NANCY GARDELLA

508-693-3308

(vhavenvgazette@yahoo.com)

Marriage is a journey, not a destination. However, weddings are a different story. In today’s world of destination weddings, let me tell you about a fabulous one that took place in Puerto Rico. You know the families. Melaney West, daughter of Cheryl Alwardt and Wayne West of Edgartown, married Jeremy Dunham, son of Martha Dunham and the late David Dunham of Vineyard Haven. None of the families had ever been to Puerto Rico, but Melaney wanted somewhere warm, and who can blame her after this long winter? The families, parents, spouses, siblings, friends and relatives, including Grandma Helen Alwardt, and, oh yes, star guest of all, Melaney and Jeremy’s 14-month-old son, Conner David West Dunham, flew to Puerto Rico early in March. Some of the guests were at the Embassy Resorts in Dorado, others stayed at the Hyatt. Melaney had planned a week of adventures for the gang: shopping, sightseeing in Old San Juan and touring the forts there, zip lining, walking the rainforest trails, beach, pool, you name it. The ceremony, with vows written by the bride and groom themselves, took place in the evening on the beach on March 11. Vanessa West was her sister’s witness, brother Jonathan Dunham did the same for Jeremy. Against a backdrop of the setting sun, Melaney was gorgeous in a long, creamy ivory halter gown. She carried a bouquet of white rosebuds and alstroemeria. Jeremy and son Conner were resplendent in tan slacks, white shirts, navy blazers and maroon high-top sneakers. Jeremy presented Melaney with their great-grandmother’s wedding ring. After the ceremony the party repaired to a great Spanish style restaurant in Dorado where the food was out of this world. The wedding cake was a special kind of Puerto Rican treat. May they live happily ever after.

Our League of Women Voters invites you to the Tisbury Senior Center on Tuesday, March 29 at 7 p.m. for the Tisbury candidates’ forum. Each candidate will speak and there will be a question and answer period. This is a grand opportunity to see what’s up for our town. I’ll see you there.

Grace Church preschool is hosting its annual spaghetti dinner and silent auction fundraiser tomorrow night. The dinner runs from 4:30 to 7 p.m. And take-out is available. The cost is $8 per grownup, $4 for kids and seniors. A family of five eats for a special price of $25 total. The silent auction has a mix of exciting surprises. If you need more information, call Jen Ray at 508.687.9080.

You can leave the Grace dinner in time to make it to the Agricultural Hall for the 7:30 p.m. showing of Queen of the Sun. This is a special presentation by the Martha’s Vineyard Film Society in conjunction with our Martha’s Vineyard Agricultural Society. The subject is the global honeybee crisis. The cinematography is stunning.

Our Martha’s Vineyard Museum presents a special two-part workshop tomorrow at their 59 School street location in Edgartown from 9 a.m. To 1 p.m. Peripatetic oral history curator of the museum, Linsey Lee, will teach you to interview, record and collect oral histories. Registration is required and limited to ten participants. Call 508-627-4441, extension 110 to sign up, or contact mvmuseum.org.

The birthday bandwagon pulls along Mick Mortimer and Allison Hunter today. March 26 is a party for Barbara Ivert, June Manning, Ari Raynayn Siegler, Shirley Robinson, Liz Owens and Anne Bennett. March 28 is for Mary Campos and Michael Hebert. March 29 honors Sandra Aperecida Gomes and Deb Stewart. March 30 belongs to Michael Diamond, Eric Clapton, Abigail Chappell and Andrew Nelson. And on March 31, Steve Durkee, Laura Alexander and Rachel Pires take the cake. Many happy returns.