Karaoke Cookout

Where: 26 Brooks Ave, Newton, MA 02460

When: Friday, June 23, 2017 at 6pm

Attire: Casual. Shorts and flip flops are great.

The weekend kicks off with a cookout at the Mahr family home in Newton. A buffet dinner from the famous Blue Ribbon BBQ will be provided, with vegetarian-friendly options.

For entertainment, there will be karaoke with all of your favorite hits from the 1990s and 2000s. To search for a song that you might want to sing, go to the database, select "Quincy", and then search by artist or song title.

From Boston, it's 15 minute drive to Newton on I-90 and Exit 17. Rush hour traffic will be bad until 7pm, so an alternate option is the Framingham/Worcester line to Newtonville on the commuter rail; remember to buy a Zone 1 pass for $6.25 before getting on the train. The MBTA 553/554/556 express buses are another option. See the Getting Around Boston section for more information.

The after party will be downtown at MJ O'Connors (27 Columbus Ave, Boston, MA 02116), next door to the Boston Park Plaza; we have tables reserved next to the bar on the “park side” of the restaurant. If you’re getting into Boston late, please join us then!

Ceremony

Where: Second Church in Newton - 60 Highland St, West Newton, MA 02465

When: Saturday, June 24, 2017 at 2pm

Attire: Dressy but comfortable. The church is not air-conditioned, so layering is encouraged.

The wedding ceremony will take place on Saturday afternoon at the Second Church in Newton. Reverend Mark Seifried will officiate. Weather-permitting, please join us for photos outside the church just after the ceremony.

The church is located in Newton about a mile west of the Mahr home. Parking is available in the lot on Chestnut Street. See the Getting Around Boston section for more information.

Banquet

The banquet is the main event for weddings in Vietnamese and Chinese culture--perhaps more important than the ceremony. Since this is the first Asian wedding banquet for many guests, we have compiled a detailed guide so you know what to expect.

Where: Hei La Moon Restaurant - 88 Beach St, Boston, MA 02111. The restaurant is located in the Leather District between the Chinatown "gate" and South Station. It's a short walk from the hotels, the commuter rail and Red Line via South Station, the Orange Line via Chinatown, and the Green Line via Park Street. Validated parking is available in the garage upstairs for $10. See the Getting Around Boston section for more information.

Who: Approximately 170 people will attend the banquet. A large contingent of the Vietnamese community from New Hampshire won't be at the ceremony but will be at the banquet.

When: Saturday, June 24, 2017 at 6pm. Drinks and appetizers will be available from 6 to 7. Many of the Vietnamese will arrive closer to 7pm and the first course will not be served until most guests are seated. The meal will end around 9 with dancing and celebration to follow.

Attire: Dressy, sort of. Gentlemen can wear anything from a dress shirt and tie with slacks (but no jeans) to a full suit. Ladies can wear a cocktail dress or other semiformal outfit. A tuxedo or full-length ballgown will look out of place. Just don't wear all white, since white is traditionally a color for funerals (a white shirt or blouse is fine). Unlike the church, the restaurant is air-conditioned.

Food: As the name suggests, banquets are all about food. There will be about ten courses served family style at each round table of ten guests. This is different from dim sum with the old ladies pushing carts. The menu includes the following courses:

  1. Cold cut platter with assorted meats
  2. Stuffed crab claws
  3. Fresh scallops and jumbo shrimp in “basket”
  4. Soup with chicken, pork, crab, and fish
  5. Roasted crispy whole chicken with shrimp chips
  6. Twin lobsters with ginger and scallion
  7. Sirloin steaks with Chinese broccoli
  8. Sole fillet with mixed vegetables
  9. Seafood fried rice
  10. Yee-fu noodles with vegetables
  11. Dessert
  12. Cake

Vegetarian options will be provided. Please let us know when you RSVP.

Tips:

  • Once the first course is served, additional courses will come out every 5-10 minutes. Be sure to pace yourself!
  • Serving spoons will be provided to transfer food from the large platter to your own plate. But it's normal to grab individual pieces of food with your chopsticks, too.
  • Everyone can take as much or as little of each course as they wish. Be courteous and make sure that everyone gets to try everything, especially the sought-after lobster and chicken delicacies.
  • Practice those chopstick skills: this is the moment you've been training for! Make sure you're comfortable with the slippery plastic chopsticks rather than the wooden ones you usually get from takeout places. Forks will also be available.
  • Rice should be eaten from the small bowl, not the plate. Lift the bowl to your mouth and use the chopsticks like a shovel. Om nom nom.
  • After the meal, boxes will be provided to take leftovers home with you. This is normal practice, so don't feel tacky taking a box for later.
  • Don't be surprised if there are a few Vietnamese karaoke performances.

We will have an after party at Rock Bottom (115 Stuart St, Boston, MA 02116), a 10 minute walk from Hei La Moon. We have a semi-private space on the far left side as you walk in.