n the way up to Lake Mohawk Country Club, it started to rain and I started to get worried - the cocktail hour was to be outside on the lakeside terrace and it was now raining - but the closer we got to the club the rain stopped. It was as if the rain knew when to begin and when to stop. Once we got to the club everyone was milling about and stretching their legs and running to the bathroom. Upon entering the club, all our guests were greeted by a beautifully framed sign announcing our reception.

left my husband (that's fun to say!) to go to the ladies room to freshen up. Heather and Margie helped me removing the veil and getting the gown bustled - they also had the honor of helping me while I had to pee! I have to admit that that is an experience that I will always remember because that's when you find out who your friends are and what they will do for you. It was really warm in the bathroom so I decided not to wear the informal veil and just go with the tiara. Once we were all prettied up we went up to the terrace to start partying!

must say that I was absolutely blown away by the way the ballroom looked and how the terrace was transformed. It was better than anything I could have imagined. Larry, our maitre d' did an absolutely fantastic job with everything - it was truly a dream come true. The place card table was adorned with family wedding pictures - old and new! And the flower arrangements for each of the specialty tables were breathtakingly beautiful. All the food, the drinks, the atmosphere and the overall feel of the air was intense! Even the wait staff was impeccable - and all the people mingling about - it was truly awesome.

im asked if we were ready for the formal shots by the lake and so we began with more pictures. We decided to take the pictures are the far end of the boardwalk - and this allowed for everyone at the reception to watch and be a part of it all cause they we all looking on and taking their own pictures. We thought this was a great idea considering guests are left out of the whole picture taking and this way they were able to look on and enjoy. There was a bit of a sun shower for about 30 seconds during the pictures, which was nothing to worry about. It was fun and somewhat painless, except for Scotty, our ring bearer, who was running around and inadvertently banged his head into the photographer's flash apparatus. From that moment on Scotty was not a happy camper. Our flower girl, Alissa got upset because no one would listen to her idea for a picture so she started to cry. John, her father tried to calm her down by offering her a lolli-pop, but that didn't work, then he moved up to a puppy, but that wasn't any good either, but once he promised her a pony she was all smiles! (At the end of the picture taking she asked her father for her lolli-pop - and he panicked! Larry, our maitre d', came to the rescue with a handful of them - talk about prepared)

nce all the traditional formal shots were done we were free to roam and mingle and drink and be merry. Kenny and I couldn't have been happier. I floated the entire time, walking about and twirling about in my gown - I felt like a princess and every now and then Kenny and I would meet up and exchange a little kiss and then we were off socializing again. At about 5:30ish we were told that they were going to be announce us and to please go to the bridal room for last minute freshen-ups and some food - where we proceeded to eat some of the hors d'eouvres - YUMMY!!!

he introductions for our parents were done to 'We are Family' and for the bridal party it was the Peanuts, "Linus and Lucy' song. Kenny and I were able to watch Scotty & Alissa do their walk and then we entered the hall to the ringing of bells, and the twirling of napkins and applause. We ran under the makeshift archway made by the arms of our bridal party and proceeded to our first dance "All I Ask of You' from Phantom of the Opera. We really put the 6th grade sway to the test and we were quite spectacular doing it! All I really remember of our dance was singing some of the words and saying 'Hello my husband' and hearing 'Hello my wife' and then getting a kiss on the nose from Kenny - it was the sweetest moment and we never removed our eyes from one another.

he next song was for the couple dance to 'Stand By Me' and this is where we invited all our guests to join us. We immediately had our special dances with our parents. My dance with my dad was emotional but I we kept a good face about us - we danced to 'Hija a Mujer' by Julio Iglesias and Kenny danced with his Mom to 'Song for My Son'. Both dances brought tears to the guests. Our Spanish-speaking guests we crying because of the dance with my dad and our English-speaking guests were crying to the song with Kenny and his Mom.

hey announced that the first course was being served and for everyone to please take their seats. The food was amazing and we did eat our soup and salads and some of our entr�e, we never did get to taste the mixed berries in liquor (big bummer because I heard it was marvelous). All the while, Kenny and I were able to sit back and reflect a bit on how the day was going and how fast it was going by us. The dancing soon started and the DJ & MC had people on the floor in no time - especially after the conga line and a tunnel dance - which we received many a compliment on as no one has ever done a conga line in that fashion before! Our DJ then moved us right into a 90's version of a stroll line - everyone took part in this - even Kenny. A HUGE ACCOMPLISHMENT! The dancing continued with lots of Spanish music and hip-hop/bee-bop and all the classics - Frank Sinatra and Madonna.

