Jamie and Eddie were excited to have dinner with Frank and Henry Reagan just a couple months after their engagement to show them the location they had booked for their reception. Jamie couldn't have picked a more perfect venue. It was beautiful but relaxed. Eddie looked around at the long wooden tables and saw everyone in the restaurant enjoying themselves. She liked it even more when it was open for business than she had the night she agreed to have their reception there. The wine and craft beers were flowing and the night's meal had been designed around farm to table ingredients with local brews and their wines that complimented them. It was everything they were - romantic, elegant and uncomplicated.
Frank Reagan was nervous as they sat down at the table because he feared he was about to become an intrusive father-in-law. When Erin was planning her wedding, he paid for it, so there was not much negotiation around the guests her mother and he decided should be included. When Danny and Linda were married, once again he and his wife had sprung for the reception, but Danny was in the military about to deploy, so they hadn't planned the affair with much lead time. Danny and Linda were content with both families and a few friends. Back then, Linda's large Italian family and the number of Reagans was rather sizable. Once they included their friends and a few members from Danny's unit, the group was set. The timing of Danny's deployment made for a limited choice of locations and did not leave much room for courtesy invitations. Not to mention, Frank had not held the job of police commissioner when the older two were married. He had initially planned to include very few of his own guests for Jamie and Eddie's special day, but he quickly realized how challenging that would be. While the couple was paying for their own wedding at their insistence, Frank knew that if it was not a small, private event, there would be plenty of people offended if they were left off the list. He had colleagues both current and former that he was close to and who had included him in their own life events.
Frank struggled to involve anyone besides family in his personal life since Mary died. The days of the Reagan Holiday Party were long past, but maybe that had been a mistake. He had watched with dismay as the number of people he felt he needed to include climbed into the double digits. He also wanted to establish relationships with some of these people for Jamie and Eddie independent of him, that would continue long after he had retired. He knew Jamie was not the kind of person to ask his father to intervene, especially once he was living a "former" commissioner's life. So he approached them with his hat in hand and his checkbook in his pocket.
Over dinner, Frank brought up the topic. "How is the wedding planning going?" he inquired. He wasn't the least surprised when his jubilant future daughter-in-law began describing in detail how she was going to decorate the beautiful Brooklyn Winery that Jamie had offered as a compromise to the ballroom overlooking Manhattan that they had first considered.
"Isn't it just gorgeous!" she gushed motioning around the room with her hand. "Very rustic but chic. I love the long wood tables and lots of candlelight. It's perfect! They even have room for dancing over to the side there where we put the DJ or band" she gestured to her left, "...we're still figuring all that out... But when the "wedding-y stuff" isn't going on like special dances, cutting cake and tossing the bouquet, the guests can just relax here at their tables if they want."
Any reservations Jamie may have had about suggesting a less expensive and less stuffy option for the reception had quickly disappeared once he and Eddie had met with their wedding coordinator. Eddie was all in and had lots of enthusiasm. Wendy, their coordinator, instantly took a liking to Eddie and understood not only her vision but the multi-generational, and diverse cast of attendees. Since then, Eddie was over the moon, even when they just passed by the location on their way around Brooklyn.
"That's what I wanted to talk to you both about. I've been talking to Henry and Lena, and I have an idea I'd like to run by you both."
Both Jamie and Eddie were unable to hide their surprise when Lena Janko's name was mentioned. She and Eddie had been really working on their relationship, and the couple was very much looking forward to having her support at the wedding. However, Eddie had successfully avoided involving her in any of the major decisions. She was strictly a "flowers and cake advisor" as Eddie liked to joke.
"What did you have in mind?" Jamie choked out, trying not to look alarmed. He could feel Eddie's hand tense on his thigh.
"Well, I have some guests I feel obligated to invite to your wedding as well as a few others that quite frankly it would be advantageous for you both to have attend." He paused. "I know this is your day, but these are people who have included me in their family celebrations and if they were not included as guests at your wedding it would seem dismissive. I'd be happy to pay for the cost of these guests as well as a few people your mother and grandfather would like to celebrate with. "
Jamie looked over subtly at Eddie and so far she seemed OK. Her hand had loosened up and was once again just resting softly on his thigh.
"That sounds great" Eddie said and they both nodded.
He continued, "I also realize that many of our guests are not up for late nights and loud parties. I was wondering if you would allow your mother and I to host a cocktail party in between the church and evening festivities. I know Kevin would be happy to adjust the time of the ceremony a bit if that was something you were interested in. I think if we included a cocktail party as a part of the day's festivities, most of the added guests would not even choose to join the reception here."
"Frank, that sounds wonderful, but my mother...I can't imagine how she could help you with the cost of something like that. She just moved into her apartment.." Eddie was starting to stammer with embarrassment.
Frank immediately cut in, "I've already spoken with Lena. Her help in planning and hosting the event is more than enough of a contribution. You are welcome to choose the location or any other aspects of the event. Or, you can even choose to not worry about it and I'm confident your mother will make sure it is beautiful...The entire thing is totally up to you."
"Well, it does sound like the perfect idea," Eddie began. Jamie could tell that her wheels were already turning. "My mother has great, but EXPENSIVE taste. You'll need me to reign her in."
"I had actually been thinking about Delaney's. It has been a birthday tradition in our family. They have a nice room that we've used for parties before, plus a patio that the guests could enjoy. The appetizers are fantastic and there's a full bar. We could join the guests after your pictures which was part of the itinerary if I remember correctly...You don't need to answer me right now. Take a day and think about it. I would love to contribute to the reception and pay for my guests, regardless."
"I think it is definitely something we can do," Eddie replied.
Jamie knew better than to comment about decisions like this without following Eddie's lead. "Let's just work on the details so it doesn't interfere with anything Eddie has already set up with our coordinator." he finally felt comfortable chiming in.
"Good idea, Jamie" Henry replied. "And for my part, I'll make sure to make sure Sister Katherine saves you a dance." He was teasing Jamie about the very sweet elderly nun who seemed to be oblivious that Jamie had grown beyond the respectful high school boy who mowed the convent lawn and shoveled snow for them in the winter years ago. She was still very active in a lot of the charity and service organizations that Henry filled his time with and asked about Jamie often.
"Just make sure its a nice, slow dance, Henry" Eddie laughed in hysterics.