Celebrating with Cheesecake

Working in the hospitality industry, there are many moments you miss out on in your personal life. Wether it’s having to work Christmas Eve or missing a friend’s birthday celebration, caring for your work family often means sacrificing yourself for the good of others. While this is often frustrating, it can also be rewarding when you think of all the moments you can make something special for someone else. Here is a short little story of just one of these very special occasions.

Many years ago, we held a wedding at the restaurant. It wasn’t the couples first choice but came about by a difficult situation. The bride had a pretty bad heart attack the day before their wedding. Everything had been paid for and unfortunately they were unable to recoup the money paid for the venue, caterers, flowers, etc. 

Desperate for a solution, the couple asked the General Manager if it was possible to have something there as it was the place where they had their first date. The GM at the time didn’t hesitate to say yes and the bride was overcome with emotion that she could finally wed and that we were only going to charge them for their food. No rental fees or extra charges because of lost business for the hours they were occupying one whole area of the restaurant.

The day of the wedding we closed off one section of the restaurant and the guests and the wedding party sat in our rotunda while the bride walked down the “aisle” (we have a bowling-lane sized entry walkway) across the full dining room and into the rotunda. We played her chosen wedding playlist for her walk into the rotunda on our music system that piped throughout the restaurant. The other diners all rushed around the procession to watch, most cheered and there was a general feeling of joy and love buzzing in the air. 

All in all it was a lovely evening had by all and it was great to be able to help out this couple fulfill their dreams. This might not have been how they envisioned their wedding, but it was still so special. 

I often wonder what happened to that couple, especially when I get to make proposal plates and first date plates and do you want to go to prom with me plates. I always think back on the day we helped make beautiful memories for a wonderful couple facing a difficult situation, and I’m always left feeling gratitude and love for this lovely couple from many years ago.

This is just one of countless memories I helped others celebrate. There have been thousands of birthdays, anniversaries, proposals, graduations, retirements and even a funeral service for one of our line-cooks who passed away after working until he couldn’t work no more after he was diagnosed with an incurable disease. So while I’ve missed out on some of life’s events, I have also been blessed to share in so many more.