Thank You!

As we mentioned in December's blog, we are donating the profits of reprint orders made in the month of December to Food for the Poor, a wonderful organization to help those who have nothing.  We wanted to share the blessings that you have all given us with those who need it most.  We rounded up the donation and are sending $350.00 to Food for the Poor!  Thanks to everyone who placed an order and helped us to contribute to this worthy cause.  

Valentine's Day Contest

Mom doesn't want me to start a new blog page for February yet since there would only be this one entry on it, but since it is the first day in February  our contest is starting today!  It is a Valentine's Day contest and is open to any of our past or present wedding couples.  Here are the details:

For our couples who are already married, or who have already had an engagement session, email us your favorite picture (or the image number of your favorite picture) from your wedding or engagement session.  You can only send ONE picture!!!  Please do not send more than one or we'll have to disregard the entry.  The image has to be one taken by Jason Angelini Photography without any added borders or alterations, and be sure to include your names and the date of the event.  If you'd like, you can also send a one sentence explanation of why you chose that particular picture to be included under the picture when it is posted, though this is not required.  We will be accepting entries from now until February 7th, so you only have one week to get it in!  On February 9th, all of the entries will be posted on a link from my blog for people to vote for their favorite.  The picture with the most votes (see voting rules below) will win, and the couple will receive that winning image printed as an 11x14 Gallery Wrap (normally $150.00).  These art wraps are beautiful!  The image is printed on a canvas material that is wrapped around a wooden support frame and comes ready to hang right on your wall.       

We didn't want to leave out any of our couples!  For those of you who are booked with Jason Angelini Photography as of February 1st, but have not yet had your wedding or engagement session, we are looking for the most romantic proposal.  This also includes the two couples getting married this weekend since their pictures will not be ready before the entry deadline.  Email us your proposal story with all details .  You can read mom and dad's proposal story on the December 30th entry of my December blog (good thing their story isn't allowed to enter--wasn't my dad romantic!)  You have until February 7th to enter.  On the 9th, all the proposal stories will be posted on a link from my blog and people will be asked to vote for the most romantic proposal.  The winning couple will get a free engagement session* with an 8x10 portrait statuette (normally $150.00).  The statuettes are super cute; it is an acrylic cut out of your image on a base so it can stand on your dresser or coffee table.

*If a couple wins who will not be in town before their wedding to have an engagement session, a Newlywed's Day After session can be substituted.

The voting rules:  Voting will open on February 9th and will be open until the end of the day on February 12th.  People may vote for both their favorite image and the most romantic proposal.  Voting will take place only through email, and only one vote per email address will be allowed.  If we receive a vote from the same email address more than once, all votes from that email address will not be counted.  The couple whose picture receives the most votes will win the gallery wrap of that image, and the couple whose proposal story gets the most votes will win the free session and statuette.

The winners will be announced on my blog when else but Valentine's Day!  If anyone has any questions about the "rules" or any other part of the contest, just email and ask.  Good luck; we can't wait to see your favorite pictures and hear your stories!  You only have one week so bring on those entries!

January 31, 2007

Okay, first, mom saw a maternity tank top that said "Filled with Love" in a heart on the belly and she wants that shirt so much!  She looked on line but can't find it, so if anyone knows where it is sold please email us and let us know.  Mom says she doesn't usually find maternity shirts she loves so she really wants to find this one. 

Yesterday mom was talking with one of her friends about how bridal fashion has changed through the decades and how fun it is to look at pictures of couples married just 10 or 20 years ago to see how different the gowns were.  There's a fun article on the Wedding Channel with pictures of gowns through the decades.  Mom also found a web site, http://www.davenportandco.com/wed.htm, that sells vintage gowns including this one from the 1980s.

Now many of the popular dresses are more fitted and less "full" in terms of ruffles and puffy sleeves.  Lots of wedding gowns today are strapless.  There is an article on Beau-Coup.com describing the fabrics used for dresses that was interesting as well.  Instead of the emphasis on lots of crinoline, taffeta, and heavy satin, today's dresses have more light-weight, fluid fabrics such as silk.   

