If you build it they will come

Remember that movie "Field of Dreams", "if you build it they will come"  well they came the next day to Raquel's house and it was a really spectacular event:  I worry now other's will come.   Russ and Raquel are so willing to share.  They love it.  Their new yard was put to use the day after it was finished.    Raquel's friend, Tami Dickson's daughter got married in the Oakland Temple and had her reception in the Bonino front yard.  Russ was still putting down the redwood bark the morning of.  Talk about cutting it short.  The following pictures show the preperation in the morning and the reception in the evening.

The tables behind the tree are the food tables being set up.  The food was so good.  The meat and macaroni salad was catered.  pulled pork, barbecued chicken, homemade rolls, macaroni salad,  rice, and fruit.  I wished I would have taken a picture of the fruit table.  They did it like they do in Hawaii.  Just laid it out on the table without the benefit of trays or plates.   It was a beautiful display of cut fruit fanned out on a round table.  

The cake and cupcakes were made by Donna Jones, a friend and member of the ward.  The little seashell candies were made by Tami

The Sign in Table.  They have little note papers (under the shell to keep them from blowing away)  You wrote a note to the couple and then rolled it up and put it in the bottle on the table.  That was how you signed in.

Parking was all up and down the driveway and all up and down the road.  It is really a perfect place for a big event because there is so much parking.

The food Tables.  We never used the umbrella's under the table because it was too windy.

This palm tree was made out of pineapples stuck on a pole with palm leaves stuck in the top.    This is the table that the fruit was on.  The wind made keeping the table linens in place almost impossible.   It abated around 7:00 pm, but it made for a chilly evening.  No one really brought sweaters because it was so warm during the day.  All the women were wearing their husbands suit jackets and all the chivalrous men were freezing in their shirtsleeves.  A lot of people dressed casual.  

The Mother of the Bride began to unravel during the set up, but from my perspective things were moving along well enough.  There were a few glitches that I was aware of.   It was Raquel's job to pick up the flowers on the way to the Temple.  They were suppose to be ready by 9 in order to get them to the Temple by 10. when Raquel got there, the flowers were no where near ready.  She waited an hour for them to finish, so she missed the ceremony at the Temple.  Tami's dress didn't show up to the house untel the exact hour that the reception was to start, so she had to get ready pronto.  There were so many helpers and still it was quite chaotic.  I wish I would have taken a picture of all the boxes and food and people in Raquel's small kitchen, but I was too busy getting things done with everyone else.  

This was the beginning of the food being delivered.  It was just the rolls.  It got too crazy after that so I missed some good shots.

The cake and the cupcakes

The porch

There were two porch swags like this one.   Raquel has had them for a while, but they are freshly planted and so pretty.

Tissue paper flowers hung from the trees.

People lined up for food

The most popular place by far for the kids.  Note the girl in the red dress.  She likes to hold onto the top of her shorts.  She spent a lot of time holding onto them.  I wonder if she thought they would fall off.  Anyway  I was thinking how uninhibited people are when they are young.  Adults never walk around holding up their shorts under their dresses.  

Don't you just love weddings!!!

Bride and Groom.  Aren't they Beautiful!!!
The theme was a Hawaiian theme.  That's where they met.  She is from California and he is from Australia and/or New Zealand.  One of his parents lives in Australia and one lives in New Zealand.  

The DJ

There were 27 rounds set up on the front lawn

Gold Fish were there to help with the festivities.

The wedding favors were little plastic heart shaped boxes with "sand -made out of brown and white sugar mixed together), and chocolate sea shells bade by Tami.    I've decided that wedding favors are really made for the kids because they always go around and collect as many as they can at every wedding I've been to.

There was food........

And entertainment.  I had just turned to Judy Bonino and said, "I'm worried that one of them will lose his skirt the way they jump around."  and just then one of them lost his skirt.  He did a quick recovery and the show went on.  

Lot's of entertainment

It got dark during the entertainment.

Then people began to dance.  There was adance floor set up on the lawn.  It wasn't very big, but there were a lot of people dancing.  They had really good mix of music.  Luci went to the dance floor and danced and danced.  Sometimes with someone and sometimes by herself.  That gal "sho has rythem".

Well the night went on and on and the cleanup was still going on at 11pm when I left.  It was a cinderella night and worth all the work and all the money.