Journal: How Far Would You Go?

How Far Would You Go?

By Benjamin Shahrabani
November 28, 2014

How far would you go? We’re not talking about miles or kilometers here… What happens when a Petrolista finds his dream girl and decides to marry her? A rehearsal dinner and wedding that includes mementos to his love of cars, that’s what. A couple’s wedding day should be one of the most memorable days of their lives, but to the question of the day: is it appropriate to shoehorn your car or love for cars into a party or event? I, for one, think it could be if done tastefully.

Now, of course ‘tastefully’ is a subjective word, but during the planning of our wedding, I was offered the opportunity to contribute to the overall design and theme, so of course I jumped at the chance to put a little of my personality into it. To be honest, the wedding was very tasteful with just a couple of automotive themed touches–a Porsche themed groom’s cake for the rehearsal dinner. Yes, its a thing. After all, the bride usually has the final say on the wedding cake, so I got my Porsche 911 cake made by the fine craftswomen of the Butter End Cakery. It was chocolate, and very delicious. A Porsche 911 Ice Luge served as the conveyance from which a tasty, mixed drink flowed–Malibu Rum, cranberry and pineapple juice. I mean, come on, how else is the alcohol going to be chilled, am I right? We needed that luge. Oh, and the table escort cards were attached to 1/43 scale toy cars that guests could take home. But that’s it. I swear. No cars anywhere else…oh, yeah…I just remembered there was one more instance. We did incorporate a Porsche 911 onto the welcome bags for the out of town guests, but that’s it, I swear (again). I guess it does help having a supportive and loving bride-to-be, now wife.

Obviously there are some places where maybe displaying your love of cars might be too conspicuous, but I can’t think of too many. A funeral, I suppose, but what if cars were the deceased’s passion? You’d want to honor him or her. Heck, people have been buried in their cars–I heard of one woman who was buried in her Dino, which seems a bit of a waste but it was her passion, and people were honoring her wishes.

Tell Petrolicious about your car-themed party or event that was over the top, or where someone’s love of cars might have been misplaced.

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John
John
9 years ago

Wife and I drove off in our 993 from our wedding, it was great and almost didn’t happen, but my mom and wife convinced me it should.

Steve Goudy
Steve Goudy
9 years ago

A grooms cake seems very acceptable. I also think that if a member of a car club passed away it would be appropriate for the members attending the funeral to drive their collector cars to the funeral & in the procession to the grave site.
My father, who got me into cars, used to do some TSD rallies when he was in his 20s. For his 60th birthday we had a surprise party for him. We tracked down his old friend that used to navigate for him and set up a rallie to drive to the party location. Not everyone wanted to be in the rallie, but we had about 10 cars and the rest of the people cheered each departure and then car pooled to the event location at a park. We used checkered flag bunting to decorate. Everyone had such a good time that we had an annual fun rallie and dinner for the next 10 years that raised money for charity.

Joseph Golichnik
Joseph Golichnik
9 years ago

Getting ready for my 50th across from Siebkens in Elkhart Lake this past summer.

JJ
JJ
9 years ago

Orange Crosley Cake ? Bigger question is what bride would allow this kind of thing ? She would have to be a gear head as well.

TJ Martin
TJ Martin
9 years ago

Ben S ( sorry the reply function aint a working for me suddenly )

Whats wrong with ‘ that ‘ Alfa ‘ cake should be the question .

The answer being …. it reminds me just a little too much of a Tim Burton painting … Hence it being ‘ scary ‘ Hmmmn … [ humor not insult by the way most definitely intended ]

Ben Bishop
Ben Bishop
9 years ago

We had an Alfa Giulietta Spider cake topper (we spent some time belting around Tuscany in a rented Giulietta Spider on our trip to Italy where I proposed), and the table names were past/present/dream cars of mine… and of course I arrived in my 66 GT Veloce that I’d finished a 3 year restoration on 2 days before the wedding!
Small things compared to some I guess!

TJ Martin
TJ Martin
9 years ago
Reply to  Ben Bishop

So the choice of car ? Ten [ out of 10 ] points . The cake though ? A negative twenty ! Eeesh . Damn scary [ the cake ] if you ask me .. wink wink

Vincent gilhooley
Vincent gilhooley
9 years ago
Reply to  Ben Bishop

[IMG]http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa315/atomicdeathmonkey/car\%20shows/1397358110292_zpse5666e0f.jpg[/IMG]

I got my dream car for my 30th, an orange 356.

My birthday cake from my beautiful wife:)

We had fun with it before eating it too

[IMG]http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa315/atomicdeathmonkey/car\%20shows/1397370799038_zps47639c1d.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i198.photobucket.com/albums/aa315/atomicdeathmonkey/car\%20shows/1397370824633_zps81663640.jpg[/IMG]

Vincent gilhooley
Vincent gilhooley
9 years ago

Better links

TJ Martin
TJ Martin
9 years ago

OK … so hows about doing the GearHead thing with a modicum of good taste rather than over the top .

Here’s how the wife and I did it . Chauffeured to the church in a classic limo . Rode from the church to the reception on a Harley Davidson Road King [ dressed to the nines … her in her wedding dress and moi in my tuxedo … yeah that drew some serious looks ] Then had the 365GTC/4 waiting in the reception hall’s parking lot [ a historic mansion by the way ] to drive back to our home afterwards … then picked up in the morning by another Limo to take us to the airport for our honeymoon … whereupon at our destination I had waiting … a Shelby Mustang convertible for us to use during the duration … and finally picked up at the airport on the return trip … by yet one another Limo .

So … that ‘ tasteful ‘ and Petrolicious enough fer y’all ?

Ben Bishop
Ben Bishop
9 years ago
Reply to  TJ Martin

There is nothing tasteful about Harleys being involved in weddings. Ever.

TJ Martin
TJ Martin
9 years ago
Reply to  Ben Bishop

Oh but I beg to disagree . Especially when one such as myself has had Harley’s in the family since … oh …. 1926 . e.g. Its a long standing tradition in my family [ the Italian side by the way ] to arrive at the reception aboard a Harley fully decked out in ones wedding regalia … on both continents . Oh well .. if you need to ask … you just don’t get it !

Kuroneko
Kuroneko
9 years ago
Reply to  Ben Bishop

When my best friend married his husband, they both wore chaps, carried whips, and rode Road Kings (geddit?). They were OK then, but that’s the only wedding – after perhaps 1939 – where HD & weddings are anything but totally gauche. I suspect our friend TJ is making a joke! Neko.

Matthew Lange
Matthew Lange
9 years ago

Can’t top the full car for a groom’s cake but Danielle did surprise me with a Scuderia Ferrari shield groom’s cake at our US wedding celebration. I would also add from experience, that classic Ferrari bucket seats and modern wedding dress design doesn’t mix well. Not sure that Danielle was very comfortable as we drove from the Registry office to the reception!

TJ Martin
TJ Martin
9 years ago
Reply to  Matthew Lange

Well … thats interesting . Y’all .. the Brit … married a Yank … whereas I … the Yank … married a Brit [ with Dutch undertones ] So other than Ferraris [ my past .. your present ] .. we got something else in common . We both married opposite sides of the pond . Hmmn . It’d be interesting to compare notes on that sometime …

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