I traveled to Pittsburgh, via Cleveland, to witness the wedding of my brother, Brian, to my new sister, Kathleen. I cried.

	I flew into Cleveland, instead of Pittsburgh, to spend some time with Julia, before the wedding. Rachel flew with me from Midway into Cleveland.
	We arrived in Cleveland, and without a whole lot of trouble, hopped on the RTA train to 117th St.
	We met Brian on Wednesday night, on his way from Chicago to Pittsburgh. We grabbed some dinner at the "Brew Kettle," in Strongsville, OH.
	This is the view from Julia's apartment in Lakewood.
	Julia, Rachel, and I went to the Great Lakes Science Museum one morning, in downtown Cleveland. This circa-1983 "robot" says phrases entered in its ancient keyboard, in a Stephen Hawking kind of voice. I got it to say, "Boom shakka lakka, boom shakka lakka ... boom."
	Look here! A video camera! Science!
	Julia had some trouble with the voice-commanded robot.
	They had a wheelchair simulation, aimed at making you feel bad for having functional legs.
	It was really hard to use.
	They had another simluation, with which you could race bicycles with random Ohio women.
	We went to a very entertaining and informative show about air pressure. This spirited young man does his damnedest to swing a brush at a ruler.
	We went and got some ice cream after that, and sat in a park to eat it. I finished first.
	Julia was second.
	Julia gets all punchy about her silver medal.
	That night, we went over to the Case Western Reserve area, and wandered into a sensational beer bar called, ironically, "La Cave du Vin"(The Wine Cave). I was ecstatic to learn that they stocked Fantome.
	We weren't drunk yet.
	We were kind of drunk here.
	Two Fantomes later, we were sloppy, and chattering with people all around us.
	Here is La Cave's austere, yet unique tap selection. By its nature, La Cave du Vin reminded me very much of Spuyten Duyvil, in Brooklyn.
	The place is basically invisible from the street, though.
	Rachel smiles from the back of Julia's car, on the way back to the west side of Cleveland.
	Here, I blind Julia with the flash.
	The next day, we made the 2-hour drive to Pittsburgh, and I began a hectic day of helping out with pre-wedding plans. The first place I went after picking up the rental car was the reception hall, where I picked up Brian.
	Despite the lack of pictures to attest to the passage of time and hardship, I assure you the afternoon sucked. But, then the rehearsal proceeded.
	Julia and Rachel wait to be summoned for their roles in the ceremony.
	Kathleen practices walking down the aisle.
	I took a punitive picture of the wedding photographer.
	The rehearsal dinner was chicken medallions, with sauteed potatoes and green beans.
	Kathleen makes everyone feel welcome at dinner. She really has a gift for putting people at ease.
	Todd and Ben grabbed the elusive groom-to-be.
	Jackie and my head frame a shot of the cutest kid in history.
	After the dinner, we joined a gaggle of Kellys over at "Quaker Steak and Lube," near the hotel. Dad drinks his reward for sponsoring a "Yuengling Tower."
	We retired to Bill and Clare's hotel room for boozing and shenanigans.
	Uncle Paul and Aunt Ann catch up.
	Brian and Anthony discuss the Lingua Italiana.
	Mary rejoices in a turned-off television.
	Clare, Mike, and Ben avail themselves of the comfort offered in sitting on beds.
	Casey and Brian enjoy Brian's last single night.
	Clare, Mary and Mike, high on life.
	As is always the case in this family, a rash of singing broke out, resulting in an angry call from the front desk.
	Casey and Vince, looking in a different direction.
	Paul wasn't out to impress anyone else with his grooming, that night.
	After a long morning, Brian donned his tuxedo, and got ready to get married. Unfortunately, that meant an hour of posing for pictures.
	Brian prepares his game for a wedding photo.
	There it is!
	Rachel joined him for a shot.
	Dad and Amy smile brightly with Brian.
	Worried about the supply of air conditioned air in the church, Kathleen hangs out in a car with Lisa.
	Brian counts the seconds until the big moment, as he and I are sequestered in the back of the church.
	The altar girls kept us company.
	When I ducked back to the front of the church to walk Amy to her seat, I caught a shot of Kathleen.
	Expectant anticipation.
	So, they got married. Eric and Liz groove at the reception.
	Todd and Ben have a dance with Julia.
	A circle of Kellys mouth the words to the only Dexy's Midnight Runners song anyone knows.
	Ben and Todd get all up on the new couple.
	Ben and Todd helped me basically trash my rental.
	I wound up guiltily cleaning this off at 3am.
	Aunt Pat, Uncle Roger, Aunt Maggie, and Uncle Jim enjoy the reception.
	Bill Kvortek watches his daughter.
	The touching ceremony in which the assembled party joined hands in a circle around Kathleen as her veil was removed by her mother, prefacing the first couple's exit, during which I cried like a little girl, will have to be relegated to my memory and your imagination. After dropping Brian and Kathleen off at the honeymoon suite, I returned to the reception, and wistfully walked around taking pictures, feeling lighter than air, and yet still somehow sad. Vince, Bill, and Clare hadn't wasted any celebration time, however.
	After the reception officially ended, the hotel graciously offered us the use of its conference room, where we continued the party until well into Sunday.
	I am pretty sure we drank all the remaining beer.
	Aunt Ann and Rachel enjoy a breath of fresh air.
	A group of us retired to Clare and Bill's room, where we quoted Cohen Brothers movies until we couldn't stay awake anymore.
	The next morning, we assembled in the hotel lobby before heading over to a park for a reunion with the Vogels, Grandma Kelly's Pittsburgh family.
	Grandpa and Uncle Jim enjoy the lovely day.
	Carol and Uncle Paul dig the sunshine.
	Julia reads up on her stocks, while Julie talks with Rachel.
	Vince and Suzanne hang out.
	Vince and Tom amid a crowd of Vogels and Kellys.
	Dinner cooking.
	Dan and Julie confer with Uncle Jack and Aunt Liz.
	Ha!
	The park where we met was very pretty, especially on that lovely early September afternoon.
	Dan and Mary seemed happy that everyone was together.
	I stick my face in a picture of Julia talking with Mike.
	Mara, Mary, Aunt Maggie, and Julia smile happily.
	Suzanne reconnects with Paul and Casey.
	Aunt Maggie, Abby, Catherine and Rachel hang out.
	Dad, Catherine, Aunt Ann, Aunt Barbara, Aunt Maggie, Rachel, Julie, and Abby.
	Mike and Mary's brood.
	Mike and Mary's brood, from on high.
	Elizabeth, Suzanne, and Aunt Ann, amid their goodbyes.
	After the all-day picnic, Aunts Liz, Ann, Maggie, Uncles Jack, Paul, Roger, Matt, and Casey, Julia, Grandpa, Mickey, and I retired to Grandpa and Mickey's room for a very enjoyable two-hour discussion of politics. Here, Uncle Matt makes a point.
	Grandpa seeks a chance to get a word in.
	Aunt Liz explains something.
	The next day, everyone else got up early and left town. Julia and I, however, only had a two hour drive ahead of us, and so were completely at our leisure. So, we made sure to run over to downtown before we left town.
	Pittsburgh really is a beautful city. It was a fantastic trip.