The Party is over but the fun just beginning!

Last night we attended the Texas reception of our Nephew Cody and Niece Amanda Heironimus.  They had a destination wedding in beautiful Hawaii and wanted to have a reception for friends and family who were not able to travel to Hawaii.  It was a first class affair with fancy table cloths, covered chairs, sit down dinner, and great DJ with music videos and state of the art lighting.  The Cakes were something quite special for sure. It was so beautiful.




I must say it was so beautiful and so nicely done, I wanted to give credit where credit is due.  First of all the location of the reception was Butch and Carolyn Arsement's Rockin A Restaurant and special events center on Cardinal Drive in Beaumont, Texas.  There is a large room built on to the side of the restaurant which is the perfect venue for all sorts of events.  Butch and his crew also catered the dinner.  Hawaiian Chicken, Pulled Pork, mashed potatoes, green beans, Asian salad (made in cooperation with the Grooms brother, Brent who is a chef in training and is currently attending Culinary Institute of America), homemade pineapple mango salsa, and of course the homemade rolls.  It was delicious to say the least.

The DJ Crew was phenomenal!  Pro Motion DJ Service had all sorts of neat gadgets that they set up with the Groom and had a really nice light show.  They had music from all decades including music videos on the big screen behind the dance floor. I was shocked to see some awesome vintage 70's videos on the screen,  they also had all the new stuff too. What a blast!  Those guys showed up early and stayed late.  They were professional in every way, hire them, you will not be sorry.

This expansive room was decorated to the 9's by Kathy Pitree and her able crew.  They set up the most gorgeous round tables with crisp white linen tablecloths with chocolate brown accents and fresh floral centerpieces. Kathy prepared the most beautiful area for the Brides cake.  It was wrought iron frame complete with a chandelier draped in lovely lights and sheer fabric.  It was like a fairytale.  She also did a beautiful job with the entry tables which were lit underneath so the skirts of the tables glowed a golden color.  I have never seen a reception that was done so beautifully.  A nice addition to the decor were live palm trees from Al Cook Nursery which lined the walls.  As a little extra for his new Bride the Groom stayed up until  3 am working on pink up-lighting on the walls.  It was simply maaavelous.


The Cakes were impeccably done by Something Special Bakery.  The Bridal cake was done in white fondant with hand made hibiscus flowers and green satin ribbon.  The Chocolate grooms cake was done using playing cards and edible poker chips, in honor of Cody and Amanda's
Las Vegas Honeymoon. 




Guests were treated to a video done by Roger Reiner from California who produced a Video for the couple which had childhood pictures and interviews which were done in an entertaining "He said, She said" format.  There was also a slide show of the wedding in Hawaii and a really funny shoe game played by the Bride and Groom. 

The entire Bridal party was dressed as they were for the Wedding in Hawaii, right down to the hair, the Girls all had beautiful up-dos done by On Stage..  They toasted the new couple and wished them well.  The Bouquet was tossed and the Garter was thrown. We all danced till midnight and had a grand time.  Lets see who walks down the aisle next... 

It was a wonderful night of fun and celebration for a very special couple near and dear to my heart.  May God Bless their union and keep them the best of friends forever.  Congratulations Cody and Amanda.

Aloooooha!

We just returned from beautiful Hawaii.  We went for the Wedding Ceremony of our Nephew Cody and the most lovely of all Brides, Amanda.  Those 2 have been together so long that we feel like she is already a part of our family.











The Wedding was held at a beautiful place on the Island of Kauai called Plantation Gardens. We traveled there with a party of about 20 people including the Bride and Grooms' Parents, Grandparents, Aunts Uncles, Cousins, Brothers, Sisters and Friends.  The Bride and Groom coordinated the travel arrangements with the help of Donna the Grooms' Mom.  The Bride was only reduced to tears over this once that I know of.  That must be a worlds record.  I would have been running around with my hair on fire...  




Somehow I was convinced to to the Wedding photos.  This is a job I generally turn down flat.  But I said I would do it for them so they would not have to pay photographer to fly over.  It was after all in beautiful Hawaii, and I felt I needed to experience what it was like to do a destination wedding.  Besides with a backdrop like Hawaii, how could I go wrong???




The day of the wedding arrived and of course dawned beautiful and perfect.  We all got our stuff together and headed to the beauty salon for the coiffing of the hair (or haa-i-r as we say in the south).  We had a nice bottle of champagne while the girls where getting their do's done.  My granddaughter Julie was the flower girl and she also got her hair done.  She was incredibly patient for a 7 year old.  She is also a diva and enjoys sitting before a mirror (if I was that doggone cute I would too).  

With the hair all coiffed and the veils all donned, we took off to grab all the wedding accoutrements and head for Plantation Gardens.  It is a beautiful drive especially when you can see a thunderstorm brewing right over the outdoor wedding venue.  The bride was still calm.  I was a wreck.

We arrived at the Gardens and exited the car in a light refreshing rain only to find the first available door occupied by the GROOM.  We were forced to take a winding pebble lined path( lugging all our equipment) that seemed like it was about a mile and half away from the designated changing place.  My expensive  40 pound Tamrac (supposed to be rolling) rolling case was leaving a path where it was dredging through the pebbles like a dozer.  Every now and then I had to pick it up and over the wall of pebbles it was collecting.  We arrived at the room and the sky opened up in earnest, just in time.  The Bride was a little antsy.  I was glad for the rain to put the flames in my hair out.


The bride and her ladies in waiting were real troopers and set about getting dressed.  They were dressed and ready in no time at all.  We were running a bit late.  It was 5:45, the wedding started at 5:45 and the sky was still leaky, but surely we thought, the wedding could not begin without the presence of the Bride. We were trying to figure out how to get the Bride back down that winding path in the rain in her beautiful flowing full length sequined gown with train and 4 inch Jessica Simpson heels.  A plan was hatched to take the bride over by car so while the car was on its way, I took off running with my case and found a shortcut to the Garden. Thankfully I made it there before the Bride.




















The rain stopped and a rainbow appeared just as the Bride arrived.  God is the great decorator who provided that part.  Everything was beautiful and perfect.   It was a sweet ceremony, and I can't remember a couple who were ever more perfect
for each other.  

Welcome to the family Amanda, and Cody you're a very lucky guy! Congratulations!