Yep, after 32 years of being best friends, Dick & Dennis Will Tie The Knot. You're welcome to leave comments below. Thanks!

The last time Dennis (Wunderlin) and I wore a shirt and tie was aboard the Queen Mary2 about three years ago. It was a short cruise from NY to Nova Scotia and back.

We figured it was easier to post this photo than to get dressed up again for our City Hall wedding which is this Thursday, August 23rd, 2012.

We'll post some other photos after the ceremony, but in the meantime, we welcome you comments!

The MAD Reception!

About a month ago I told John Ficarra, the editor of MAD, that Dennis & I were going to get married. John jumped out of his chair and said: “Can I be a witness?” I said I’d be thrilled if he were, but that at the City Hall Chapel, it’s “marriage by number”. That meant we could wait 10 minutes or maybe an hour or more. John didn’t care, he was in! Wow! We both hugged, and both got teary eyed. The original plan was that after the ceremony, we’d all go back to MAD (along with Lindi Dunn, our other witness). Dennis and I were going pick up some sweets and surprise the MAD staff by saying we were just married. But a few days before the ceremony, I decided it would be fun to let the folks at TWiT (This Week in Tech) and the TWiT chat room know about the wedding during the live Giz Wiz Show Leo Laporte and I do every Tuesday. (www.twit.tv/dgw1378) The wedding was announced on air via a secret letter to Leo authored by our dogs, Maggie and Fairway. (Letter below.)  So after the wedding John treated us to a cab up to MAD. When we stopped I asked John what he considered the best place for me to buy some goodies. He said: “Don’t worry about it.” Hmmm…I guess they already brought some goodies. When Dennis, Lindi & I entered MAD everyone was waiting with champagne, and a TON of fancy cakes, chocolate covered fresh fruit, etc. Sam Viviano, MAD’s Art Director, even did an original poster of us. Whoa! I never expected such a great reception, such a sugar-fest! Of course as in any office, if you don’t think to take a picture of the food before the staff gets to it, you won’t get one. But here’s a look about 15 minutes into party. It was the PERFECT after-wedding reception.  

Sam Viviano, MAD’s Art Director, even did an original poster of us.

It's Thursday, August 23rd, 2012 - Wedding Day!

Today’s the day we get married! It will start shortly when Dennis and I ride down Broadway together with crowds on every side of us. We wanted an open convertible but settled for a closed car. It will still go down Broadway, except underground. And it will be a line of cars coupled together for safety. Yes, they’ll be that many people riding downtown with us. Almost of them will pretend not to know us, so we can be alone with our thoughts, and our free newspapers.

When we arrive at City Hall we’ll be personally greeted by (a photo of) Mayor Bloomberg. Then when enter the great marble building (formerly the DMV), a NYC government official will hand us a piece of paper and utter those immortal words: “Don’t lose this, or you’ll lose your turn to get married.”

I don’t know exactly what happens next, but we’re looking forward to all the pomp and circumstance a wedding at City Hall entails!

I’ll report again online and here after the ceremony is over.

The City Hall Experience.

As we entered City Hall, most people were smiling and laughing. And yes, we saw some people crying. The ones crying were mostly those who didn’t know the DVM had moved a dozen blocks downtown and they had just found out they waited 3 hours on the wrong line, in the wrong building. 

It was after about a 30 minute wait at City Hall, that we got to say our “I do’s”. Strangely it was before we went into the marriage chapel. It was right after a City Hall official asked us a different question: “Gentlemen, do you know you can only pay for your marriage certificate by money order or credit card?  Dick: “I do”. Dennis: “I do”…. With that, he took a credit card imprint and told us to head to the chapel. We were both quite nervous, but we bravely moved on. 

We entered the East Chapel with a full orchestra playing the Wedding March. It ended abruptly when the judge said: “Can you guys turn off your iPods and take out your earbuds, I’m ready to start the ceremony!” 

The ceremony was only a few minutes long, but all though it I kept thinking, OMG these are the exact words they say in movies about weddings. But I was thrilled to say “I do” and put a band on Dennis’ finger. He too said “I do” and put band on my finger. Then we all teared bit. Even John Ficarra, the editor of MAD, who was  our witness was misty-eyed. 

Here's a video of our super-short (under 2 minute) ceremony. John Ficarra shot it, and apologizes for shaking so much, but he was nervous. Dennis was chewing gum because his throat was so dry, he could hardly speak. And the audio isn't vey good because we only used the built-in camcorder mic, so you'll have to boost the volume. But yet, I'm so glad we have a record of our ceremony: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZ_8RRfUVGo&feature=share&list=UUz_LKCKWs6Bf7hPCrUa_VtQ