Congratulations to Melissa and Matt

We're very happy to welcome Matt and son, Ethan, to our extended family and to congratulate Matt and Melissa on the occasion of their wedding. It was a fine affair, following weeks and weeks of hard work (mostly by my sisters) making Karen's backyard as beautiful as we've ever seen it. And that, in the face of hundred degree plus temperatures and damned little rain. At any rate, the late afternoon wedding was wonderful and followed immediately by an equally fine reception.

Matt and Melissa provided their own photographer (Tim, a friend of theirs from San Diego) which left me free to concentrate on family and those friends in attendance we've known for a long time. So this post and the next might seem a little one-sided if you were one of Matt's family or longtime friends, but no slight was intended and I suspect that Tim covered the event more evenly and that Melissa and Matt will have all the pictures they could hope for.

I'm not sure when it all started. I arrived at 5 for the 7 o'clock feature, but it was so hot that I sat in the living room for a while under the ceiling fan . . .

When I eventually appeared in the garden, Tim was taking pictures of the families and the wedding party while guests arrived, introduced (or reintroduced) themselves, and began to mingle. Above are Lauren, Melissa, Tracy, and Andrew.

Here's part of Michael's family with Aunt Mary - Mary Clare, Katie, Aunt Mary, Angela, and Kay.

Meanwhile, Michael was over near the bar taking pictures of his own. Cindy, Michael, Angela, Stephen, Danny (father of the bride), and Richard.

The guests have begun to be seated and Stephen, looking mighty spiffy, is looking for a seat on the aisle with a good view of the proceedings.

Here's Katie and Mary Clare, with their mom in the row behind them.

The excitement is building. . . Nicole had already walked to the front (but I was asleep, I guess). . . followed here by Melissa's sister, Tracy. And if Tracy's here, can Melissa and Danny be far behind?

The crowd's getting anxious. . . the wedding party is lined up: Nicole, Tracy, Lisa, Matt, Ethan, Blake, Aaron, and Andrew. . . waiting. . .

Ah, Melissa and her proud father. What a beauty!

Somehow, the sun didn't seem anywhere near as hot as it had been, and the garden was even more lovely in the late afternoon. Time stood still briefly. . . and then it was done.

Congratulations to the bride and groom.

Aunt Kristi gets a hug from Melissa. Matt's sister, Sarah, is the pretty blonde to the left of Kristi.

Here, Danny is talking to his daughters' grandfather, Clarence, and their great grandmother, "Great".

Off in another part of the yard, David is in discussion with Kathleen and Cathie is talking to Cindy.

Above is Tracy with Gary and Carly, who recently visited her in England.

On the left, Angela is talking to Myra, the girls' grandmother, and Tracy is talking with "her Matt" (as opposed to Melissa's Matt) and Carly. You can't tell the players without a scorecard.

Here's our favorite Aggie (at least from this generation), Nicole. Behind her Angela is talking to Great.

Tracy and Lauren enjoying the reception. (I can't help it if every third picture is of Tracy. . . it makes me happy.)

It's a great wedding that can accommodate a dog the size of Socks. In the back are Paul and his pal Robby (swiping a chair).

Tracy (big surprise, right?) and Aunt Kristi chillin' with their custom fans.

Blake and Ethan chillin' with their fans.

Kristi (Danny's sister), Tracy and Lauren. Oh! Perhaps they're matching fans.

And here's Mom, visiting with everyone who drops by and enjoying all the activity. The sun didn't bother her a bit.

Tomorrow's post will continue reception coverage to the point when I gave up - somewhere after 1a.m. - and went home. Look for it. Rumor has it that there may be a picture of me in the mix. . .