Wedding Day photo of Erick's family

Table Decor

Teal Vase for Tables

If you look close you can see a teal lantern in the photo above.  Found these at Target and sent a pic to my daughter to see if she'd like them in different sizes for the tables at the reception. Stephanie emailed back that she and Mike liked the lanterns a lot. So the hunt was on to buy them.Stephanie first bought a few in San Diego. I bought a few in the Roseville, Rocklin and Citrus Heights stores. And my sister Tracy started scouring the stores in the greater Sacramento area.

It was during our searches of every Target known to man that these lanterns had been discontinued. We had about a third of what we needed. I tried to buy them on-line but they weren't being offered anymore. Tracy went the extra mile and drove to some Targets near her work and found a few more. On a visit to my mom's I made a side trip to the Target near her house and found a few others.  By now we were close to the amount we needed. But not quite.

I did a quick tally and realized we needed five of the smaller sized lanterns. We'd looked everywhere and there weren't any more anywhere. I realized I didn't know how many Steph had actually purchased.  A quick call cleared it up.  She had bought five small lanterns.  Wow. We had the exact amount we needed. With a little help from each other and a little help from above.

Wedding Day!

The wedding was amazing. There were nice touches everywhere; a photo display from weddings past of parents and grandparents; a decorative tree to place wedding wishes on like so many leaves; beautiful table settings and more.

Right before the ceremony Christine admonished her mother and me not to cry.  Joanne and I did great--not one tear or sigh. Instead Christine and her father Greg shed tears. I know she didn't expect that.  But then life is all about the unexpected, that's for sure.

All Glammed Up

Well, here I am, all glammed up.  I had a different dress picked out for the wedding but my mother and my daughter said I looked like an old lady in it (well I AM an old lady...jeese).  Actually my mom's words were, "You look older than ME in that dress."

Trying to be helpful, my daughter emailed me links to different dresses on-line. About a week and a half before the wedding I ordered the one you see above. It turned out to be a good choice.  I got lots of compliments on the dress.  Oh yeah, and on the hair and make-up, too. Well, I guess it just goes to show--mother DOES know best.  Not me, but my mother.  And my daughter, too. 

Erick & Christine (bride & groom)

Greg & Joanne

           
THE REHEARSAL LUNCH BUNCH

We had the rehearsal luncheon at Terra Mia Ristorante in Livermore.  We tried to take a group photo but the restaurant was dark and the photos didn't turn out.  Above are the bride and groom and their parents.  We were all anticipating the wedding the next day.  And yet, we were all smiling, lol

Robin & David

Take a Hike

On the morning of the rehearsal, I met up with my sister-in-law, Sherline. She picked me up at the hotel and took me on her daily walk along a hiking trail at the Augustin Bernal Park in Pleasanton.  The trail goes up along a ridge and the views of the valley below are spectacular.  We walked and talked, catching up on the past several months since we hadn't seen each other in a long while.

Not only was the hike a great way to reconnect with Sherline, it was also a good way to get out the last minute jitters on all the upcoming wedding festivities. We had the rehearsal, the rehearsal luncheon in front of us that day and the wedding the next. Being on the hike with Sherline gave me a chance to stop and "smell the roses," and to take a minute to be grateful for all of the loving family that came to support Erick and Christine for the wedding. Erick and Christine are in love, yes, but they are also surrounded by love as well. Hking with Sherline was a wonderful way to realize that.

In Style

 This Sunday I'll be in the beauty chair for Erick and Christine's May 5th wedding.  Christine hired a hair stylist and a make up artist to make us beautiful. My hair stylist snapped this picture of me at my last appointment so I can show this weekend's hair stylist the look I'm going for. 

Actually I'll be okay with any hair-do the stylist gives me. With a make up artist and hair stylist helping me get all doll-ed up I know I'll be fine. It's a relief to know I won't have to try and make myself look stylish. I never inherited the "style" gene and need all the help I can get. So thanks in advance to the make up artist and hair stylist.  I'm truly in your debt!