Mom had fun looking through the Dress Gallery on Brides.com finding gowns she liked or thought were interesting.  All of the pictures that follow are from that dress gallery. 

The first row has a dress that was just called Style 317, then Anne Barge style 399, then Priscilla of Boston 3053.  The first was described as a chantilly lace coatdress over silk satin with a bateau neckline and it was mom's favorite of those she saw.  The color is gorgeous (though most brides do still wear white or ivory/cream), and the detail of the lace over the silk is just so romantic.  Mom liked the pearl accents to the "sleeves" on the second dress (this was dad's second favorite), and the simple lace with a sash leading to pleats on the third dress. 

This row has a Reem Acra from the Spring 2005 collection, followed by Monique Lhuillier's Vida, and St. Pucchi style 6224.  The Reem Acra is sexy with its plunging neckline and silk.  Dad wasn't a fan of this dress though.  Mom thought "Vida" was beautiful with the lace V-neck, layered bottom, and the waist cinched with a sash.  It was mom's second favorite.  The third has a great neckline and looks simple yet elegant. 

The last row starts with another St. Pucchi.  This one is style 9212.  The second gown is Tomasina #1204 and the last is Timeless Bridal's Victoria.  The first is a bit "full" but the fabric looks beautiful and the full ruffled skirt is a great contrast to the fitted bodice.  It is definitely a dress only for certain tastes, shown by the fact that dad said he did not like this dress at all.  The second looks a little too plain for mom, but she did like the way the fabric gathered at the waist, and the fabric is silk taffeta which is unique.  This dress was the one that was dad's favorite.  The last dress is another sexy gown (check out that neckline!).  Mom liked the colors.  It is white and ivory with a pale pink worked in toward the bottom.  The train is pretty and of course the drapes throughout the bodice give it an interesting look.  

Mom thinks it is funny how different the options are just within the last few years since she got married, and it will be interesting to continue watching how bridal fashion changes in the years to come.  That sounds like a forced conclusion to end this blog post, but oh well 

Be sure to check February's blog for a contest open to all our past and present wedding couples!

January 28, 2007

This weekend we celebrated mom's birthday so dad was home and it was a fun, relaxing weekend of family time.  It is funny that in our family there are at least nine people with birthdays this month!  And on that note, Happy Birthday Grammy!  Hope you have a wonderful day tomorrow!

Mom and dad want to thank everyone who emailed and called to congratulate us on the new baby.  We are thrilled and it is wonderful to be able to share our happiness with all of you.

January 23, 2007

Well, we have some good news, and some BETTER news.  The good news is that my cold is all gone, mom's is almost gone, and dad's never really got that bad so we are all feeling much better.

But we have news much bigger and better than that.  I am very excited to tell everyone that I am going to be a BIG BROTHER!  God has blessed our family with a baby and we couldn't be happier.  We actually found out a while ago but mom and dad wanted to wait to share the news until the risk of anything happening was significantly lower.  Today mom and dad went for another doctor's appointment and when they came home they told me that they were even able to see the baby waving at them during the ultrasound!  Mom is almost done with her first trimester and we are just so ecstatic that the baby is healthy and things are going well.  I'll be sure to give lots of updates when there is news to share!   

On to even more good days!  Last Saturday Emily and Steve were married.  Emily got ready at the Vinoy with a great view from her room.  She looked amazing!  Mom thinks she somehow managed to look classic and modern at the same time.

Dad said he spent the day surrounded by beautiful women .  All of emily's attendants were gorgeous.  They wore chocolate colored dresses, which was one of the wedding colors.

The ceremony was held at the First United Methodist Church in St. Petersburg.  It was almost dark out by the time Emily and Steve left the church, and mom liked this picture of the bride and groom kissing on the red carpet with the limo waiting outside in the background.

