At 6:30 pm on Saturday, June 27, 1998, Christine Hall and Michael Reis were married. The Ba'hai ceremony took place at Baldwin Hall in Millersville, Maryland. The ceremony was simple, moving and very elegant. Chrissy's sister (wow!) provided accompaniement on the flute.

From: Sue Fedor and Steve Devoney Deevoo@aol.com

The ceremony was lovely and simple. Both Chrissy and Michael's mothers read passages to the accompanyment of Chrissy's sister on flute. The presider kept his words of advice to a minimum and Michael was the most eager groom I've ever seen. He waited impatiently for the vows to finish and couldn't wait for the final "I do" to finish echoing before he reached in toward Chrissy for a big smooch.

From: Ellen Werther
Heartsdesi@aol.com

Well, since no one else has gotten married yet in 1998 (except for Auntie Debs, who virtually eloped, for heaven's sake) Mike and Chrissy's wedding was the affair of the year--especially from a vintage fashion perspecitve. Attending (both the wedding and the reception afterward) were a number of Mike and Chrissy's dance friends. Many came in vintage garb.

No one could hold a "proverbial" candle to our very own, dear, Chrissy Hall (now MRS. Chrissy Hall-Reis) who wore an incredible 1930s wedding gown ala Carole Lombard. The short sleeves puckered as was the sytle in the mid-30s (visualize the Good Witch in the Wizard of Oz--THOSE sleeves. The dress itself was simple, white satin, bias cut. With rows of ribbing around the hips and tush. Chrissy--being tall and slender--looked statuesque and glamourous. And radiant, of course.

being fond of desserts, we were very much taken with Mike and Chrissy's wedding cake with its very elaborate and artistic rolled frosting.

Let us say that the food was fantastic, and that everyone ate too much --- especially those little lemon curd squares.

The couple had two specialty cakes, that we have heard referred to as "Groom Cakes". One was in the shape of an art-deco bakelite radio and the other was in the shape of a purse. I guess that --- unless there is something that we don't know about Mike --- these are, respectively, "groom" and "bride" cakes. They were delicious, too. Everything was delicious...

From: Sue Fedor and Steve Devoney Deevoo@aol.com

Chrissy and Mike set up a very clever reception, which was held in the same place as the ceremony. They asked folks to bring light dinner foods and dessert--and boy was there a spread!

I'll let others wax poetic about the cakes and Chrissy's fabulous dress....and the vintage car in front of which we all posed.

Peaches O'dell was on hand to provide the music and we got to jam to "Sing Sing Sing" and to do shim sham to "Stompin at the Savoy". Peaches was in exceptional form, musically and otherwise. In her last set, she wears an Egyptian costume, complete with a snake arm-bracelet. I liked this ornament and said to her "I fancy your asp." She said, "You wish..." Perhaps there was some misunderstanding there...

From: Sue Fedor and Steve Devoney Deevoo@aol.com

Chrissy and Mike also hired Peaches O'Dell and her He-Man Orchestra--always a wedding favorite. Peaches kept the swing tunes, costume changes, jokes, and bubbles coming--something for everyone--slow, fast, and in-between. We were even treated to a polka while waiting for one of Chrissy's many costume changes.

The treat of the evening was a special appearance by Marcus Koch and Barbl Kauffer, the Lindy/Charleston/Black Bottom gurus from Bavaria.

From: Sue Fedor and Steve Devoney Deevoo@aol.com

We found ourselves at Dulles Airport, searching and searching for the place where travellers arrive...since we can't go up to the gates because they're so far out.... We finally caught up with our visitors--Marcus and Baerbl--who are fast becoming regulars--at the baggage claim about 1/2 hour after their flight came in.

We took off for Chrissy Hall and Michael Reis' wedding. We made good time along the country roads of Maryland, getting lost only once. We even had time for Marcus and Baerbl to stop for a snack.

Marcus and Baerbl treated us to a performance of their "Black Bottom" routine. I am convinced that they always travel with their Charleston costumes, just in case the opportunity for a performance breaks out. However, when the jam broke out, they were deep in conversation with Ellen and Marc, so the rest of us mediocre dancers could only look to the likes of Tom and Carolyn for some flash and dash. So the only real gasps from the audience came for Steve and my sorry sidecar/straddle combination--a feat I thought impossible in the dress I wore.

A huge crowd of Lindy Hoppers were present and dressed in vintage regalia, including Peter Gehring, Julia Stewart, Eric Celarier, Liz Turner, Jenny Manlove and Mike Dugan, Mark Ormsby and Wendy Dutcher, Diane Hutson-Wiley, Beverly Bixler, Bob Kleinpeter, Ellen Engle, Marc Shepanek,Tom Koerner and Carolyn Biczel, Ron Haron, Sue Fedor and Steve Devoney, Tuan Tran, Page Thornton, Gay and Dave Shepardson, Dave and Marie, and Linda Parker. [I am old and have a small memory --- write in and let us know who we missed] Special mention goes to "Dr. Daniel" Fierer and his white linen "Bwana Devil" suit.

From: Ellen Werther
Heartsdesi@aol.com

Most of the men showed up in their reproduction zoot suits. So I, a vintage purist, was impressed by Frank's non-zoot suit suit. He looked like quite the mensch in a double breasted beige linen jacket. If I am wrong about that, it is only because I was so taken by our dresser par excellence, Dr. Dan in his white linen 1930s garb.

Dave and Marie set the tone for these Lindy weddings last year when they had Peaches at the Kennedy-Warren.

From: Ellen Werther
Heartsdesi@aol.com

Julia Stewart looked divine in her mauve-colored diva number. with rhinestones at the waist and shoulder --- I LOVED the dress, dahlinks. Just loved it.

Carole Berghers hat was adorable. A perfect match for her little black dress. Jenny Manlove wore a blue crepe trimmed in lace, c.1940s. I kept ogling the lace--having just removed the ugliest stuff from my own dress. Jen's hair was swept up perfectly and she looked so sweet. Also looking sweet was Diane Hutson-Wiley, in a peach dress w/ lacey shoulders,c. 1940s.

From: Ellen Werther
Heartsdesi@aol.com

Sue Fedor wore a mustard-colored late 40s number, with a peplum and great buttons on the sides and front and Gay Shepardson wore a slate-blue 50s item, the better to swing in, my dears. Both of these adorable outfits were the fruits of my partner's thrift-shopping...Gay's outfit came from the most recent trip she and I took to Frederick. I wore a blue crepe which also came from that trip. (I was so upset that I left my blue saucer hat in my car--we took my friend Bills' --but no one suffered from my oversight.

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