The first step is the one you believe in

[handing]

Who: Pepper Potts, Tony Stark, and everyone who has gathered there today.
What: A wedding and reception
When: Sept 14, All Day
Where: Cherry Blossom Hill / The Battle Dome
Summary: Pepper and Tony are getting married finally officially finally.
Rating: PG/PG-13 max? There's at least one kid here.
The decorations on the hill are simple ones; they've chosen this spot because it's naturally beautiful without the need for embellishments. Chairs have been set up for the expected guests, with a clear path laid out for the wedding party. And of course up front there is a place for those people to stand, in sight of everyone gathered so Tony won't be able to tell Pepper "I told you so" as color commentary won't be necessary.

After the ceremony everyone will be invited to go to the Battle Dome for the reception. There Tony's programmed an expansive hall with tables and seating enough for everyone. There's also a dance floor, which everyone is encouraged to take advantage of. The atmosphere is warm and vibrant, clearly intended to help all in attendance have a good time. Dinner will be served, and there's an open bar, with rum by request of the officiant.

Just don't get too rowdy, okay kids?

{{ooc: Visual references and details can be found here. Link is very image heavy. There will be separate threads for before the ceremony, during, and the reception.

EDIT: Now with a sign up to catch the bouquet!}}

Comments

Before the Ceremony

[handing]

{{Tony and Pepper will each have their own thread, along with one for general mingling.}}

Pepper

[handing]

Before the wedding, Pepper is bordering on the edge of frantic. Of course there's plenty for her to do, but somehow all the preparations for the day don't offer the distraction she usually finds in work. And it's crazy for her to feel this way, since she's very sure she wants to marry this man, and to share it with the people they've invited.

But that doesn't really keep her stomach from twisting into knots.

So visitors are something of a welcome distraction, although she's got a fair bit on her plate, so they may not be allowed to stay for long. Of course the one person banned is the groom; they may be breaking their fair share of traditions, but this one is a good reason to keep Tony in suspense. But anyone else is welcome, particularly after she's dressed and biding her time until she needs to leave--because as always, Pepper has given herself ample time to get ready in case something happens.

Mingling

[handing]

{{For all the interactions that don't involve bride or groom.}}

Tony

[alloys]

Considering they were already pretty much married, Tony didn't really have an excuse to be nervous. But he was, as if he were compelled to be by filling the role of the groom. It was all too typical, and he didn't like typical, but he couldn't help it. He was anxious, because he wanted this day to be everything Pepper wanted it to be. She'd worked so hard on this, and plenty of people had pitched in. It had better come together.

And, of course, maybe his nervousness was played up a bit considering everyone else would expect him to be nervous. He only had to keep up appearances for a little while longer, and then they'd be publicly married just as much as they were privately.

It was only a matter of time, now.

The Ceremony

[handing]

{{What it says on the tin.}}

The Ceremony

[all7seas]

Jack stood ready at the appointed time, in the appointed place, wearing his appointed pants.







Or was he? At least his frock coat is fairly long and covers things.

Now: "Oi -- where've the bride and groom got off to?" Come on, Tony and Pepper. He's waiting.

The Reception

[handing]

{{Post-wedding celebrations.}}

[handing]

To no one's surprise, Pepper is radiant throughout the reception. Whether she's at Tony's side (which she will be whenever she can) or on her own, she really can't seem to stop smiling. Now that the ceremony is done and she can officially declare herself Mrs. Potts-Stark to the world, Pepper is very happy to do so. So she's available for talking, dancing, or even sharing a celebratory drink which won't be alcohol in Billy's case. Through it all, she's definitely having the time of her life.

[neversurrender]

[Steve will spend much of the reception going around and taking pictures of everything and anyone he can. He's taking these photos to give to the newlyweds so he wants them to be the best they can possibly be. At the start of the reception he'll begin by taking pictures of people as they arrive. If you happen to slip by him without getting your picture taken, there's a very good chance that he'll be by your table, camera in hand. You can't avoid him forever.

A few times throughout the reception he'll take a break to eat and mingle. If you happen to be hanging around his table or by the drink table, you'll most likely run into him. He'll be the one eying the dance floor and keeping his distance.]

