Love...

Here are some things that I LOVED about my reception.

Number 1:

I love that we had cheesecake from the Cheesecake Factory for my wedding dessert.  And I love how my mom decided to decorate and garnish them with fruit.  She did a fabulous job.  And I love it how we didn't get any cheesecake to eat that night - so we had to go to the Cheesecake Factory on our honeymoon TWICE to make up for it!

Number 2:

I loved my bouquet for my wedding.  It had my favorite flowers: Stargazer Lilies.  It was absolutely beautiful and some good friends from the ward put it together like they were tying their shoes.  They have some serious talent and I'm so grateful that they made it look so nice - just exactly what I wanted.  I also love it that during the day, Michal was so sick that he didn't realize that he was carrying my bouquet for me more often than I was carrying it.  Our photographer kept on having to take it from him and give to me for our pictures.  Even though he was out of it, at least he was still being such a gentleman, plus... doesn't this picture look just absolutely amazing of him with flowers?  I think so!

Number 3:

I loved the fact that I had goldfish for my centerpieces at my wedding.  For those of you who don't know, I have given Michal two nicknames:  before my mission it was "What fish" and after it was "Fishey."  It not only had a sentimental reason, but it was fun and unique, and I let those who wanted take home goldfish with them. Amazingly enough - Melinda's fish are still alive - going 2 months strong!  

Number 4:

I love that I had a harp at my wedding for my wedding music.  It just added so much to the atmosphere of being in my back yard.  It was perfect!  To me, it would have been tacky to have been playing music from a stereo, or too hard to bring a piano into my backyard, and a harp was just exactly the extra touch that my reception needed.  Even better - it was MY harp teacher who came and played for me.  I took lessons from her when I was 16 and 17 years old.  She was really fun and amazing, and I'm glad that she was able to come and play for me at my wedding.  I just loved it!

Number 5:

I love the way that the yard looked and was decorated.  My mom spent countless hours and solicited a lot of help to make sure that the backyard looked just perfect.  I took a huge risk in having an EARLY May wedding, it was almost certain that there would be rain.  But I got really lucky and had great weather (so glad I didn't have a rainy wedding in June!).  It just made for a good day to become even better.

Number 6:

I love that Michal was caught drinking a coke instead of a pepsi!

Number 7:

I loved the way we "escaped" from our wedding reception.