What lovely pictures. If they faithfully reflect the atmosphere at the wedding, it was a true simcha indeed.

Leda is, of course, lovely, and truly radiant; may her marriage bring her and you as much joy as her wedding clearly did.

May you, Karen and all your offspring - and your offspring's offspring - know many, many more simchas in the coming years.

And much nachas to you all!

Sara:

It really was a lovely wedding and we all had a wonderful time.

Thanks so much for all your good wishes.

Mazel tov!

Nice to see you had a photographer that actually got pictures (unlike the Robert and Karen version).
Robert and Karen...it looks like it was a beautiful, warm wedding. Wishing the bride and groom a life of love and friendship together.

Jeremiah:

Thanks so much.

Randi:

The pictures that I'm not in -- I took. That way I was certain they wouldn't "burn."

I overheard someone say: "This is the only wedding I've ever been at where the father of the bride is running around taking pictures."

Robert, I know that you and your digital camera are attached at the hip. At least you have something to fall back on if this screenwriting thing doesn't work out.

Mazal Tov! A loyal reader, but never commented. Glad this simcha gives me the opportunity!
Much nachas!

Ezer Knegdo:

This is the very best time to de-lurk. Thanks so much. And a freliche Purim.

I am still recovering from the beautiful spectacle of this wedding. Thank you so much, Robert and Karen and Offspring #2, for inviting me. It was incredibly moving and I felt so privileged to be there for such a momentous occasion in your lives.

Thank you!
When I was a smart-alec kid I never understood why anyone would cry at a wedding. Anyone who looks at those pictures, after reading this blog, well ... you know what I mean (I think).
With heavy eyes,
Jeremiah

A huge mazel tov from another loyal, but lurking, reader! And as good a time as any to tell you that you are among my top blog reads and one I often point others to. All my best wishes to the whole mishpocha on this wonderful simcha.

Mazal tov!!!

Have I really not been paying attention, or have you never mentioned a word about this?

It's good to see pictures of you looking so happy.

Randi:

Yup, if this Hollywood gig falls through, I'm available for weddings and Bar Mitzvas.

Jackie:

So kind and generous of you to fly all the way in from England.

And: I told you Leda wanted to dance with you!

And: You're next!

Jeremiah:

Yes, part of being a grown-up means throwing away the cynicism of youth and enjoying the tears that inevitably comes at weddings. May you only know such tears of joy.

MAZAL TOV, Robert!

It was a beautiful simcha...worth every minute of the red-eye back to NY. Mazal Tov!

Mazel tov!!! Even I know that one....and best wishes to the newlyweds (redundant I'm sure, can you interpret mazel tove exactly for me?)

the mother and father of the bride were radiant also :)

Mazel Tov!

As the father of a bride-to-be next February, I look forward to reading about your experience.

Mazel Tov! Only simchas!

Mazal tov, mazal tov, and thanks for making time for me in LA, as busy as you were! I hope that all the planning was worth it to see your daughter as a beautiful kallah. And lovely to "virtually meet" the "beautiful Karen Singer," as well...

And I'll save the Jewish geography (because I know me some Rockoffs) for next time...

Oh, and BTW, I am a Hillcrest boy too. We make very good husbands and sons-in-law.

What lovely pictures....

Mazel Tov!!

And Happy Purim too ;)

Top 10 Signs Leda & Elie's Wedding was Great
by Jake Novak

10) That cramp you get in your cheeks from too much smiling set in way before the reception

9) The sheva brachos (seven blessings) were so good... they had to add an eighth!

8) It was so much fun, Elie's friends decided not to go with the whole "guy in the gorrilla-suit interrupting the chupa" gag

7) When Leda circled Elie seven times, it reminded everyone of her first driving lesson

6) Rabbi was overheard saying: "After a simcha like that, who needs Purim?"

5) Joining a boy from Queens and a girl from Los Angeles officially ends the whole "East Coast-West Coast" simcha feud for good

4) All the out-of-town relatives had such a good time; they forgot to complain about their flight!

3) Three people had to be rushed to hospital with severe cases of too much naches

2) Two words: "No leftovers"

1) Robert now knows... there IS such a thing as a fifth mortgage

MAZAL TOV!

What a surprise! (for us, I mean, the audience). She looks so, so beautiful!