[250mhzwabl]

[For a respectable chunk of the reception, Jack will be occupied behind a table weighed down with Eugene's laptop, a stereo, taped-down handdwritten playlists, and a small jungle of lovingly-patched wires running to the speaker setup that they've managed to arrange. He'd apparently been the first and most enthusiastic volunteer to provide music, and as the one of the apocalypse's premier radio personalities (as well as the man who can easily plug a microphone into his existing sound system), apparently this earns him the right to MC as well. Who knew?

First-timer or not, he's buzzing with the energy of the event, introducing the bridal party as they enter, announcing speeches and toasts, and - perhaps most importantly - gleefully reminding everyone from their assorted continents and worlds that the native custom is to ring your wine glass lightly with silverware to make the happy couple kiss on command. And after all the initial pleasantries are done, he'll be spending much of the night spinning tunes, dependent upon the goodwill of fellow guests to keep him in food and drinks.

The rest of the time he will be out and mingling, perhaps even dancing, taking in the atmosphere and enjoying an event well-planned. The generous Mr. Sam Yao is perfectly capable behind an audio setup, and Jack has a feeling that neither friends, nor significant other, nor the bride herself will be happy with him if he doesn't see at least some of the party without headphones on his head.]

[eversohungry]

[While Vastra wasn't designated specifically as the head of the reception, she's pleased when Pepper seems to let others handle the progression of the party so she can enjoy the day. This was mainly what Vastra had been referring to during the planning stages of the wedding, and now she's stepping fully into the 'logistics' half of the reception. Mainly, she's making sure there's still plenty of food and drink, and clearing exhausted plates and platters so as to keep the mess to a minimum. It's a beautiful set up, after all, no sense in letting everything pile up and spoil the ambiance.]

[It may look odd though, a woman dressed as she is bussing tables, but she's taking her job very seriously. Sometimes she has a moment to enjoy a glass of wine and watch the party go by, but she's watching those tables like a hawk.]

[tearmeanewone]

[Elizabeth has never been to a wedding before, but she's very glad Gai invited her to go with him. The ceremony was beautiful, and after the mission she needed some beauty in her life. Even if she didn't know Tony at all and she'd only spoken to Pepper a couple of times, the love and devotion she saw between them nearly made her cry.]

[She mingles around the party with a non-alcoholic drink in hand, mostly sticking with Gai to dance and eat, but there are moments when she leaves Gai to talk to someone he knows and vice versa.]

Re: The Reception

[alloys]

Tony was eager to accept congratulations, claps on the back, and didn't-think-you'd-go-through-with-its, and so when he stepped away from Pepper's side - which he rarely did - he spoke to guests, asked about gifts, caught sips of alcohol and generally speaking, made merry. He was in his best form, and it was something he definitely wanted to share with everyone present.

[herotypical]

Buffy Summers, the Best Man, can be found floating about the reception with her best social butterflyism at play. The tailored tux stands out, certainly, but she seems particularly keen to show off her killer heels -- and so you can expect her to make the rounds of the room. Chatting, dancing, laughing, sipping sweet drinks -- she seemed to have an indomitable energy all charged from the vicarious happiness displayed by the couple of the evening.

Do stop her for a dance. Or, perhaps, a an impromptu speech. Either way, this woman so generally jaded about her own romances was more than happy to celebrate someone else's.

Re: The Reception

[voiceinthedark]

[During the reception, Sam can be found drifting around, speaking to people and really quite enjoying himself. There's not enough time for celebration at home so he's savouring it. He's happy to drink and eat and dance, chatting with anyone who cares to stop and see him. At other points, he can be found up near the music equipment, taking over as DJ for a bit while Jack gets the chance to dance and enjoy himself.

[wise_maiden]

Raine is on the scene as invited, having arrived at the wedding before the ceremony to deliver and help set up the requested flowers.

Even though she follows the group over to the reception, by that point she's vaguely distracted, since the last Luceti wedding she had attended was her own fake one, a few years back. And as with most parties, she's not a dance floor gal. That doesn't mean that she can't be talked into it, if the opportunity arises.