The bride and groom pictures were taken outside at night, and dad liked the look of this dramatic lighting.

Emily and Steve are a beautiful couple and had a fantastic wedding.  We wish you the best in what we know will be a happy life together. 

With the addition to our family on the way, dad was so excited to photograph Allison's maternity session on Sunday.  Dad photographed James and Allison's wedding one year ago that day.  Having the maternity session on their first anniversary made it even more sentimental and special.

Allison definitely had a mom-to-be's glow.  She was gorgeous at 9 months pregnant!

James told dad how excited he is for the baby to come.  He joined in for a few pictures too.  Dad took a picture of both of their hands making a heart on the baby.

Mom thought the picture of the tattoos James has contrasting with Allison's pregnant belly was so neat!

Their baby girl is due at the end of February and dad will be doing a newborn session with them, as well as the baby's Christening in April.  It is such a wonderful thing when we are invited to share in so many important moments in a couple's life.  We are so honored to share these special times with you, James and Allison! 

January 19, 2007

As promised, here are a few pictures from the weddings dad photographed last weekend!

On Saturday, Laura and Remy were married at the Westin Harbour Island.  Dad said Laura had been great to work with through the whole planning process and he was excited to share in her and Remy's day. 

Since the ceremony wasn't scheduled to start until 6pm, when it would already be dark, the couple had decided to see each other before the ceremony began so they could have their group pictures done while there was still daylight.  Things started to run behind in the morning with getting ready but Laura stayed calm and relaxed.  In fact everyone was relaxing, even the bride's sister as she had her makeup done!

There was still time to do some pictures before the ceremony so Laura, Remy, and their families headed out in front of the water.  In between groups, dad took this fun picture of Laura's sister fixing her veil.

The couple incorporated Filipino wedding traditions during their ceremony.  Laura had told dad that "Kasalan" would be incorporated.  Mom was doing a search for "Kasalan" online to help me include some links on my blog and we came across the Kasalan Barbie!  How cool is that!  It is from the Philippine Tradition series introduced in 1999, which includes five dolls in dresses worn during various Philippine traditions.

At the reception, the tables were named after various places that had meaning to the couple.  What made it more special was that on the centerpieces of each of the tables, Laura and Remy had written out an explanation of the significance of that particular place. 

Mom loved this picture of Remy and Laura just standing together at their reception.

Congratulations to Laura and Remy, and Mabuhay ang bagong kasal! (Long live the newlyweds!)

Tanya and Richard were married the next day at the Lange Farm.  They had first booked dad in September of 2005, so when their day had finally arrived they were excited.

The couple's super adorable dog (or "woof woof" as I like to call them) got to hang out as Tanya got ready that morning.  She later wore a beautiful dress and veil and got to be in some of the group pictures.

Richard's nephew was the ring bearer and the other guys in the wedding party had nothing on him!  He even took center stage during the guys' pictures!

Mom thinks Tanya and her daughter look so much alike!  Here is a sweet moment of the two of them.

Tanya and Richard's ceremony was at the gazebo, which was beautifully decorated with fabric, greenery, and red and white flowers.  Their aisle runner was also covered in red and white petals.  It all looked great together with the bridesmaids' red dresses and bouquets and the groomsmen's red ties, handkerchiefs, and boutonnieres.  As is tradition, the ceremony ended with the bride and groom's first kiss as husband and wife.  They look so sweet together! 

Tuesday dad had so much fun meeting the adorable Cadence and her parents.  Mom wanted to go with dad to meet the baby but she got sick and had to stay home.  Cadence is only six weeks old and already has such a sweet personality.  In fact, she even sent dad an email saying how much she enjoyed having him take her pictures.  She is as articulate as I am at such a young age ! 

Dad said she had the cutest expressions as she just looked around and took in the world.  Here are a few of them:

 Mom thinks the cutest thing about this picture is the tiny bit of milk she has dribbling down her chin.  That is newborn life!  Eat and sleep, sometimes both at the same time!

