Day 31: The Main Event

Well, after 31 days of marriage, Brandon and I finally had our big reception, or what we have been calling our "main event." Today, at a beautiful park in Dixon, Illinois, we celebrated our marriage (yes, again) with about 130 family members and friends.

I wish I had a more eloquent way of saying this, but it was simply a wonderful time!I hardly know where to begin describing this huge success of a party...

The spread of food was just unbelievable. Brandon's uncle, Daryl, served as head chef; he had a team of about 10 people who put together huge plates of grilled chicken and pork chops, potato salad and apple sauce, and corn on the cob. There was a ridiculous amount of food, but from what I witnessed, most of the guests ate every last bite; and it was the to-die-for type of delicous!

When all that was over, we served the cake. The one thing I wanted to do traditionally was my wedding cake. It was simple, but it was beautiful; and it was exactly what I wanted.


But even more impressive than the cake was the sweet table that accompanied it. My new mother-in-law had been slaving away in her kitchen for months to put this together. I never officially counted, but she must have had 10 or 15 different things on the table. And every single one of them was a huge hit! I know she's reading, so let me just say...

THANKS, MOM!!!!!

Oh, but the party was so much more than the food. We had fun and games (volleyball, horseshoes, bags) for the adventurous souls who wanted to brave the heat and humidity. For those who chose to stay indoors, we had the pleasure of just sitting and talking. There were so many people there that I hadn't seen in years - college dorm-mates, high school best friends, and even the parents of the kids that babysat me when I was still single digits (oh, so long ago!). And, of course, every single family member I could think of (and some I didn't even know existed!!!!!).

After five hours of food, fun, family, and friends (oh, and a little bit of clean-up, too!), I am exhausted! But I'm also totally high on wedding!

This has been one long month of celebrations, and a part of me is relieved that the "main event" has come and gone (and without a hitch!); but the excitement is intoxicating, and it's hard to come down from the high.

Still, the whole point is that I am married!!! And we've got 11 more months to be newlyweds.

So keep reading...