Monday, September 18, 2006

Married Life Part I


I’m back! And I’m married!

Dean and I flew to Las Vegas last Friday night and were married Saturday afternoon in the Bel Amour Chapel on the strip. We enjoyed cocktails at the Wynn and then had a steak dinner at Excalibur hotel (where we stayed). We spent the weekend walking around Vegas, gambling a little, drinking a lot, seeing the hotels and enjoying our status as newlyweds.



Monday night we flew to Minneapolis to visit our families. We spent time bonding with our in-laws. It’s not like we didn’t know each other for six and a half years, but somehow things are different, more concrete, when you get married. We went to two Twins games, visited some of our old haunts at the University of Minnesota, savored the beautiful early autumn weather.

Friday evening my parents threw us a kickass wedding reception at Famous Dave’s. In attendance were my extended family and Dean’s immediate family. They rented a back room that could be closed off and had about 5 or 6 tables. There was an open tab so everyone got their fill of cocktails, wine and beer. The wait staff brought out for each table a garbage can lid full of ribs, chicken, brisket and pulled pork as well as fries, coleslaw, beans, corn and muffins. It was the best wedding dinner I’ve ever had! My stepdad designed a wedding cake for us that had a girl and a boy under a palm tree with flamingos in the background. It tasted pretty good too! We had the Twins game silently on the TV and in the main restaurant there was live blues music. Quite honestly, it was nothing like I’d imagined it would be when I was a little girl. But as a grown woman I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way. It was absolutely perfect. And the money my parents would have spent on a lavish traditional wedding it sitting safely for us when we buy a house. Really, how many weddings have you been to where you have fantastic barbeque and live blues music? (Pictures of all this will come eventually once my mom gets the films developed and sends me the copies.)

Saturday afternoon, Dean’s parents threw us a picnic-style party at their home with homemade pulled-pork sandwiches, calico beans, potato salad, other traditional picnic sides and a buffet of delectable desserts made by my master-baker mother in-law. I ate on and off all day and well into the evening. Dean’s extended family was there so I could see exactly what I married into as well as many neighborhood friends from their close-knit community. My parents came too and my 10 year old step sister insisted on playing poker with Dean’s 17 year old brother and his friends! Dean and she played the same hand and he helped her with strategy. I can’t wait to see the pictures.

I think I will leave it at that for now, even though I have much more to say. I’ll post more pictures when I get some. Thank you all my friends in the blogosphere for stopping by and leaving well wishes for my new husband and I.

10 comments:

Jackie said...

Wow! What a beautiful bride you are!! I'm so happy that everything went well.

So was this planned or was it a spur of the moment type thing???

Can't wait to hear about the rest of it.

Natalie said...

Hey Jackie!
Thanks for the compliment. I clean up alright, especially considering I did my own hair and makeup. It was planned and we wanted to truly elope but the logistics got sticky. I'll talk about it more next time.

Jenn Siva said...

Congrats. It really does sound like a great time!

Hot4Teacha said...

You look FAB-U-LOUS baby! Dean is uber-handsome, and you guys look so happy! I'm so very glad you did it your way, and that everything went as you wanted it to. Memories...(sing along) Am way impressed w/ those shoes...are those 3" heels you're sportin'?
H-O-T.

Big Feet said...

I'm just so excited for you! My mom sends her best wishes your way!

Natalie said...

Thanks, ladies!
Di, the heels totally sucked. And they had no traction. I expected better from Nine West.
BF, tell your mum "Thanks! and YAY!"

Scott said...

I blew so much money at our wedding. What you and Deano did was nothing short of genius, and frankly, probably a hell of a lot more enjoyable. Your wedding sounds wonderful. Congrats again on finally tying the knot.

dancingo4 said...

Amazing amazing! You are a beautiful bride and you guys are absolutely glowing! I'm so happy for you and that you were able to celebrate in your own way. Perfect for two people who have always chosen their own path. Looking forward to more pictures! Love ya lots!

Natalie said...

runnergirl and dancingo4-
I'll be emailing out more from the ceremony. I have to sort through them though and discard some of the less flattering pics.

you guys are absolutely glowing- that must have been the Vegas lighting :)

Scott-
Though I thank you for comparing us to genuises, I would say that more than anything we thought outside the box which isn't easy with societal pressures. When I think about how effortless it was for our parents, it makes me hope our kids do something similar!

Scott said...

Genius and outside the box are different connotations of the same definition. Way to go.