Toasts of the Town

Sister of Honor Toast

Best Man Toast
(All Photos by Friends
Ugh, not loving these two photos but they'll have to do for now!)

"What A Wonderful World" ended & the band invited our guests to take their seats for toasts. RZ & I settled at our sweetheart table, ready for the games to begin.

First, my Sister of Honor. My only sibling, my older sister & my best friend. She took the mic with her toast handwritten on her monogrammed stationery (bonus: she gave it to me as a keepsake) & she nailed it. My SoH had made it quite clear in advance that she wanted to give us a toast, not a speech. Then she proceeded to prove just a few, thoughtful words about our close sisterhood & my new marriage can pack a powerful punch.

Second, RZ's Best Man. RZ's only sibling, his younger brother & his best friend. The Best Man approached the mic with his typed speech in hand &, like my SoH, he nailed it. Unlike my SoH, the Best Man had a few, fun stories to tell to illustrate their strong brotherhood & to toast our new marriage. I don't think there was a dry eye in the house when the Best Man explained he chose the same nickname as his older brother because he wanted to be like him (long story but yes, these two brothers have the same name). There were tears, there was laughter.

Our Sister of Honor & Best Man approached things differently yet produced the same result: loving words to toast our marriage & carry in our hearts always.

An Affair To Remember

Our engagement party in full swing

The engagement party loot
Lots of thank you notes to write!

The party crowd gathers for the champagne toast

More champagne toast gathering

The happy & blessed Bride & Groom-to-be!
(I'm sporting my new dress)

The first Saturday in July was a picture-perfect summer day with sunny skies & warm breezes. At my childhood home, our family & friends gathered to celebrate our engagement under the grand oak trees. It was the day of our long-awaited engagement party!

Our engagement party was absolutely wonderful; we couldn't have asked for a better party. Everything was beautifully decorated in a hot orange & bright pink color scheme, accented by summer flowers everywhere. The atmosphere was casual & relaxed so people were free to mix & mingle throughout the backyard. We were able to eat, drink & be merry all day long!! We had amazing people, delicious food & plentiful laughter. We couldn't ask for more!

Before dessert, everyone gathered for a champagne toast. Now mind you, no ordinary champagne toast: my absolute favorite, Wilson Creek Almond Champagne toast. It's the little details that count. My Mom, my Uncle & RZ's Dad gave short, sweet speeches. RZ & I stood side-by-side, surrounded by our loved ones, & listened to the sentimental speeches. Cheers! We were overwhelmed by the love! It was my favorite part of the day & I wished it could last longer. The entire day was filled with love for us, celebration of our engagement & hope for our future.

Our engagement party would not have been possible without the careful planning & hard work by our hosts, my Mom & my sister, & my brother-in-law. The day would not have been as special without our family & friends. Thank you, thank you to all!!!

We will forever remember the special day of our engagement party!!!