Wedding Crashing

I'm essentially a plain Jane--simple and practical. I'm not one for fancy and frills, but sometimes it's really fun to be part of something really over-the-top amazing.

My good friend Carrie from Seattle was invited to her good friend's wedding and reception in the East Room at the Nixon Library in Yorba Linda, CA. Carrie's husband was unable to come down for it and Carrie didn't want to go alone. Hubby Jared doesn't know what he missed.

This is where I came in. Go to a ball? With amazing food and a 10 musician live band? Spend an evening in a ball room where kings, presidents, and famous people party on the weekends? Best of all hang out with a very good friend I rarely get a chance to see? There was no arm twisting involved.

Seriously, check out this room!


There was plenty of time to hang out at the library between the wedding at the church and the reception at the library. We got to sample all the scrumptious appetizers and tour the birthplace of Richard Nixon. The original tiny farm house that he was born and raised in is right there on the grounds--all restored. I can't say Nixon is my favorite president, but I did really like that a simple citrus farmer born to a family with only a 6th grade education was able to work, go to school, served his country in a war, went to Duke, worked some more and eventually became president. It is truly an American dream story. Plus I love old farmhouses. Ours isn't quite as old or as charming, but the tour gave me plenty of ideas. Wish they would have allowed pictures.

Here's Carrie and her good friend from college, Nicole the beautiful bride.

Here's the table we ate at. Most of the room was lit with candle light, so everything was glowing. It was amazing. I took this picture with out a flash.

Here's the bride and groom out on the dance floor for their first dance. It doesn't even look real, but it was.

There were 4+ fireplaces around the ballroom. (I didn't count them all.) Each one was decorated gorgeously. This one had all her old family pictures--wedding pictures from her parent's wedding and grandparents' weddings. And of coarse, rose pedals and candles everywhere. The vintage family wedding pictures was a great way to personalize things. I love old photos.

The cake was so elegant. I loved the momgram cake topper.

Thanks Carrie for letting me be your date!