It's a Wedding!

Photos taken by Patricia Marana of Patricia Estelle Photography

...and who doesn't love a wedding?  My 27 year old daughter has had a whirlwind romance since January that culminated in an engagement a few weeks ago.  Who would have thought that a couple of bible teachers could have such a passionate romance (albeit chaste)?  

Well their engagement is rather short and I figured that blogging this wedding planning business would help me keep the details straight.  I figure that the friends who will help and the vendors who are some distance from our little agricultural valley (or the methamphetamine capital of the world depending on if you are an optimist or a pessimist!)  would appreciate getting to know the developing plans and how we are going to do this on a tight budget.  Believe me, this budget is so tight you could bounce an elephant off of it.

We knew it was coming so after everyone voicing their two bit opinions (mostly sisterly concern on such a quick courtship!) and then helping with the proposal, we were on our way to merging 2 wonderful, dedicated young people and their families.  How did he propose?  Since they have dedicated many years to full time bible education work as well as disaster relief from here in California to Kansas, New Orleans, Mexico and Ecuador, another of my daughters suggested he ask her in a way, in a prayer.  We were all attending a bible assembly in Mira Loma CA so afterwards we went to dinner at our favorite chinese restaurant in their private room to "celebrate a baptism" or so we said.  We actually did celebrate a baptism, seriously do we think we would lie after just attending a rousing bible assembly?  My husband asked the future son-in-law to pray over the meal (private dining room = no weirdness for other diners) and he ended his prayer with "As a side note, I hope when I ask her to marry me she will say yes" and then he properly ended the prayer, set down the ring box and knelt beside her.  It was awesome!    

My daughter who is normally very loud and boisterous whispered yes and we all asked "WHAT DID YOU ANSWER!?!  Then she boldly told us she said YES!  Only a few of the 30 of us there knew it was coming.  I put them on the spot for a date then and there, so here we go!  

Next:  Planning Part 1 - The Date and the Guest List