Mandi ran most of the show but I got to help with a little bit of shopping, and figuring out dessert for the dinner. The real fun came when the family started to come into town. This is what bread baking day looks like 3 days before the wedding. Not that we ate that much, I think I just didn't want to have to think about making bread for awhile once the festivities were over.
The real fun came when the family started to come into town on Wednesday night. There were so many helping hands!! I love this family that I married into: talented, hard-working, and fun people.
THURSDAY
Emily and April helped make dozens of cakes. Hannah's working on the filling for "better than anything cake" here. We also made jello cheesecakes and pineapple-Hawaiian cake.
/Even sweet little Miriam took a turn.
Drew is always ready to help with little ones. I loved seeing him read to Emmie and Gray.
Hungry cousins waiting for some lunch.
When there is a job to be done, Aric steps in and gets it done. Because if he can tie a quilt in front of Pride and Predjudice, he can frost a few measley cakes, right? This is how it's done, Dallen.
People everywhere!!!
These cute girls crafted away and made little bridal baskets.
In the meantime, Tyler took advantage of a little opportunity that presented itself. He was driving home when he passed some workers taking down dead trees and mulching them a few blocks from our house. He stopped to inquire about what they were going to do with the mulch, and asked if they'd like to save time and money and dump it at our house instead. Nothing like moving a little mulch to keep the big boys busy.
The guys also did kid-duty that evening, because us sisters had some fun of our own: shopping for flowers and wedding incidentals. This may have been my favorite time of the weekend. Sister time is the best!!
We housed a lot of the family here. A lot of the kids slept out in the two tents we put up in the back yard.
FRIDAY
Tyler doesn't get to hang out with his brothers every day. He had a new hobby all ready to go. They melted aluminum cans in a homemade refinery and made little ingots. Just because it's fun.
Friday evening was the dance - a big thing in the Polynesian culture. Tyler and I sat out like duds during the dances for both Jacob's and Camilla's weddings. Now older and hopefully a little wiser...we truly enjoy seeing families dancing and celebrating together at the wedding receptions that we have attended, and we wanted to be as big of a support as possible to Mandi at this time, so we repented and danced a lot at home to get comfortable and ready. I even told my older children that they each needed to partcipate in one dance. It was actually really fun!!
Headed to the dance
I think the boys would have preferred staying outside with the football...
We only got a picture of Emmie, who is ALWAYS ready to dance, and Jada together, but dance, we did. One of Lex's uncles even came up to Callie and I and told us that we were really good dancers. Polynesian's are notorious for their kindness. We were certainly the most prolific white dancers out there.
When we got back from the dance, Camilla (who flew in during the dance) was working on the centerpieces. Oh, wait, is that Aric helping again???
Camilla was the mastermind but there were many helping hands that assembled centerpieces and corsages. Mandi brought two dresses over to show us as options for what to wear when she did her Tongan dance the following night at the reception. She also gave us a sneak peak of her dance. The favored dress needed the slit to be lower, so I sewed it up at about 11pm.
SATURDAY
The wedding ceremony was one of the most beautiful that I have ever seen. It was so special for Lex's dad to seal Lex and Mandi for time and all eternity.
These girls are thrilled to be new cousins!!
I love this candid photo - my girls didn't know they were being photographed.
I feel so blessed to call these girls mine.
All of my mother-in-law's sisters came to support Mandi at this wedding. Those are some very special women.
A little family entertainment during the photo shoot.
Emmie loves her Aunt Camilla. They share a birthday, and they even keep their gum on the same side of their mouths (ya gotta look close for that one)
Ben and Rachel make a very handsome couple. And see those smiles? This is a kid-free weekend for them.
Callie does not agree with me, but curls like this are absolutely irrisistible.
A quick photo with the bride.
Mandi adores each and every one of her nephews and nieces. Most of them were able to be here for the wedding.
The original crazy crew. Lex, what did you get yourself into?!?
After pictures at the temple, we split up. We sent a small crew up to the church where the reception would take place to begin setting up, and most everyone else came back to our house for lunch.
We loaded up Tyler's Mini with cakes, told him to blast the AC, and sent him up to the reception church (a 45 minute drive away).
He arrived and reported that dinner was looking mighty tasty.
Almost ready.
Tongans sure know how to throw a party. We enjoyed two of them in two days! The food was wonderful. The program was amazing - a steady stream of beautiful dancers. And after a happy but busy and exhausting weekend, I lost it and cried when Mandi did her dance.
I cried for Mom who wasn't there to see it,
I cried because she danced so beautifully and I was so proud of her.
I cried when Deacon and Jada came and put leis on their new stepmom.
I cried because here she was finally married!!! I know it felt like a long time coming to Mandi, but she married a great guy and into a wonderful family. It was a lovely evening.
1 comment:
I offered my very best Nicholas Cage impression - nailed it.
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