Here is a sweet picture of Cadence asleep in her mom's arms.  Awwwwww, so cute!

Dad will be back to photograph Cadence again when she is 4 months old and he can't wait to see how much bigger she will be, though mom and dad say they are sure her mom and dad don't want to rush it.  Enjoy every day with your beautiful new little one!

January 18, 2007

I wanted to say sorry that I haven't updated my blog with pictures from the weddings last weekend and the sweet little baby dad photographed on Tuesday.  Mom, who helps me with the blog, has been really sick with a bad cold or the flu.  I have a cold too, but it is going away and today I am feeling lots better than I have been.  Mom says she definitely help me out tomorrow so check back soon for an update!

January 16, 2007

Mom and I are both sick with bad colds, so we are spending the evening relaxing and watching T.V.  Mom says I am worse than Simon Cowell when I watch American Idol!  The minute someone starts singing that I don't like, I just say "No" very firmly over and over until they stop singing.  A few contestants were so bad that I actually started crying and telling mom, "NO NO NO!"  Mom just keeps laughing at me.

January 15, 2007

This being Martin Luther King, Jr day, mom wanted to share an excerpt she finds inspiring from one of his great speeches, "The Birth of a New Nation," given April, 1957 in Montgomery, Alabama.  (The full speech can be found at www.creighton.edu/mlk/speeches/birth.html).

So don't go out this morning with any illusions. Don't go back into your homes and around Montgomery thinking that the Montgomery City Commission and that all of the forces in the leadership of the South will eventually work out this thing for Negroes. It's going to work out; it's going to roll in on the wheels of inevitability. If we wait for it to work itself out, it will never be worked out. Freedom only comes through persistent revolt, through persistent agitation, through persistently rising up against the system of evil. The bus protest is just the beginning. Buses are integrated in Montgomery, but that is just the beginning. And don't sit down and do nothing now because the buses are integrated, because if you stop now we will be in the dungeons of segregation and discrimination for another hundred years, and our children and our children's children will suffer all of the bondage that we have lived under for years. It never comes voluntarily. We've got to keep on keeping on in order to gain freedom. It never comes like that. It would be fortunate if the people in power had sense enough to go on and give up, but they don't do it like that. It is not done voluntarily, but it is done through the pressure that comes about from people who are oppressed.

...

And then because there have been, in every period, there are always those people in every period of human history who don't mind getting their necks cut off, who don't mind being persecuted and discriminated and kicked about, because they know that freedom is never given out, but it comes through the persistent and the continual agitation and revolt on the part of those who are caught in the system. Ghana teaches us that.

...

The aftermath of nonviolence is the creation of the beloved community. The aftermath of nonviolence is redemption. The aftermath of nonviolence is reconciliation. The aftermaths of violence are emptiness and bitterness. This is the thing I'm concerned about. Let us fight passionately and unrelentingly for the goals of justice and peace, but let's be sure that our hands are clean in this struggle. Let us never fight with falsehood and violence and hate and malice, but always fight with love, so that when the day comes that the walls of segregation have completely crumbled in Montgomery that we will be able to live with people as their brothers and sisters.

Oh, my friends, our aim must be not to defeat Mr. Engelhardt, not to defeat Mr. Sellers and Mr. Gayle and Mr. Parks. Our aim must be to defeat the evil that's in them. And our aim must be to win the friendship of Mr. Gayle and Mr. Sellers and Mr. Engelhardt. We must come to the point of seeing that our ultimate aim is to live with all men as brothers and sisters under God and not be their enemies or anything that goes with that type of relationship.

...

There is no crown without a cross. I wish we could get to Easter without going to Good Friday, but history tells us that we got to go by Good Friday before we can get to Easter. That's the long story of freedom, isn't it? Before you get to Canaan you've got a Red Sea to confront; you have a hardened heart of a pharaoh to confront; you have the prodigious hilltops of evil in the wilderness to confront. And even when you get up to the Promised Land you have giants in the land. The beautiful thing about it is that there are a few people who've been over in the land. They have spied enough to say, "Even though the giants are there we can possess the land, because we got the internal fiber to stand up amid anything that we have to face."

