Free Wedding Girl by Stacey Ballis

coarse cornmeal. After gently transferring the loaves to the pans, I slash the tops with Herman’s homemade lame, a slightly curved razor blade duct-taped to an old toothbrush handle, and slide them into the proofing box for the final rise. Then I grab a large cup of caraway seeds, sprinkle them over the second large mound of dough, and begin the process again.
    â€œWhat sort of vibe are you going for with the event? I mean, I know the cake will be retro because of Brian’s personal taste, but is the whole party going for that feel?”
    Her face lights up. “I hadn’t thought of that, but some sort of theme might help narrow down decisions. I swear, if I spend one more minute on Pinterest looking at faux farm-to-table, mason-jar hipster weddings, I’m going to poke my eyes out.”
    â€œI know what you mean. Well, for what it is worth, I think embracing the old-school idea might be fun. And might make Brian feel really comfortable, especially since it’s his birthday as well. Plus, it could let you literally get through the cocktails before the ceremony without letting the cat out of the bag, so to speak.”
    â€œThat would be amazing.”
    â€œSo here is what I’m thinking . . .” I start to let the ideas flow with the rhythmic kneading. “Think about it like those old-school family-style banquets from the seventies; maybe almost treat it like a family-reunion vibe. Right? Keep the décor simple. Find great pictures of the two of you, your whole lives, you as kids, with your families, great memories, your times together, and have them printed in black-and-white on big foamcore boards. You can stick them to the walls all the way around the room, almost like a photographic exhibit at an art gallery. Maybe some uplights on the floor to make them pop. Put up a stage for the band or DJ that is big enough to have the ceremony on; that way you don’t need to do some fancy altar thing that will tip them off.” I portion out the dough, which now has the caraway seeds fully incorporated, prep a new set of pans, and sprinkle more caraway seeds on top of the loaves before slashing and sliding them into the proofing box. I grab the smaller mound of dough and find some fennel seed and aniseed to sprinkle over it. I add some orange zest and a couple of handfuls of golden raisins, and begin to knead, the scent of orange and spice wafting around me.
    â€œI love it. What about food?” Amelia asks.
    â€œYou do a simple buffet for appetizers, your basics like a cheese platter and a veggie platter, a shrimp display, maybe some chafing dishes with sweet-and-sour meatballs or chicken drumettes. Then long communal tables; let everyone find their own seat.” I think about my own little unused table. “Set aside a small table for just you and Brian. Cozy, and you won’t offend anyone. Simple flower arrangements, maybe gerbera daisies, in a bunch of different colors, but only one color per vase. Then after cocktails you can ask everyone to find a seat at the tables, head up for what would appear to be your welcoming toast, and boom! Ceremony! Quick and simple before they know what hit them. Then do the meal family-style; have large platters of food brought out, one set of platters for every eight seats, and let them help themselves. Bottles of water and wine already open on the tables. Keep it to foods you and Brian love, maybe whole roasted beef tenderloins that have been sliced up, and simple roasted chickens with some lemon and garlic, just portioned into pieces. A great salad. Some steamed asparagus or green beans. Something whimsical or unexpected like twice-baked potatoes or macaroni and cheese.”
    â€œI think Brian might want to marry you instead of me; you literally just named all his favorite food groups.”
    I divide the new dough into a dozen small balls, and two at a time, I roll them under my curved palms on the canvas, feeling them