Maralyn arrives at the cake table with a service cart in tow; it carries the tiers of the wedding cake securely stored in sturdy boxes. "I will be there right after the ceremony," she had promised Teri on the phone. Stephen has left flowers for cake decoration. White roses, and hydrangeas which Maralyn sparingly uses at the gatherings of the cream-colored swags and around the cake. The calla lilies, made from gum paste, are Maralyn's creations since calla lilies must not come in contact with food. Teri adds the monogrammed champagne goblets and cake knife.

The noise level rises. The guests are having such a good time that the mother of the bride asks Teri to hold with the dinner a bit longer. Finally, half an hour later, the guests have found their seats, and the salad plates covering most of the working area in the kitchen are gone.

There is another staff lineup at the kitchen counter: Rob spoons the mashed potatoes on the plates, Sarah adds the fried beans, Jeff the meat, Drew the fish and a sprig of rosemary. Teri reads the tables' menus and the waiters stock their trays. Five food-filled plates make a pretty heavy load. The wait staff doesn't mind. They easily shoulder the trays, turn, and leave for the ballroom. The bright kitchen light shows the concentration on their faces. Everybody works quietly. The sound of the plates, pushed from one hand to the other on the metal counter, blends with Teri's soft-spoken commands and the announcements of the returning waiters. Once in a while a plate comes back. A guest wants the meat well done.

Suddenly, Deneane returns with two plates of fish. Wrong orders! She reports a last minute menu change. Even though marked on the place cards, the notes are indecipherable in the dim light. "This happens all the time," Teri says, "we just switch to plan B." Now Al follows with back-up menus: fish, steak, combo. Finally the stack of plates gets smaller, and the end is in sight.

Joel, the bandleader comes into the kitchen. He knows Teri's delicious food and generous portions from other occasions. Today the band gets dinner first, they need to be back in the ballroom. Lisa, Michelle, and Amy only have time for a few bites.

Dinner is over. The waiters take the dishes into the kitchen where they are
rinsed and stacked back into the crates. Craig and Parker tidy up again. It is amazing how much glassware is used during such a long event. The rental sheet lists 1728 assorted glasses for the 182 guests today.

Drew, Sarah, and Rob prepare another treat in the kitchen. They dip large strawberries in dark chocolate and place them on parchment paper spread on cooking sheets. After the chocolate is hardened, they drizzle white chocolate over the strawberries. Rob must love this job, he does it with such a dedication.

The bar is in full swing. Mostly men are gathered here. Are they avoiding the dance floor?

Laura's announcement: "The bride changed into flip-flops," inspires Teri to switch back into her sneakers. What a relief! After bride and groom have enjoyed their cake, it is brought back into the kitchen and Teri slices it in no time. Waiters leave the kitchen, their trays stacked high with cake plates. Bill, Ndego, James, and Laura serve coffee and tea.

Teri adds chocolate strawberries and a chilled bottle of champagne to the appetizers in the picnic basket; then carefully she places the top layer of the cake inside and closes the lid. She knows from experience that newlyweds love to snack after the wedding is over because they often don't have enough time to eat during the celebration.

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