She has a smile for the bride and groom, and for just about anyone she happens to find herself in conversation with. Marriages in Luceti don't sit well with her, but if people wanted to use their time here to pursue happiness, it's not anything she's going to disagree with.

Still, she might take advantage of that open bar. Maybe try something light and sweet for the occasion.

[z_jay]

[Once in a while there was a genuine reason to celebrate something wonderful, and considering Luceti could be calm one day and and chaotic the next, it was good to seize the opportunity when one could. As someone behind the scenes for this one, Eugene was keeping an eye out for the culinary delights and sampling a few of the things others had made which he didn't recognize. Pepper had done well in choosing the proper catering, and even a food snob such as himself couldn't turn his nose up at the small snacks.

He'd be found mostly in the kitchen before sneaking his way out into the festivities to people-watch. And also to make sure that Jack wasn't about to begin doing zombie stand up. All things considered he was behaving himself, so Eugene took some time to indulge in meeting... new people, old friends, and acquaintances he needed to reestablish ties with.

Also considering he can walk and dance on his own he will be happy to oblige those activities as well.]

[selfhelp]

[To say that Billy doesn't like parties isn't exactly the truth; while he's very much an introvert and too much socializing exhausts him, he likes dancing, and he likes music, and he likes watching. Most of all he likes it when people he likes are happy.

And the honest truth is that he loves weddings.

So Billy is all dressed up in a suit and combed hair and he's there from start to finish no matter how late it gets, to watch and to dance (and oh, he will dance) and even to drink a bit, though mostly non-alcoholic unless people start handing drinks off on him. He spent too much time on the decorations to get drunk and accidentally trash the place with magic misfires, thank you very much. ...But people can totally still hand drinks off on him. For adventurous purposes.

But yes, don't be surprised if he drags you off to dance, because oh, he will dance!]

[strangelyliteral]

Anya hasn't been at a real wedding since her own failed one, fake-memories from the invasion aside. She's all dressed up, her hair newly strawberry-blonde. She had toyed with the idea of helping, toyed with the idea of not attending - it was still weird for her, on many levels.

Yet in the end she came to see the festivities through. After all, parties were a nice change of pace to the day-to-day routine, it had been entirely too long since she really went out and let herself boogie, and maybe what she really needed to have was a good time.

So Anya is here to party, to relax, and to try and suck it up like a good ex-demon ought to. Maybe she really is enjoying herself, or maybe she's fooling herself.

[halfnhalf]

[Big gatherings like this, for Teddy, are usually hit and miss. Either he feels it or he doesn't, and he can leave either feeling energetic of drained. But he's all smiles for this, as it's two people he likes and respects quite a bit tying the knot and living out the rest of their lives together, supporting each other no matter what.

Needless to say, Teddy loves weddings. He's dressed for the part, too; a suit with a hint of blue that matches his eyes, hair shifted to give the appearance of being trimmed and smoothed neatly, and only one earring in each ear. And though he usually doesn't go for a look like that, he finds that he approves of it in a way he didn't quite expect.

The reception is mostly spent with him buzzing about and starting up conversation, trying out samples of food, and maybe sipping at champagne now that he's old enough(!!), though it remains pretty much full until he sets the glass down for good. He can be persuaded to dance, as he isn't really inclined towards doing the offer himself, but he's at least a little more confident in himself when it comes to dancing itself.

But yeah, don't be surprised if he talks to you even if he doesn't know you. The energetic buzz and the happiness that the couple is radiating are absolutely being picked up by him.]

[wildbluevagner]

[Kurt is there, in his finest suit and with his image inducer on. And even without his fuzz on, he's doing his best to be the life of the party. He shows some moves on the dance floor (which are often more goofy than anything), he chats up other guests and he pigs out on food. He even sneaks some glasses of champagne.

Things are good. Seeing Tony and Pepper tie the knot, it's touching for Kurt. It's good to see love surviving in this world. It just also makes him miss Amanda... badly.

As the night goes on, he gets more daring. And he starts to sneak himself some rum as well, mixing it with his drinks and/or making small shots, indulging in his power to make it happen. And so he becomes even goofier with each passing hour...]

