My Big, Fat Gas Station Wedding

I hear I’m part of a bridal trend. Like some couples today, my new husband Erik and I have far-flung relatives and complicated logistics that were solved with multiple wedding receptions. Aside from the same bride and groom, each wedding had one thing in common—excellent food was our priority.

The first event was what I refer to as my big fat Greek wedding—the ceremony was traditionally Greek Orthodox, I was in a white dress and the reception had been planned months ahead at East Hampton Point in East Hampton, N.Y., one of the area’s best restaurants that overlooks the water. A few months before our wedding, the restaurant hired a new chef, Craig Attwood, who had honed his skills at amazing eateries like Manhattan’s Veritas. He made the most delicious feast with a Greek bent, his crew and execution were flawless and the guests are still talking about how good the food was.

The second wedding was five months later on the West Coast in order to celebrate in front of my mother-in-law, who was unable to travel to the first one. It was, um, untraditional by all standards.

We held a wedding ceremony in a beautiful courtyard in her nursing home, located in Woodland, Calif., an hour and a half north of San Francisco. I left the wedding dress at home, but did wear a fancy white blouse and black velvet pants. Even though we were competing with Bingo, the residents were excited enough for us that they made a point of wishing us well before returning to their game. The reception followed at Reiff’s Gas Station, recently featured on HGTV’s “Offbeat America.” Both the exterior and interior of this house have been retrofitted into an old-fashioned gas station, diner, barber shop, general store and movie theater. What started with the owner’s purchase of a 1930’s Wayne Gas Pump at a neighborhood garage sale has turned into a favorite local place to throw a party.

We were preparing our own food for the reception, which was essentially a big cookout. Erik and I came up with a menu that would be doable on the gas grill in the backyard party space, and added prepared appetizers and sides that were simple but delicious. We shopped the day before—half the items we found at Costco and half at Nuggets, a local specialty food store. That same day we descended upon my sister-in-law’s kitchen. Erik marinated 15 pounds of skirt steak in pineapple juice, ginger and soy sauce, followed by a dry rub of cumin and black pepper. The large side of salmon was placed on top of sliced red onion, lemons and dill and wrapped in foil so it could be placed directly on the grill to steam. We packed the fridge to the gills and used two coolers for extra storage for all the food—except for a vegetable rice salad from The Silver Palate Cookbook that’s served at room temperature.

I have to mention the cake from Masse’s Pastries, known by those in the area as the best bakery in Berkley, Calif. We had two—chocolate mousse with dark chocolate exterior and a stunningly striped raspberry and chocolate—and they were works of art. All of that, plus fresh sourdough bread, mixed greens with vinaigrette, a table full of cheeses and shrimp cocktail and a keg from Sedwerk, Davis, Calif.’s authentic German microbrewery, meant everyone left full and happy. Cleanup was quick because everyone lent a hand. Two pieces of cake gave us all the sugar rush we needed.

The biggest surprise was running out of propane gas. How this slipped our mind in a place that held more than 75 vintage gas tanks was comical. But the gas grill petered out halfway through cooking. Happily, the owner refilled the tank and the party went on seamlessly.

The weddings were each different but both special, fun and memorable. But not enough so that I’ll be having a third.