The road to freedom is a difficult, hard road. It always makes for temporary setbacks. And those people who tell you today that there is more tension in Montgomery than there has ever been are telling you right. Whenever you get out of Egypt, you always confront a little tension, you always confront a little temporary setback. If you didn't confront that you'd never get out. You must remember that the tensionless period that we like to think of was the period when the Negro was complacently adjusted to segregation, discrimination, insult, and exploitation. And the period of tension is the period when the Negro has decided to rise up and break aloose from that. And this is the peace that we are seeking: not an old negative obnoxious peace which is merely the absence of tension, but a positive, lasting peace which is the presence of brotherhood and justice. And it is never brought about without this temporary period of tension. The road to freedom is difficult.

...

And I say to you this morning, my friends, rise up and know that as you struggle for justice you do not struggle alone, but God struggles with you. And he is working every day. Somehow I can look out, I can look out across the seas and across the universe, and cry out, "Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord; He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored."

Then I think about it because his truth is marching on, and I can sing another chorus: "Hallelujah, glory hallelujah! His truth is marching on."

Then I can hear Isaiah again, because it has profound meaning to me, that somehow "every valley shall be exalted, and every hill shall be made low; the crooked places shall be made straight, and the rough places plain; and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together."

That's the beauty of this thing: all flesh shall see it together. Not some from the heights of Park Street and others from the dungeons of slum areas. Not some from the pinnacles of the British Empire and some from the dark deserts of Africa. Not some from inordinate, superfluous wealth and others from abject, deadening poverty. Not some white and not some black, not some yellow and not some brown, but all flesh shall see it together. They shall see it from Montgomery. They shall see it from New York. They shall see it from Ghana. They shall see it from China.

...

O God, our gracious Heavenly Father, help us to see the insights that come from this new nation. Help us to follow Thee and all of Thy creative works in this world. And that somehow we will discover that we are made to live together as brothers. And that it will come in this generation: the day when all men will recognize the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man. Amen.

January 12, 2007

It took me this long to realize that on all my entries so far this month, I've had the year as 2006!  No one emailed me to tell me!  But I've fixed it now.

This has been a busy week.  Tuesday dad was in Sarasota for Suzanne and Scott's engagement session.  Their wedding is in September in Venice, FL.  They are so cute together!  They look like they were just meant to fall in love.  Dad said this picture of them kissing and smiling at the same time really seemed to fit their personalities.

Once the sun started to set it was a little chilly, but mostly because of the breeze.  But the setting sun's light was beautiful.

As Suzanne and Scott walked around and dad took pictures, a few people out on the street were honking their car horns at the couple.  Dad says that usually only happens at weddings so people must have recognized that this was a special couple .

The next day mom and dad both went to Tampa to meet Bronwyn and Robin for a Trash the Dress session.  It was way too cold to do anything in water, but there were still some great spots for pictures where Bronwyn would have to get a little dirty.

Bronwyn deserves some major credit because it was freezing that night!  In fact, they said on the news that it might even get down into the 30's in the middle of the night.  And there was Bronwyn, having her pictures taken in her strapless dress!  She said that she had a new appreciation for models, especially the swimsuit models who have their pictures taken in the winter.  She had fun and was all smiles even as dad had her laying on rocks, upside down on a dirt hill, and sitting on the cold cement.  What a trooper!

You would think that after 8 months of marriage, the "newlywed" phase would be wearing off, but not for Bronwyn and Robin.  Robin was right there holding Bronwyn's coat and warming her up whenever he could.  They were so sweet to each other, kissing and laying together and holding hands.  Robin even opened doors for Bronwyn, which dad said made him look bad .

