Man and Lady Got Married!

Over the weekend, we took a short road trip to be at the wedding of an old friend. I think it was Hope's fourth wedding, but of course we chatted her up about what was going to happen. In typical Hope form, she then excitedly repeated the highlight reel.

Daddy's friend Joe getting married!
Joe kiss the nice lady!
See lots of Marines!
Dance at the party!
Going to a hotel!

Well, with all the excitement and the bad timing of getting there an hour before the wedding started, there was no nap for Miss Hope. She started out strong, enjoying a snack during the processional.

But then the classical guitar solo was just too soothing ...

She ended up missing the part she was most looking forward to - when the man kissed the nice lady. Shoot! Fortunately, there was much more fun and kissing to follow at the reception.

We took advantage of the cocktail hour to take her upstairs and let her get a power nap. We had to wake her at 7pm, much to her dismay ("Hope NOT wake up now!") but then she was good to go to party until 10. Such a screwy day for her!

She thoroughly enjoyed the passed hors dourves, and kept asking "Where the tomato and cheese lady? Where the shrimp lady? Where the hot dog lady?" When the reception started, they played a table game of passing napkins to see who won the centerpieces. Hope thought it was soooo cool that a bunch of adults were flinging napkins around!

Then, after asking what was on the bride's head, she wanted her ~own~ veil. Daddy made one for her, and she insisted that it stay on for the rest of the night. She was charming the crowd as it was, but once she started dancing in her veil with Daddy, then I'm pretty sure she officially stole the spotlight.

This shot is fuzzy, but can you tell that they were totally cutting a rug!? Hope and Daddy danced for a long, long time. They were way into each other, the whole crowd was oo-ing and ah-ing over their cuteness, and I was melting away into a puddle of mush.

Daddy maintains his position that he's just not ready to even think about the day that Hope gets married, even though he has prayed occasionally for her marriage. But scenes like these give me a preview of how bittersweet that day will be for him!