What can be said about wedding receptions? This one was great fun. We celebrated JaRissa, we connected with old friends, we had a lovely buffet dinner....and we just enjoyed the event tremendously.
When we arrived, Deja grabbed a photo of us.....minus Josiah and Jared
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| Jamin, Krista, Michael, Alex, Arielle, Stacia, Me and Nolan in the back |
It didn't take long until people discovered the selfie-sticks on the tables. What a FANTASTIC idea. Larissa asked all to take photos and upload them to facebook. The selfie-sticks were then gifts to those in the wedding party. This means we have a lot of random photos. I will not post each one here - but I will post quite a few. LOL
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| Earl and Mary - Jared's Uncle and Aunt from CO |
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| Stacia and Krista |
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| Josiah got a kick out of Michael's interest in the selfie thing.... |
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| Yes, he went right up to the front table and took a photo. |
One of the great things about this weekend were the FRIENDS. Stephen and Michel came down to groomsmen, Alex came from CO to attend, Larissa's Jr High Friends were in the wedding, Jerome (family) was in town and in the wedding....Team A were everywhere and so helpful, seeing Team Z is always fun to see. We didn't get to go see many, many people, but we are blessed by those we did get to see at the wedding. It was also fun to make friends of Larissa's family.
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| Nolan, Michael, Jamin, Alex |
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| Alex was in the youth group with Jared, Arielle and Nolan in Misawa, Japan |
First Dance
True confessions - I attended a Baptist missionary boarding school and somehow came away with the idea that dancing would send me straight to hell. I don't know that we were TOLD that. I didn't think it would have the same results for anyone else...but it certainly would for ME. This became a liability in the Air Force, but I avoided as many dances as possible and simply didn't dance - didn't know how and I was intimidated. However, I was going to have to have a dance with Jared - with everyone watching. What a way to break the cycle. ::snort:: I had been telling Jared he'd need to teach me to dance, but he wasn't taking me seriously. Finally, after all the grooms picture were done this afternoon, I told him he needed to teach me how to dance before the reception. He and the groomsmen offered helpful tips and the basics of the two step....and here we are..... You need to know we have two bonafide extroverted children - Jared and Stacia. Jared and I have great fun (we've also had great clashes over the years - and I KNOW him well because he's much like me)....we should have probably been sweet and serious....but we had fun with our dance....laughing and talking and sharing a moment in the midst of the busy day.....I enjoyed it - and I didn't go to you know where....and so I kept dancing. Had my first dance with Michael too - no we DIDN'T dance at our wedding - our church doesn't allow dancing and we used the church for the wedding.
Larissa and Warren's dance was sweet
Next up were toasts from Best Men and Maids of Honor
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There was just a wee bit of delay caused by a stubborn cork
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Jody and Michel led JaRissa in a shoe game....
They each had one of their shoes and one of their spouses...questions were asked and they held up the shoe which illustrated who did what etc.....funniest was when they answered opposite (as they did here) - but they were surprisingly in agreement on most of them!
And then there was dancing.....
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| Elisha and Emma |
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| These girls loved dancing with Jared |
Out in the parking lot others created their own brand of fun....
Roy suggested we put a couple of kids in the back and tell them to be really quiet - I wish we had.
Blowing these up without helium or an air compressor was a challenge....
I loved this matt of the State of TX, their wedding date and then lots of space for all to sign.
Ah - they were dancing the whole time - nothing going on in the parking lot
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| Phen, Jamin, Jared.... |
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| We didn't know them all - but we had fun! |
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| Deja and me - She and Michel tried to teach something about cotton and Joe |
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| Krista and Michael |
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| Mary and Jerome |
The garter was attached to a football - great idea
Larissa threw her bouquet
More dancing
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| Jared and Alex |
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| Eric and Nolan |
Be still my heart - so many memories of Josiah dancing a colicky Stacia around our living room 10 years ago. She was in heaven when he asked her to dance during the last dance.
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| G's taking over the floor |
One of my best memories of the night is when Tiffany and Warren (Larissa's Dad and Step Mom) came over to thank us for representing the older crowd on the dance floor. The CHICKEN DANCE started and we talked them into doing it with us....so much fun....bonding with Larissa's family. I think we're Parent in laws now.
Those big letters were worth the dizziness of blowing them up
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| They even stayed on as they drove off |
We came back inside to clean up and I wasn't overly surprised to see this - it was late and it had been a long day. This was one of the funnest wedding receptions I've attended. From start to finish it was a fantastic day.