uring one point of the reception Jim our photographer (who I don't remember being ANYWHERE but who was EVERYWHERE) came up to us and said, 'You know, guys, I haven't taken any shots of just the two of you'! So we went off for about 15 minutes to take some pictures by the lake - and this is where he took my absolute most favorite shot of Kenny and I to date.

hen we went to the bar, which was in its own separate room off the ballroom with a lit fireplace and mahogany furniture and great chandeliers, to take our 'bar shot'. I sat on top of the bar with my legs crossed at my ankles, my gown hiked up so that you could see the Dallas Cowboys garter and holding a bottle of JD in my right hand. Kenny stood to my left with his arm around my waist and we both were holding a little shot glass of Coca-Cola (to look like Jack Daniels). We took a couple of pictures like this to imitate those old-time salon portraits, and then Larry joined us in the picture but he held the bottle of JD. It was the one picture that we absolutely insisted on!

nfortunately, as we were walking out of the bar I noticed that I was tripping on my gown! That is when I realized that it was my slip that I was tripping on - my slip was falling off - it had become completely untied and was falling off me. AGGHHH. So I quickly grab the first bridesmaid I found - Margie - and we run to the bridal party room where I lifted my gown and she tied the slip tighter than a cap on a soda bottle. After this little fiasco was taken care of, we walked into the ballroom and continued on as if nothing had happened!

e wanted to do something special for Kenny's grandparents (although, due to illness his grandfather could not attend) and so we had a special dance for Kenny's grandmother. Kenny danced to 'Young at Heart' by Frank Sinatra with his Nanny, and I later handed my throw-away bouquet to her in honor of her 58 years of marriage to Pops. Immediately following these dances were the sibling dances. Kenny danced to 'Wind Beneath my Wings' with Kari, and I danced with Gabe to 'I Turn to You' by Christina Aquilera. Of course, just as what happened at Gabe's wedding the year prior, my dance with Gabe brought tears to everyone's eyes and the MC announced 'Now that's Family'! Throughout the evening, Pamie was in charge of reminding me to take a moment and she did a fantabulous job of it. I now have memories of the reception and watching people everywhere and taking it all in.

he cake cutting went very smoothly. Kenny and I were extremely nice to each other - except Kenny did manage to get some icing on the tip of my nose. The cake was 4-tiers high and symbolic of our loyalty to the Dallas Cowboys and the Looney Tunes - but it still had s very wedding feel to it because of the flowers that were in between each tier.

would have to say that the big highlight of the evening was the video-screen presentation by the videographer of our montage of growing-up pictures and dating pictures. He was also taking loads of digital camera shots and displaying them on the big-screen throughout the reception. Everyone commented on how special this was and they even presented some of the raw video footage of the ceremony (for those guests who did not attend the ceremony) - it was awesome to see this so quickly!

f course, the next thing I knew its 9:15 and people are saying good-bye but I wasn't ready for the reception to be over although the MC mistimed the ending of the reception so our reception was extended an extra hour at no charge! So at 5 to 10 the DJ played 'Nothing Else Matters' by Metallica and our wedding reception had officially come to end. I turned to take one last look at the lake and I noticed that the skies had opened up - it was pouring and I said 'Let it rain!'

e gathered up all our gifts and all the personal items that we brought with us, said our good-byes to family and friends and the staff at the club. We boarded the bus that would take us home and commented on how we were fortunate enough to have so many people share in our joy, how it rained for good luck (and at only certain moments!) and had an absolutely wonderful day to remember.

e arrived back at the Summerfield Suites and Gabe, Pamie and some other friends hung out with us for a while at the hotel. Gabe and Pamie were wonderful enough to bring food with them too! A definite bonus since Kenny and I were starving. We all chatted and laughed and watched Beavus and Butthead in 'Butt-ween' and when the movie was over everyone left. It was a little after midnight when Kenny and I continued on with our first night as husband and wife...

     The End