Here are some of the pictures from their fun session:

At the end of the session, Bronwyn ended up with a bit of dirt on her dress but nothing even close to "trashed" so dad says when the weather warms up they have to head out to the water!  Mom and dad said they had lots of fun hanging out with Bronwyn and Robin, and they are definitely on for dinner at Fuego's in February!

There are lots more exciting things coming up this month, from weddings to newborns to maternity sessions, and I'll be sure to post a few pictures from all of them!

January 9, 2007

2007 is off to a great start!  Dad had two awesome weddings with two amazing couples this past weekend.

On Saturday, Katy and John became a Mr. and Mrs.  John was such an involved groom during the planning process, and Katy had some cute surprises planned, so dad knew this was going to be a great wedding. 

Darla Stafford did Katy's hair and makeup that morning.  Darla is always does a wonderful job and is great at making sure hair and makeup finish on time.  Katy was so excited all morning!

John definitely matched Katy's excitement!  The bride and groom decided to see each other before the ceremony so they could finish all their group pictures in the morning.  They set up a special moment where Katy would come up behind John and he would turn around so they could see each other for the first time.  As John was waiting for Katy, he told dad how much the anticipation had built up for that very moment.  The love and joy was just radiating off of both of them!  It definitely did not take anything away from the moment Katy walked down the aisle, as you can see from her beautiful smile.  

John and Katy met each other playing soccer and are both huge soccer fans.  During the ceremony, which was officiated by a close friend, John included in his vows the promise to be with Katy more than he is on the soccer fields.  That is so cute!

The couple's reception was held at the Fort Harrison Hotel in Clearwater.  Dad said this location was absolutely gorgeous! 

Rob Sword was the DJ and people were on the dance floor all night.  Dad says it was a combination of Rob playing great music and the bar being fully stocked with top shelf liquor only .  As another tribute to their love of soccer, when John removed Katy's garter he was surprised to see Katy wearing soccer socks and cleats.  The entire day was a great celebration of the joy of Katy and John's true love.

Sunday was the big day for Kristen and Dwight, another fun couple who are truly nice people.  The morning started at the new Embassy Suites in Tampa.

Darla Stafford was there for hair and makeup for this couple as well and was terrific as always.  Charity from A Charmed Event was the coordinator for the day and made everything look beautiful and kept things running smoothly.

Kristen described her photography style as "funky," so dad took her dress outside to the nearby trolley for some fun pictures there.

Poor Kristen still had the cold that her and Dwight had been struggling with that week.  But that did not stop her from enjoying her day!  She also had the help of all the sugar at the candy bar the couple set up at the reception to keep her going .  One of mom's favorite details was the hot chocolate with marshmallows that the couple had out for their guests along with the coffee and tea.

After the reception ended (with a sparkler send-off), dad went out to the Tampa streets with Kristen and Dwight to take more "funky" bride and groom pictures.

Mom thought this picture with the night lights of the Tampa buildings was a great one.

Dad is excited because Kristen wants to do a Trash the Dress session in the next couple weeks.  Dad has another one coming up tomorrow with Bronwyn and Robin.  It is a little too cold out to get into the water, but there are still plenty of fun ideas for a session like this.  So we'll see you again soon, Kristen!  Congratulations newlyweds!

January 2, 2007

We hope everyone had a safe and fun New Year's!  We had a low-key night at my grandma's house.  I'll share a few pictures later, but first I have some weddings from LAST YEAR that I want to tell you about.

Dad had a busy weekend before the New Year!  It started on Thursday when he photographed Rachel and Seth's rehearsal and dinner.  The couple live in Paris (yes, the one in France) as Rachel works on her dissertation earning her Ph.D. from NYU.  They were sure to incorporate French elements into their beautiful wedding. 

The rehearsal was held at a house on Redington Beach, so the couple practiced their vows with the beautiful water as the background.  Seth spent the day fishing with his groomsmen.  Rachel's uncle is a professional ship captain, so that worked out perfectly!  The guys returned late in the day, but in a great mood to start the celebration.

