I was fortunate to live only a few miles from my younger cousins Sara and Lara when growing up. We spent every Sunday playing together at my grandparents’ house and countless occasions having fun with their older brother Jon. Because of Sara and Lara’s close proximity in age with me and my brother Matt, they were among my closest friends in childhood.

These days, now that I’m living in Washington and they’re in Upstate New York, we see each other only on holidays and special occasions. Yesterday was one of those special events.

My cousin Lara and husband Fernando celebrated their first anniversary yesterday at Club Monarch in Yorkville, N.Y. A year ago they were married in the Dominican Republic, where Lara was completing her stint in the Peace Corps. None of our family made it to the wedding, so last night was our chance to toast the happy couple.

The occasion was extra special because it was the first time several people met Fernando. A native of the Dominican Republic, he came to the United States in July. We met him for the first time in September and he immediately bonded with baby Ben.

Enjoy the photos of the party.