Let’s take a break from the urgent issues facing Forest Park and focus on society news. Let’s see-Kelly Rice married Josh Molnar on June 20. Luckily, I was able to cover this shindig in my capacity as father-of-the bride.
The wedding day got off to a great start. Kelly was relaxed and ready to roll and my two sons, otherwise known as the ushers, were enjoying an early round of golf. Being males, we only needed a short prep time for the ceremony, while the women started getting ready at 8 a.m.
We headed to the reception site – the McDonald’s Hyatt Lodge in Oak Brook – for pictures. It’s painless to pose when you’re truly excited and don’t have to force a smile. After the photo session, we headed to Lombard Christian Reformed Church.
A string quartet from Forest Park’s Gasse School of Music warmed up the crowd prior to the ceremony. The ushers further broke the ice, when they struggled to stretch the runner down the main aisle. I peeked in-it’s not often you see people in pews laughing their heads off.
All were composed, though; by the time I walked Kelly down the aisle. She looked and felt radiant. When the minister asked who was giving this woman, I blew my one line. Instead of, “Her mother and I” I blurted out, “Me and my wife.”
The ceremony was heartfelt and happy. The minister was casual and the bride and groom playful at times, yet we were deeply moved by the depth of their faith. A slideshow followed, with most of Kelly’s pictures having been shot on location in Forest Park.
They showed her with her bridesmaid Clara Richards cavorting on the stage for Panda Dance Studios and at various school functions and sports activities in Forest Park. We also saw Josh’s formative years in Detroit and how the handsome couple came together in college.
The video got us into the party mood for the reception. The party really started, though, when the band Standing Room Only took the stage. They truly lived up to their name and kept the dance floor jumping for the next two hours. Guests from the ages of 13 to 83 were busting new moves to the music.
The dancers were working off a hearty meal provided by the Lodge, that had reached all of the tables piping hot. While the band rocked, guests indulged themselves moderately at the bar but went a little crazy at the candy table.
I know I’m slightly prejudiced, but it was the most fun wedding I ever attended, including my own. Kelly deserves all the credit for pulling off this momentous event. We’re going to miss her, as she moves from home to Downers Grove. But Kelly and Josh know they are much loved and can always come back to Forest Park for some down-home cooking.
John Rice is a columnist/private detective, who has seen his business and family thrive in Forest Park. He thoroughly enjoys life in the village and still gets a thrill smelling Red Hots, watching softball and strolling through cemeteries.
