He’s “official”

One of Paul’s duties as bishop is to perform weddings.  He was asked to marry a young couple in a resort up at snowy Lake Tahoe.

He almost looks as anxious as the groom!

He did figure out what to say. . . .he was so nervous!

I love the grin on his face

For some reason, he thought they’d want the official paperwork filled out before we left.

Choices

If only we could do everything we wanted to.  But sometimes time and/or finances dictate how much we can do. 
Paul had many obligations that he feels (rightly so) that he needs to attend to so not all his vacation days can be used in the ways we’d like to.  And we were using plenty of them.  Not to mention just a few (cough cough) financial hits we took over the course of the year.
It was heartbreaking that we could not go to my little sister, Lucy’s wedding.  We just couldn’t make it work.
Lucy and Robert were getting married in Southern California in August and we already two other obligations that month so we had to eliminate it from our appointment book.  *sob sob*
I do, however, know how to creep around on Facebook so I got to see some pictures from the big event.



And the family photos. . .
Cousins!


Oh, how I wish we could have all gone.  We can’t wait to meet Robert. . . but I am lucky that there were pictures so I could enjoy the spirit of it all

Ex(Re)ception(al)

A week went by with no word from the honeymooners (as it should be) until they contacted us for a ride from the airport.
We had a RECEPTION to put on!
These things needed to be transformed. . .


With a flash of brilliance, I asked some friends to help me out because so many things about this reception are not in my skill set.  But I do know how to delegate!
The day before we set to work.  All the food was purchased, the punch bowl (okay, it was a fountain) was rented, so it was on to the set up.  The cultural hall was emptied. . .

We cleaned up all the spills. . .

dealt with the disgusting bacon that was forgotten in the oven and had stunk up the entire building) . . .

so it was time for some magic!
Tables and tablecloths are the foundation. . .

removing the bacon helped too!

all the little touches were meaningful. . .


We had prep to do at home too.  Family came and helped with the fruit-kabobs.

The bride and groom made the root beer!

The bride needed a fancy do (that her mom is not capable of do-ing) so off we went to a good friend (who does know how to do).

I returned to a transformation!
The arch was built for this occasion.

The tables were set beautifully and it just awaited the food and the people!

What a spread!

root beer fountain. ..
the cake (they wanted cheesecake, but you have to cut something, right?)

The candy buffet. .. what a challenge to find sweets in their wedding colors!  A friend loaned all the jars, another friend decorated all the bags. . .

Ready?  Let the festivities begin. . .

Reception Guests VIEW SLIDE SHOW DOWNLOAD ALL

They greeted and posed. ..


They even ate. . .

With cameras and video cameras documenting it, they enjoyed their cake. . .


Jennifer threw her bouquet once again (Allie couldn’t come so she couldn’t catch it again)


So much in a little over one week’s time!

It was a wonderful, PACKED time, but it could not have happened without so much support from family and friends.  These two have a bright future in front of them. .. may they always remember how loved they are!