[voidseeing]

[True to his word, Gai is here, though he'll spend a large portion of the reception sitting down, and it's worth noting that he looks rather pale and tired. But he's stubborn, and there was no way that he was going to let his health stop him from showing up for Tony and Pepper's big day. Attending a party for reasons other than hobnobbing with important figures in the hopes of making connections to benefit Funeral Parlor is still something that's new to him, though. It's a bit awkward, yet at the same time, he's finding it to be fun in its own way.

When he's not sitting down, he can be found at Elizabeth's side, often either dancing with her or sipping at a glass of some type of alcohol. (Yes, he's 18, and no, he doesn't care.) The atmosphere is clearly rubbing off on him, whether he'll admit it or not.

He certainly never thought he'd be enjoying himself at a wedding, much less being happy for the couple. How things have changed...]

[frost_jewel]

[Weddings are entirely different affairs in Tony and Pepper's world, at least as they've represented one here; Mia loves seeing the two of them so happy and at peace about something, but she hasn't felt so out of place at a party in a long time. The others all seem to know what to do - dancing, drinking, saying things to the bride and groom as they go about - and she is at something of a loss to do the same. And she's in heels, at least for part of the reception. That's enough to unbalance any adventure-boot-wearer.

The end result is that Mia stays a bit out of the way, smiling and talking to anyone who comes by without doing much venturing forth herself. She presents a very cordial face, though, because the most important thing is to be happy for Pepper and Tony and she is. So very much.]

[tryit]

So it's definitely weird to think that Tony Stark's marrying Pepper Potts. And even after sitting through the whole ceremony (led by Jack freakin' Sparrow of all people), yeah, nothing's gotten any less weirder.

But hey, Cassie had been invited and needed a date. And Billy had put a lot of work into decorating the Battle Dome for the reception. How could Kate say no? A chance to dance and mingle, dressed to the nines alongside her best friend? She's so there. Best of all? This time, there's no bridesmaid duties in the middle of Hurricane Sandy.

With her dark hair done up into a high bun and her makeup artfully applied, Kate's both looking and acting the society girl tonight. (It is Tony Stark's wedding after all, lack of New York society be damned.) No one that knows her would be surprised by her choice in dresses, complete with silver sandals and dangling silver earrings.

She's open to dances with both new faces and old. Or just talking. And she won't say no to a drink if offered. Tonight's about having fun, isn't it?

I win. The latest award goes to me.

[endgames]

[So Shikamaru is here. Eventually. He's never actually been to a wedding before, so he had some last minute screw-ups. Namely, he wasn't sure if it would be rude to show up without making use of the plus one Pepper gave him. All of the girls he knows are either already attending or got ruled out for one reason or another.

He even thought about just asking a random person on the street to come with him before deciding he was overthinking things. In the end, it's all too troublesome, and he tries to show up with his best too cool to care disposition. While... discreetly glancing... You know, to see if anyone else came alone.

He just doesn't want to screw this up, okay okay.

That said, he decided to go with a suit - gray slacks, and a black suit top over a white shirt, with a green tie (see icon). He's not used to the Western stuff so much - that wedding ceremony was odd, by the by (are they all like that?) - but he decides he likes this.

At the reception he's content to observe from the back for the most part-- hello, open bar. He will try you. He could get dragged into things, but everyone looks really happy here so he'll try to mingle too. The bride and groom are on the list too, naturally.]

[breezing]

[ Ikki approaches at top speed at the reception, and immediately goeos for a hug around the waist rather than a normal, calm hello. She's still in her flower girl dress with its gold shoes, and her hair is half-down and neat. ...Sort of neat, at least, since she's been running around the party non-stop ever since the ceremony ended. ]

Shikamaru Shikamaru Shikamaru! Guess what? I get to keep my dress and shoes. Aren't they shiny? I've never had shoes this shiny before ever. I mean I guess when there was a space part of Luceti that one time - you remember the time I got you and Masaomi that dagger thing? - I had shiny space shoes but they didn't stay behind and I dunno if they were actually real even really.