Thank you for sharing this most wonderful of simchas with all of your readers. I loved looking at all of these beautiful pictures and wish Leda and Elie a long life together filled with laughter, love, health and happiness.

Jake, you're a riot! (and I'm very hard to please when it comes to humor)

. . . aaah . . . so much to be proud of. Mazel tov!

Jeremiah:

Thanks! Your vote of confidence comes at just the right time. I'm actually doing a "pop" writing test for the Daily Show people right now. They saw my Purim spoof in the LA Jewish Journal and are giving me a shot... don't hold your breath, but it's worth a try.

Iris:

Perfect time to delurk. Thanks so much. Lovely to meet you.

Mazal Tov! And a freilich Purim.

This was a wonderful thing to read ON Purim, just added to the joy..and we need more of that.

I read last night that Purim will be the last holiday ever abolished, or won't ever be...and I believe that's great. Happiness and light...that's what we need much, much more of.

And the celebration of weddings.

Only Simchas

Uberimma:

You have been paying attention. I have never mentioned the wedding. It's been top secret... Well, the truth is I'm afraid of Offspring # 2 and saying the wrong about all the plans and planning. But now I have sort of permission to write about the wedding and all that goes into it. And oh boy, did I learn about what makes men men and women women.

Mazal Tov. May they experience only joy and laughter.

For those who asked, Mazel Tov, literally means, "Good Luck." Mazel refers to the astrological signs, which some believe can be used to predict the future. It has been adopted as a generic word to mean luck.

The photos are beautiful. Your daughter is the perfect bride, the picture of loveliness and youth. But Karen is breathtaking - her beauty radiates through every photo. As a long-time reader and silent lurker, seeing the photos made all your other wonderful writings come even more alive.
A request - when you write the descriptions, could you provide explanations for some of the traditions shown in the photographs for your Gentile and non-observant Jewish readers?
Thank you, both for the photos and for the entire blog. It is very inspirational on many levels.

Simple Jew:

Thanks so much.

Mazel Tov!
May you know only Simchas!
A Freilicen Purim!

Suziannr:

Thanks so much. Yes, we looked as radiant as we felt. And your Hebrew is also radiant!

Sona:

Mazal Tov to you! And as Bette Davis says in "All About Eve:" "Buckle up, this is about to become a bumpy ride!"

Mazel Tov to you and your entire family. It was so nice to see pictures of a blogger I always read, and to see such a happy family!

Esther:

It was my pleasure to make the time for you when you were in LA.
Jewish Geography, gee, that's Karen's dept. I can barely remember much less identify most of my cousins.

That's right, you only glimpsed,"the beauful Karen S." when she dropped me off at Pico Kosher Deli. You see, she's real!

Thanks so much for the kind wishes.

Robert,

Thank you for sharing your happiness with us. I knew that if you did, your readers' happiness for the Avrechs would abound. Mine certainly does...

Irina:

Some things are even too private for a personal blog. Besides, Offspring #3 would never forgive me if I said something really dumb about the wedding plans, and knowing me, I would have.

Stacey:

Thanks so much. Elie and Leda greatly appreciate your warm wishes.

PsychoToddler:

Judging by Elie and um, PsychoToddler, ( I still stumble over that name) yes, Hillcrest men make very fine husbands.

Jake:

LOL! Exactly what we need after the wedding--just a good laugh. JIAF. Thank you!

Lance:

Glad you enjoyed the pics. Thanks so much. Hope you had a nice Purim.

Maurice:

Yes, it was a real Purim wedding and Leda was a true Jewish Queen. Thanks so much for your lovely comments.

Mazal Tov to the entire Avrech clan. Pictures may allow an observer to vicariously view the simchah but nothing can describe the extreme happiness that was bursting forth from each and every guest at the wedding. The couple was beaming! I only wish that my future s'machot can reach the level of the simplest moments at this wedding.

Mr. Avrech it was an absolute pleasure meeting you and I just hope that my myopic displays did not in any way contribute to your "fragile" state of mind, I apologize.

Jack:

Thanks so much. Good to hear from you.

First of all: Mazel Tov!!

Second: Wow, I'm such an idiot. I remember realizing that this was your daughter a while back, but completely missed that this was the wedding a good friend just flew out to LA for... which meant something to us back here. It's amazing how your family's wedding in LA affects the lives of some of us out in New York... :)

(It's a small world...)

