed through the town to the Piazza di Signoria to take photos of the happy newlyweds who were greeted with cheers from the late night crowds.

We ended up on the Ponte Vecchio . . .

. . . before returning to the Hotel Continental to bid goodnight to the newlyweds.

Use the links on the left side of the page to see days two, three, four, and five in Florence.