Friday night, October 25: Last May when Emma and I attended my cousin Martha's wedding, my cousin Andrea invited Emma and I to come to her daughter Hope's wedding ... and here we are!
Hope's wedding was held at The Haley House in Joliet. Emma and I stayed at the Hampton I-55, checked into our room at 3:00 and got ready for the wedding. We didn't even get lost between the hotel and the venue (thanks to Emma's phone maps).
The Haley Mansion is a gorgeous wedding venue. Everything was exquisite. The flowers were absolutely amazing. The table settings were perfect.
Here is just a glimpse of Emma checking out the flowers ...
The wedding ceremony itself was lovely. Their friend/pastor did such a wonderful job talking about Biblical love and Christ's love for us.
After the wedding ceremony, we were "allowed" to wander throughout the mansion and take pictures, etc. The next post will be more pictures I took there of Emma, all dressed up and looking like a princess.
It was fun to explore the upstairs, which wasn't being used for the wedding ... it was just there, vacant, inviting, beautiful ...
Emma and I took full advantage and staged a photo shoot (see next post) ...
This is Nathan Yager! He is my cousin Mary's oldest son. As Emma and I were walking around the upstairs of The Haley Mansion, we were enjoying some very soothing and beautiful background music--we thought it was professional, a sound recording ... but look who was responsible for it! It was Nathan all along! Well done, Nathan.
This gorgeous portrait was hanging in a hallway ...
This is the darling wagon that Ruby pulled Della in down the aisle. Ruby and Della were the flower girls.
This is the back of Ruby's hair, showing the exquisite flower garland, hand designed by their friend the florist.
And FINALLY ... here is the bride and her groom! This picture cracks me up because one of the professional photographers was on this scene, primping and making sure the lighting was correct, etc. I just wanted to snap a quick picture and keep going ... but the photographer would NOT move (the nerve!). Hope was cracking up watching me trying to squeeze in a picture. She finally told him to move. CJ (the groom) was unaware of the dilemma--which is why he is staring at the lamp apparently.
Here are Jasmine and Hope ...
... and now Shale (cousin of Ruby) ...
Sharon, Mary and Suzi ... three adorable sisters--my cousins--Beth and Andrea (the other sisters) are not pictured. I love these five girls so much.
CJ and Hope being announced at the reception ...
My cousin Andrea (mother of the bride) got 25 snapshots of CJ and Hope at similar ages and in similar circumstances--these snapshots were on the big screen while we ate dinner. The pictures were perfect.
Hope looked like a woodland fairy princess ...
The dancing began at about 8:30 ...
Emma (in 3" heels) danced the night away, finally putting her heels aside for some comfortable socks.
It was a beautiful wedding in every way.
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