Friday, June 22, 2012

Happy Anniversary Part 2 A tribute of thanks!

 Rehearsal Dinner!  This is a table full of fun!  We had such a great evening at one of our favorite restaurants in the valley--La Briciola!  Berend and Carla hosted a great meal and time!

 U. Stevie, G'pa Gordon, G'ma Payne, G'pa Payne, and Bob and Janice Stuck!  Family in the most meaningful sense of the word.  We love you all, and are grateful you were with us that night!

                                           The happy couple the night before their wedding!
 Carla, and Berend, the parents of the groom!  Really meaningful and special to Amber and our family to have them come and see our lives in Ecuador!

 So, I think one of the only things one could call a hitch, was the problem with the flower delivery!
So this is the night before the wedding, after the rehearsal dinner, and my best friends came and helped put bouquets together.  These flowers were 5 days late in being delivered.  They actually came just as we were leaving for the rehearsal dinner.  So, Christy, Dana and Stephanie came over while we were at rehearsal and rehearsal dinner, and prepped all the flowers.  A serious act and labour of love!  This requires, stripping all of the hundreds of roses of leaves and thorns, cutting them and putting them in water.  So that night when we returned, we changed into warm clothes and began the process of making the bridesmaids bouquets, and Amber's bridal bouquet.  Again, this would not have happened without the amazing help of dear friends.  And it was fun!  Yes, a late, night, but if you have to be up late, working with flowers and friends is hard to beat!  I love you ladies!

                              Wendy, my best friend from College days, and my maid of honor many years ago, helping me assemble Amber's bridal bouquet!
 Rheanna, with a little help from Shamus, going through all the rose petals and separating them, and taking out unwanteds!  Yes, we are bundled against the cold of a Quito late night! 
             Sandi working on a bridesmaids bouquet!  Wondering if her friend has lost her mind!
          Gina, also working on bridesmaids bouquets!  There were nine of them to make!
                                  Wendy holding Amber's bouquet that is almost finished!
      Janice, Sandi, Gina, Rheanna, and Wendy (I am taking the picture)  the valiant, self-less flower crew! 
                                        Wendy took this picture, and I jumped in!  We were giddy tired, but happy           to         be finished!
 All the bouquets resting in glasses of water to keep them fresh overnight!  We were counting on no one coming over the fence and taking all our hard work!  I was up very early checking to make sure that they had survived the night!

About 7 a.m. the girls all got to our house.  This is Stephanie, Lindsay, and Katarina steaming Amber's dress!  
 Wendy, hard at work decorating the wedding cake and cupcakes! 
 The dress, finished and waiting!  Hanging in our family room!
 Sarah Miller, hair and make-up artist extraordinaire, working on Sammie's hair.  Denise is helping too.  Sarah and Amber have been friends since Sarah came in 7th grade and Amber was in 8th grade.  Denise, Sarah and Amber are all nurses!  Denise was a mentor and friend to Amber as she went through the nursing program at Biola.  It was great to have her down for the wedding.

 Sandi Miller, outdid herself on this bridal brunch that she delivered to our home the morning of the wedding for all that were at our house getting ready!  It was delicious scones, quiches, fruit etc.  And done with such attention to detail and lovely finishing touches.  The flowers were what I had left over from bridal bouquets, and it was fun to fill the house with gorgeous flowers everywhere!  Made the house seem very festive! (That's for Brad miller if he reads this!)


 Wendy, hard at work!
 The videographer, and photographer friends who came down from the States!
 Katarina, and Leah, making sure that the girls bouquets are placed securely in this box for transport out to the venue!
                                                              Amber's bridal bouquet.

 Phil and I helping Amber into her dress, and getting it cinched up tightly! 
 Phil, putting on the necklace that Carla had given her.  It had been given to Carla for her wedding by Berend's mother, and now Amber was going to have it for her wedding!  A very special gift with deep meaning!  Thanks Carla for making Amber one of your family without any reservation, and with such love!

                                       All the girls looking on as Amber finishes getting ready!
                                                          "It needs to be tighter mom!"
 We had to put down the red sheet because one of the boys had had a hair cut that morning and the hair was getting all over Amber's dress!  Here she is with her blue shoes (the something blue) all ready to go!
                                            Amber with her bridesmaids and friends!

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