Mazel Tov again - gorgeous pics! :)

Amy:

Thanks so much for your lovely words about Leda and the love of my life. In the future, I will do my best to provide translations and explanations for all the Jewish words and rituals.

Thanks so much for choosing this moment to delurk, we are deeply moved.

Wow! What a wonderful surprise! Mazel tov to you and your family. Your daughter is a beautiful bride and it's clear from the pictures of you and Karen that you are bursting with nachas. May you have a lifetime of joy from this marriage and its "dividends" (as my Grandma used to call us).

Yael

Thanks so much.

Ezzie:

It's a very small Jewish world, that's for sure.

PinkDevora:

Glad you are able to finally put a blog to a set of faces.

Doc:

It was great meeting and talking to you. May we only share happiness together.

EV:

Thanks so much. Always good to hear from you.

Nedra:

We were bursting with nachas, pride and joy, as for dividends, oh gosh, is that what they are called? Okay, I can do it, Karen will show me how. I know she will.

Pearl:

Our pleasure to share with you and with our Seraphic readers. Receiving so many lovely expressions of joy and mazal is just wonderful.

Words just fail me.

For the moment.

My congratulations and best wishes to everyone involved.

Robert,
Thank you so very much for sharing these photos. Everyone looks just so happy and radiant. It looked like a grand time :) I am so happy for you all! Mazal tov!!!

MAZEL TOV!!!!

What a beautiful couple! One question. Is the man on the left in picture number 12 singing or yawning??

May you have tons of nachas.

azriel

Mazel Tov

Michael:

Thanks so much. We hope to dance at your wedding very soon.

Rachel:

We look radiant for we felt radiant. Thanks so much.

Azriel:

He is definitely singing. Loudly and joyously.

Simon:

Thanks so much.

Mazel Tov, Mazel Tov, Mazel Tov!!!

A lovely bride, the simcha of the event fairly leaps out of the pictures and makes me smile along with you.

Much naches to you and yours!

Proudmommyof4:

Thanks so much. It really was a wonderful wedding.

Mazal Tov to you, Karen, and the entire Avrech and Singer families.
The pictures are beutiful; you all look great!
Wishing you much nachas,
S & J

Hermom:

Thankyou so much. We felt great.

Mazel Tov! What a gorgeous couple and a stunning family. Karen is just breathtaking and the gowns...WOW! Just as it should be and Robert, with everything you had on your plate you were still able to blog without giving us a hint of what was going on in your life! Amazing. Thanks so much for sharing with us. Many blessings to you all.

Mazel Tov from everyone at the Nest!

Bradley
The Egel Nest

Lisa:

Thanks so much.

The gowns are gorgeous because, well, as you say, Karen and Offspring #2 are just beautiful.

Believe me, it was not easy blogging and not letting on as to what was going on behind the scenes here at Casa Avrech. But I'm a man who believes in doing his duty, and I was under strict orders from the women in my life and I know who's in charge.

Egel Nest & Co.

Thanks so much.

Mazal tov! May you and your family enjoy many more smachot together! And may your daughter and son-in-law build a bayit ne'eman b'yisrael!

When David and I were engaged I heard a lovely vort on the word mazal (and from the STRANGEST source, but THAT is a story for another time!). There are those who believe that the word mazal is an acronym rather than an actual word. The acronym is said to stand for makom (place), zman (time), la'asot (doing/action) – thus, it can be said that by being in the right place at the right time and doing the right thing, we make our own luck.

Zahava:

Thanks so much for the lovely thoughts and for the words of Torah. I will pass it on to Offspring #2 and to my new (gulp) son-in-law.

Mazal Tov! What a wonderful time to have a Chasunah! May you continue to enjoy Simchos and much naches from your growing family!

btw, the contrast between your picture on the blog and the real life pictures from the wedding... I must say, you look very... Dignified. Yes, dignified, absolutely.

Dear Hmmm:

Thanks for the kind words.

You will find that I tend to get dignified around Karen and the girlses when they look soooo very beautiful. My usual look of casual schlepdom just doesn't seem to work, y'know.

weve posted another photo gallery on onlysimchas of even more radiant pics of the bride,groom and their fam and friends....enjoy!!!

Dear Friends:

Thanks so much. I've posted it. You are the best!