Alex and Mandi Get Hitched

HHBL and I have the privilege of participating in our church’s Pre-Marital Mentoring program. We are passionate about it because we ourselves had what I would term ABYSMAL pre-marital counseling.

Enough said.

We get to know our couples very well. We talk about and work through and work on a lot of things. We start out as strangers and end up as friends. And it is such a joy when we are invited to the actual nuptials. Like this past Saturday, where we spent the afternoon and evening celebrating with Alex and Mandi and family and friends.

Alex and Mandi were the first couple that we have had where we actually knew one of them before hand. Alex is the same age as Shoe Queen and went to school with her. AND poor Alex had HHBL and I as Sunday School teachers for a year, although he says he doesn’t remember that, which tells you how much impact we had.

Sigh.

Saturday was blustery and cloudy and chilly. It is the end of October after all. Just as we were about to leave Chez Knit to go to the church I made a fateful decision. I hate wearing coats, in fact I don’t even own a good coat. I am just going to get out of a car and go into a building so why should I wear a coat? And Saturday was no exception. I was going to wear my cute grey wool skirt, the ruffely no sleeve shirt and black sweater that I always wear to complete the ensemble. The perfect “weight” outfit for an indoor ceremony and reception. But just before we left I decided to put on a long sleeve shirt and my new red WOOL sweater. AND I grabbed the Dwarrowdelf sole, which turned out to be a whopper of a good idea.

I was not the photographer here, and we were situated behind women with tall hair so you will just have to excuse the “framing” in the next few pictures.

This photo doesn’t do ANY justice to the absolute cuteness of the ring bearer.

OH my stars and garters! And when he processed out with the flower girl he walked up to her and stuck out his elbow so he could escort her back down the aisle. Every heart melted.

I am hoping the photographer got a great picture of the look on Alex’s face when the doors opened and Mandi walked in. This is right after he blinked, looked down, looked up, said “Wow” and smiled.

One of the great things about Alex and Mandi? The laughter. I knew that they couldn’t get through the ceremony without cracking up about something.

And I also knew that they wouldn’t be able to get through the ceremony without crying. You can’t see it but they are both crying during the vows. Thank goodness Mandi came prepared as she whipped an extra kleenex out of the top of her dress!!

Mr. and Mrs. Alex Earnhardt!

And they were laughing as they walked down the aisle.

You know the wedding and reception is going to be fun when all the groomsmen are wearing brightly colored Converse tennis shoes.

We milled around for a bit. Talked to Alex’s parents, who are acquaintances of ours. Stopped at Panera for a smoothie to kill some time. And then drove to the venue for the reception.

And that is when my choice of a WOOL sweater to go with my WOOL skirt and an ALPACA (equals really warm) wrap the size of Texas proved to be a brilliant thing. You see, the reception was held at this awesome place called The Conrad Botzum Farmstead. I love this place. An old barn, in a field, surrounded by woods. But……

The temperature outside when we arrived was 48F. And the barn doors were open, and stayed open. And the walls of the barn were not what you would call well insulated. They were not insulated at all. They had big gaps.

This woman was the most sensibly dressed of all of us. She was prepared to trek the Arctic. We were not.

Thank goodness for a number of these scattered around the interior. We would stand around, get warmed up, go back to the table, talk til we shivered and then go back to the heaters. It was cold enough that when we got to the head of the buffet line and found that the plates had just been brought out and were still warm from the washer, I thought seriously about just sticking one down inside my shirt. No one would have noticed right?

I must admit that not all of me was cold. The areas covered by wool, neck to knees, remained at a reasonable temperature. And when I was sitting I was actually able to drape the Dwarrowdelf down over my legs. But nothing could save my poor feet in their little flats with no wool anywhere in sight.

Thank GOODNESS there was plenty of Arrogant Bastard Ale to fuel me. This stuff is seriously one of my favorites.

But, despite the less than optimal temperatures (my toes didn’t thaw out until Sunday) we had an absolutely marvelous time celebrating with Alex and Mandi. Food was great, our table mates were talkative and hilarious. We saw old friends.

A wonderful evening to celebrate with a wonderful couple.

I mean, how could I NOT love Mandi. She taught me what to do with my curls.