Celebrating Love with this Special Couple ~Happy Anniversary

It has been four years since our families and friends 

gathered on this hot, windy August day to join 

Emily and Jake on their special day.

It was a week full of fun and festivities!

In June, Hubby and I were blessed to spend a week 

visiting them in their home.

It warms my heart to know that 

they have such a loving, caring relationship.

Happy Anniversary to a very special couple.

Take care,

~Natalie

Our Summer's Highlight ~Spending a Week with Family ~~Our Time at Home: Day Two ~~Celebrating an Anniversary

This family evening was a celebration of wedded bliss.

It was Amy and Nick's 5th Anniversary. 

We were honored to share their special day with them.

Five years ago we witnessed their marriage ceremony 

and celebrated with them in Rochester.

The happy couple traveled home to celebrate their first anniversary 

surrounded by our family and friends with a dessert reception.

This year, Jake and Emily surprised us with a little Bubbly

to toast the anniversary couple.

The weather was perfect...

We enjoyed a wonderful evening with family.

Again, I went to bed a happy mama!

Take care,

~Natalie

"For They Say, When You Marry in June, You're a Bride All Your Life" ~Good Friends are a Treasure

This beautiful bride has dreamed of an outdoor wedding 

since she was a little girl.

However, it seemed as if Mother Nature had a different idea.

It was raining when we woke up...and continued to rain all day.

Until about 90 minutes before the ceremony,

the clouds broke...and we saw the sunshine.

The Power of Prayer!

The storm clouds moved to the north,

and provided the perfect backdrop for the bride and groom.

We had a great time celebrating with these special friends...

being there, seated with the family,

as this father walked his darling daughter down the aisle.

It was just two weeks previous when Alan

was walking his daughter down the aisle to marry the man of her dreams.

My hubby can relate, as he has "given away" two daughters.

So many emotions...

all happy.

But, also those dads are thinking,

"where did my little girl go?"

After the ceremony, we stood on the porch of the club to

watch the photo session...and the clouds.

When the rain came again,

it was a scramble to get everyone and everything inside.

An announcement by the groom assured everyone that 

the storm would soon pass and we could all move

out to the tent for the reception.

(What did we do before Smart Phones

and Weather Apps?)

A beautiful reception tent, indeed.

A heart-felt message from the father and mother of the bride.

And a genuine thank you message from the bride and groom.

The Look of Love.

A Beautiful Bride...A Beautiful Life.

Thank you for sharing your special day with us.

Take care,

~Natalie

Remembering my Parents on their Special Day

A Heavenly Anniversary to my Mom and Dad.

I imagine they are dressed up and 

going out to a nice supper club.

And if the band plays "Alley Cat",

they will two-step around the dance floor.

They were married 71 years ago.

This special keepsake is in mom's cedar chest,

which is now here in Emily's room.

On this date in 2011, I shared 

their Love Story.

If you didn't see it before,

you must go back to read about their Engagement.

Click here.

I smile every time I re-read that little story.

Take care,

~Natalie

To be entered in my

Birthday Giveaway,

comment on this post.

Click here

Happy Anniversary to my Rock Star

This year, we have had plenty of reasons to celebrate.

Today we are celebrating our Anniversary.

Thirty six years ago, surrounded by family and friends,

we vowed to join together in Holy Matrimony 

and to share all that was come...for better, for worse.

I was teaching Home Economics and working at Northwest Fabrics.

Hubby worked in Retail, managing Osborns Mens Clothing Store

and of course, played in a band on the weekends.

Yes, these Rock and Roll Hall of Fame musicians...

we all there and provided the music at our wedding.

(I wish I had a recording of our ceremony)

And those girlfriends...

were also there to share in our special day.

We have seen many changes over the years.

My blog post in 2009 reviewed our first 28 years.

Click here to see that again.

And in 2014,

my anniversary post shared

memories of our years before children.

click here to see that post again.

I cannot imagine our lives without 

our daughters and their husbands.

They bring us so much joy.

Here's to 36 years together...

and many more to come.

Take care,

~Natalie 

Where the Weekend Went ~Celebrating a Wedding with Friends ~~Congratulations to Ashley and Logan ~Here's my Report

Good family friends are priceless.

We have been looking forward to this celebration for months.

We enjoyed the pre-wedding dinner 

with the two families uniting for the weekend.

Thank you to the bride's and groom's parents 

for hosting the weekend festivities.

Every bride can relate to this...lots of notes to write!

This bride took advantage of a little quiet time 

in the comfort of her childhood home to finish the task.

Wedding Day

Hubby and I are on our way to the church.

The FOB was there to greet guests as they arrived.

These two have been best friends for nearly 40 years!

We were honored to be 

seated with the family.

We are the bride's

godparents.

It was a beautiful ceremony.

Hubby and I served as host and hostess 

along with her other godparents.

One of our duties was to clean up at the church.

We gathered the decorations,

cleaned up the dressing rooms,

and prepared the praise band stage for morning worship.

The Reception

My friend, and MOB, was stunning in her dress.

As host and hostess, 

we were granted the "power" of dismissing tables 

to go through the buffet line.

The Bride and Groom and Head Table went first.

The Family's tables were next.

And then those that held up the most cash...

just kidding!

The Dance

Father and Daughter Dance...

always a tender moment.

"Isn't She Lovely"

by Stevie Wonder was chosen by the FOB...

And was quite fitting.

Then this happened...

A trend at wedding dances is to invite all couples to the dance floor.

Then, couples are eliminated based on how long they have been married.

(Hubby and I made it to the semi-final round with 36 years)

The bride's grandparents easily won, 

as they have been married for 58 years!

The winning couple was to give advice to the newlyweds.

First grandpa, then grandma, took the microphone 

and spoke to Logan and Ashley.

Another special moment, indeed.

The Dollar Dance

A not so serious moment, 

when hubby spent his $ to dance with the groom.

The Garter Auction

Another not so serious moment was the garter auction.

Tickets were sold to see who gets to play musical chairs to win the garter.

Again, hubby danced his way into the semi-final round.

But seriously, Ashley and Logan,

we were honored to be a part of this special day,

as you begin your life together, happily married.

Thanks for the memories.

Take care,

~Natalie

some photo credits go to Father of the Bride

and to my hubby