Engagement Party

Saturday the 11th of July we celebrated our engagement with family and friends. I've been meaning to get a blog up since the week after the party, but as I am new at this whole blog thing, I was having trouble posting pictures. But here's the blog, finally.

Looking back on it, the party couldn't have been held on a more beautiful day. It was warm, but with a breeze. Rachel and John hosted us at their lovely home in Santa Margarita. Rachel coordinated with friends and family to put together the food and the decorations. She enlisted the help of John, her mother Ann, and friends Kayla and Chris to help with set-up and BBQ. The night went so smoothly because of them!

I think having an engagement party really started the ball rolling with this whole wedding thing. It was a clear statement (to others, but mainly to ourselves) that, "yes, we actually are getting married. And this is what it looks and feels like when our friends and family get together." It was also nice to have the experience of making a list of people and having that list materialize into one lively party. I think we also realized that a wedding is really about family, and friends that have become family, generations of people we will have in our lives forever.

It was such a nice evening!

When we started the planning process, we choose light/olive green as a theme color, and Rachel went with it! Green decorative elements on the invitations (Rachel did ALL the work on the invitations!), green lanterns, green dishes, utensils, and cups . . . limes! It was amazingly tied-together and beautiful.

Picture time!

(not really in order, but I tried!)

John hangs lanterns.

Lanterns and patio . . . so classy!

Tables in yard. Check out the bowls of limes!

Rachel and Kayla set tables. The guys start the BBQ in the background.

Me with Katie and Rachel (two of my four bridesmaids). Chris and Kayla lurk in the background.

Nicole and Charlie arrive with Brendan (asleep) and Case. Brian's grandma Ramona and mother Gion greet the group.

The cousins Rebecca, Katie, and Brian with grandpa Stan, and me looking odd, once again.

I know this is a strange picture, but I needed a picture of Brian's uncle Anthony (I think he avoided the cameras). Rachel and I have a conversation with my parents in the background.















The group on the porch (Phil and Bruce in the foreground).

The mother/son shot

Darby learns many secrets about Henry and Sam from Barbara (Brian's aunt Peggy is to the side).

Ann, Nicole, Katie, and Charlie transition from champagne to dinner.















The scene as dinner comes off the grill. Gion talks with Peggy.

The crowd eats dinner, Darby wanders.

Brian's aunt Shirley and uncle Ben enjoy the BBQ.

The men (and one honorary man) hang by the BBQ.

Brian and Darby (the Best Man)

Andrew, Julie, and Case playing nicely. As Rachel was planning, Julie was calling it the "quesadilla party", and yet there were no tortillas or cheese . . . just me.

Opening gifts. Possible cake topper?!?




















Me and Rachel (the Co-Maid of Honor)

Brian and Christina "formal shot"














Time for a pic of the delicious dessert! Yum!














Chatting with Bill, Jennifer, Nicole, and Katie
















Nicole, Charlie, and Case (where's Brendan?) saying good bye to Gion and Brian.

Darby, Phil, George (my dad), Kathie (my mom), and Rachel chatting after good-byes.

I'll just finish up by repeating how incredible Rachel was during this whole process. She is the reason it happened. She basically found out we were considering an engagement party, volunteered to coordinate it, and ran from there. Thanks Rachel!! I very much look forward to all of the wedding planning we will be doing together (yay!).