Family Wedding

Day #29

We went to a family wedding this weekend.

It was our 2nd wedding this month!

My cousin got married.

His wife went to my alma mater and was a cheerleader there just like I was.

She’s so much fun to talk to.

The wedding was in Kokomo, Indiana.

We pulled into the church just as the bride and groom were walking through the parking lot after getting pictures taken.

Beautiful Lauren.

Chris thought he was leaning out of the picture. Haha! He was not.

The colors were burnt orange and navy. I love the wreaths for the church. Their last name is Veach.

Lauren and Chris asked Ellie and McDaniel to be the attendants at the wedding. They were SO EXCITED!

Even when Ellie realized she would have to miss 

one performance of High School Musical. 

Ellie, my mom (MiMi to them) and McDaniel.
I got their dresses at Marshall’s for, get this, $16!

Monte made the girls pose for an “action shot” handing out programs.

I wish I had taken more pictures inside this old church. It was beautiful! The woodwork and balconies and the big pipe organ! Just gorgeous!

We were the first people to the reception so we took the registry book and extra programs with us.

This picture is dark, but this was the cutest thing for cards! A navy mailbox with orange lettering and details.

There was a hand painted pumpkin on the table with all the table seating cards.

This was a big hit. A popcorn bar at the reception!

My cousin is a HUGE Green Bay fan so he got a special groom’s cake.

Check out the cake topper bling.

 The vases a part of each of the centerpieces indicated the table number.

They gave out drink cozies.

The bridal party table had these adorable signs.

I loved how the food served was all signature dishes of my grandmother. It was such a wonderful (and yummy) way to honor her.

I know she is in heaven, but there was a moment when I expected to see my grandmother pop out of the kitchen of the hall with her cooking jacket on and a HUGE pot of chicken noodles in her hands like she did for every special occasion in my memory.

It took the term “comfort food” to a much higher level.

My beautiful Aunt Connie, my cousin’s daughter Libby and her mom Kaitlyn.
Photobomb by McDaniel.

At dinner, I got to sit next to a very dear member of our family, Joe. “Papa Joe” as my mom and my aunt call him.

He worked for my grandfather as a farmhand when he was just a teenager. He was always with my family. He told me lots of neat stories. Some I’d heard before, some were brand new. We laughed. He told my girls about the look on my face when I first learned we weren’t related. He said I was 40. I thought I was younger. But his mind is so sharp, I’m sure he’s right.

I hugged him tight before he left. I love him dearly. I don’t care, what the genes say, we’re family.

The first dance as husband and wife.

My Aunt Connie and cousin Chris dancing the mother-son dance.

Precious

 Little Libby loving having the hand of both McDaniel and Ellie. They were lining up to catch the bouquet but she just wanted to dance. She’s 2 1/2.

My Uncle Tom dancing with his new daughter-in-law Lauren. 

 If a picture is worth a thousand words, than I think 999 of them would be love for this one. The other, adorable. 

Lauren lost her dad a few years ago. This dance paints a picture of transition into lots of new things.

Hopeful things. 

Healing things.

God is so good.

The girls had to have a picture with the bride.

And Monte danced so much he almost had to go the car get his inhaler.

Monte’s “stanky leg” during the song “Watch Me Whip."

It was such a lovely wedding!

Sweet words, teary toasts and lots and lots and lots of love.