Wedding Bells are Ringing!

Shanti and Alan in Salem last summer

One of life's great mid-life adventures is to witness the marriage of your children.  As millennials postpone marriage until their mid-thirties, it seems like it will never happen.  But when the announcement is finally made, the joy is worth the wait.

Islington Town Hall

We fly to London on Wednesday for our oldest daughter's wedding.  Shanti Kelemen and Alan Hampson will tie the knot in the Mayor's Parlour at the Islington town hall on Saturday afternoon.

Her sister Skyler from Boston, Uncle Steve from Portland, and John and Babette Hampson from Australia will also join us for the ceremony.  Afterwards they're having a small party for 25 at a pub (the Pig and Butcher), and an after-party and dancing at a nearby bar.

The Mayor's Parlour--their venue

Shanti and Alan met (guess) online four years ago. We're so delighted to have Alan and his parents join our extended family.  For those that don't know, Shanti is a senior portfolio advisor at Coutts Bank and its presence on Bloomberg TV and  CNBC.  Alan is an IT security specialist.  We love Alan and the comfortable chemistry he and Shanti have together.  They are fitness fanatics, go to a lot of big name concerts, and love adventure travel.

The Pig & Buther

We leave London Sunday morning for 10 days of independent travel to Scotland.  The wedding will no doubt be the highlight of the trip, but we're reminded of a friend's recent Facebook post that has rung true for us over the past 41 years:  "It's not the wedding, but the marriage that counts."

Shanti, Alan, John, Babette, and Kathy last July