Love

Well, the summer is in full swing, and that means it's wedding season!  Mike and I have six weddings this year.  Three of them are in July.  I'm in two of them.  Fun times ahead!

I really love weddings.  They are just the right combination of  lovey-doveyness and fun.  It is especially nice when you know the two people very well, have seen their relationship flourish over time, and know deep down that they are so right for each other.

This past weekend, my cousin, Matt, married his bride, Keri.  The ceremony and reception were absolutely beautiful.  They had perfect weather for their special day; the sun was shining and there was a cool breeze for the  outdoor ceremony.  The ceremony itself was relatively short and non-traditional.  It was so well suited for the couple, and was very lovely in more ways than one.

Following the ceremony, we headed over to a beautiful white tent for cocktail hour.  There were tables and tables of appetizers and a full bar.  In lieu of a guest book, the couple set up a painting of a tree with empty branches.  The guests were invited to press their thumb in a multi colored ink pad, stamp it onto a tree branch, and sign their name inside the thumb print.  I thought that this was such a neat idea...wish I had a picture!

The reception began soon after.  Keri, who just finished her own nutrition Masters program, clearly had some influence in picking the table names.  We sat at the lettuce table!  More interesting than numbers and again, very suited for the bride and groom!

For my dinner entree, I had tilapia gabrielle.  This was broiled tilapia with sweet potato crust and a vanilla cream sauce.  It was out of this world!

Instead of a traditional wedding cake, Matt and Keri opted for a tower of cupcakes.  There were a variety of vanilla, chocolate, red velvet, and carrot cake cupcakes as well as a large selection of other desserts.  My favorite!

I proceeded to dance the night away with my family and friends.  What a fun night!