As the sun continued to set that night, the sky became a deep shade of orange, even more colorful than the Christmas lights decorating nearby houses.

When the actual rehearsal started, it was already dark outside.  The officiant had some trouble reading but luckily someone brought a little book light they were able to use.

The flower girl was the cutest!  She is the bride's cousin.  She told me that the bride's dad was Albert Einstein and one of the uncles there was actually Santa Claus!  I asked her if that meant she got everything she asked for at Christmas, but she said that he must have forgotten the gifts . 

Dinner was seafood, fitting for a rehearsal on the water.  There was also a USC cake for the groom in honor of their upcoming trip to the Rose Bowl.  It was a fun, laid-back evening and dad enjoyed meeting every one.

Their wedding the next day was at the Powel Crosley Museum in Sarasota.  It was a perfect location for a romantic almost European sort of feel.  Many of the details Rachel and Seth had a "vintage travel" theme so it all fit together wonderfully.  Rachel had shared her bio from The Knot with dad and it was great for him to see her planning come to life on the wedding day.

Mom loves Rachel's dress!  The bodice looked almost woven, and it had a very low V-back that met to button behind the waist.

The ceremony included various Jewish traditions.  The groomsmen carried out the chupah, under which the bride and groom were married.  The couple was creative with their wine ceremony, using wine from each of the places they are from, then combining them into one glass.  The ketubah was signed during the ceremony and at the end of the ceremony was the breaking of the glass.

The tables in the reception room were named for various places to which the couple has traveled.  There were also tall centerpieces of large pink willowy-looking flowers with wide green leaves.  Various shades of pinks and oranges were used for the wedding's colors.

After a few group pictures, Rachel and Seth joined their guests at the reception for toasts by the Best Man and Maid of Honor before going outside with dad for bride and groom pictures.  This one is one of dad's favorites.

The couple have a very talented group of family and friends, including a professional musician, two pastors, baton twirlers, and a college professor.  Rachel had told dad that her dad (who has a Ph.D. in public speaking) was known for his long toasts, and she was right!  His toast lasted 38 minutes and was a sweet tribute to the people who made the day possible.

Congratulations Rachel and Seth!  Have a wonderful trip back home to the City of Lights and Love.

On Saturday dad had his last wedding of 2006.  Lisa and Jonathan were married at Espiritu Santo Catholic Church, with their reception at Safety Harbor Resort and Spa.  They are the proud parents to an adorable baby girl, Isabella.  She was either smiling or sleeping all day long!

The Peggy Lee song "I enjoy being a girl" described Lisa as a bride.  She was so cute about being sure to keep her hair in place and her dress and shoes clean.  She looked beautiful!

Here is a fun picture of Lisa with her bridesmaids.

Before the reception, dad had Lisa and Jonathan walk down some of the downtown streets with him, stopping to take pictures when they found fun places.

People honked and waved to congratulate the newlyweds.

The reception at the Safety Harbor Resort and Spa was elegantly decorated with white roses, flower petals, and lots candles creating a beautiful light.  The guests enjoyed some festive Greek and Italian dancing during the reception.  The DJ was Downtown DJ's (727-849-3535), and they told the guests that if everyone at a table stood up and in unison sang a song with the word love in it, the bride and groom had to kiss.  There were people singing anything from The Beatles to Barney.  It was lots of fun.  

Lisa and Jonathan's first full day as husband and wife was the last day of 2006.  Hope it was a fun time!

I spent my last day of 2006 with my family.  After church, we went to grandma and Pop Pop's house.  We played games and watched the countdown on television until just before midnight.  Then we all grabbed noise makers and put on funny hats.  Here is me putting on my hat.

Mudhoney wore a hat too!

After counting down, we yelled "Happy New Year" and made lots of noise.  Everyone gave me kisses, and then we toasted each other with our glasses of ginger ale.  I loved my ginger ale!

Here are a couple cute pictures from New Year's Day.  My first pictures of 2007!