Vacation - Day 7 (wedding day!)

Friday was a busy, big day! My brother was going to get MARRIED!!! :)

Both kids were in the wedding, so after getting ready in the morning, we headed out to Opal Beach on Lake Michigan, to meet the wedding party for photos before the ceremony. It was HOT on the beach, but totally worth it for some of the gorgeous professional photos Dave & Kristen got. You'll have to ask them if you wanna see them.  But here's one I snagged off Kristen's facebook page.. .hehe:



The kids loved being all dressed up - and they looked adorable - in spite of the hot sun.

But they weren't feeling very photogenic...

I feel bad they they didn't remember Kristen & Dave well enough to be happy in the pictures...

But Faith sure loved her flower ball

And Kristen tried her best to coax Faith over for a bridal photo, they compared flowers for a while.

After all the proe-ceremony photos, it was time for the big event!

I didn't take a single photo of the wedding... but my dad did :)

photo by my Dad (Grampa)

 Nathan, walking down the aisle as one of the two ring bearers.

Like his interpretation of what to do with the ring pillow?? lol

photo by my Dad (Grampa)

 Faith was too nervous with all the people,

I tried to help her get started walking to her daddy on the other side... but she was too shy and emotional...

photo by my Dad (Grampa)

 Have no fear - big brother is here!

And he played Faith's flower girl role, as well as ring bearer - lol

What talent ;-)

Ok... what jealousy over the flower ball... lol

photo by my Dad (Grampa)

 After the toddlers did their thing, Kristen made her grand entrance when her father.

photo by my Dad (Grampa)

Then, after some promises, vows, and rings, ta-da - the happy couple!

Joined together, forever - and a perfect match for one another!
A match only God could have ordained and made possible :)

 

They had some post-ceremony photos before the reception

And, again, my kids weren't happy.

I'm so sorry Kristen & Dave! Thanks for your patience and sense of humor!

 

Faith was tired, and cranky, and just wanted her Daddy

and her flower ball :)

Then, just before dinner, she stole Nathan's pillow... lol
But that quick rest was what she needed to get through dinner & dancing - she came to life then!!

My mom (Gramma) and her sister (my Aunt Helen)

Jacob & I

Next to the wedding tent was a garden supplied with lots of yard games.

It was the perfect thing for all the kids at the wedding!!!

Nathan loved the bocce balls, and tried to hoard them.

And Faith loved chasing after runaway balls in the flower bed.

 

Jacob tried to teach the kids to play bocce ball,

but he soon realized they only cared about the balls :)

While big brother played with Daddy, Faith jumped off the sidewalk, into the grass. Over and over and over again. She loved it!

I didn't notice until it was too late... but in all the jumped, he ripped her dress good - tore off half the top layer of her pretty dress. It wasn't until I saw this photo, after the wedding, that I realized how she ripped it. Notice her right foot?? At least she had fun - and the dress is repairable, in case there's another toddler out there in need of a flower girl dress :)

Grampa & Gramma (my parents)

My sister, Mary, our mom and myself.

Mom's starting a new fashion trend with the flower ball... lol

My Uncle Mike & Aunt Helen

See, I told ya my mom started a new fashion trend ;-)

 

Faith loved the disposable camera at our table, and loved pretending to take photos.

David & Kristen - did you all get those developed? Were there any "interesting" photos?? :)

 

Nathan discovered the corn hole game -

check out that intense look he has when he tosses the bean bag!

Is he his father's kid or what?? :)

Faith was very interested in making sure all the bean bags made it in the hole... lol

 

That is, until Daddy picked her up to swing around!!

Then she was really in heaven!

Weee!!! What a great daddy :)

She wanted to ride over and over again, until she heard the music start!

Dave & Kristen during their first dance

Cutting the cake. The big question... will they be nice to each other???

I guess, a more appropriate question for my brother is "will he act normal while sharing the cake??"  Answer - yes - perfectly normal... for David :)

Faith agreed that the cake was yummy!!

Well, when she stopped bopping to the music long enough to take another bite. lol

 

She LOVED dancing at the wedding!!
I haven't a clue where the girl gets that passion!

She loved to dance with her Daddy.

 

And she loved dancing with Gramma & Kristen

And she loved dancing with the other bigger kids, too

She would have danced the night away, if we had let her.

But eventually it was time to head back tot he cabin and sleep.

And sleep they did! I think they were both out before their head's hit their pillows!

What a great day - and a wonderful wedding.

Congratulations, Dave & Kristen!