Weddingbee Blog

Mr. Mary Jane and I hadn’t planned on having a reception. But Mr. Mary Jane’s parents offered us a picnic! I created save-the-dates and invitations for the picnic, and they were sent to much of the Mary Jane family, a few of our friends, and friends of Mr. Mary Jane’s parents.

The picnic was to start at 6, and Mr. Mary Jane and I arrived at his parents house a little before five to help greet any early arrivals. The Mary Jane household had been buzzing all day as MIL Mary Jane and a few friends and family members scrambled to get everything set up. When we arrived, it was all mostly done.

I did my makeup in pretty much the same way I had done it for the wedding day. I wore blue jeans, a pink tank-top and a ruffly white pin-striped shirt I’d found at TJ Maxx for $14. The white, I figured, made me ’bridal’. (I didn’t want to wear a dress because I knew the mosquito and flies would be bad — and I was right!)

Mr. Mary Jane snapped this shot of me just before the guests started to arrive.

It was a warm and humid day, and a bit breezy (but not too bad). There were picnic tables set up in the side yard for those who wished to enjoy the weather, and a few more in the garage for folks who preferred some shade.

I’m told that grandma Mary Jane arranged the flowers in the mason jars and milk jugs (most of which I collected from thrift stores over a long period of time).

The Mary Jane family thought of everything. There were games set up (including croquet and horseshoes) as well as toys, balls and sidewalk chalks for little kids to play with.

And of course, there was the food! Twins Corner Cafe (of Badger, Minnesota) did an excellent job with the catering. Among other delicious sides, they brought: barbecue pork, chicken with stuffing, and potatoes au gratin. Relatives also chipped in of course, bringing cookies, bars, and salads to add to the mix. I think it’s safe to say that no one left with an empty stomach.

Now, one of the best things about having two celebrations on two different days is: MOOOOAAAR CAKE! MIL Mary Jane worked with the same woman who created our wedding day cake (which we were still eating for breakfast-lunch-and-dinner) to make this one.

We got to cut a cake again…

Aaaand I got to take some more cake from Mr. Mary Jane. (Seriously, did he get any cake throughout this week? I might have just nommed down the whole thing myself! *Oink!*)

And because this was a relaxed family event, Mr. Mary Jane took it upon himself to serve the cake for others (until someone noticed and insisted upon taking over for him). What a nice guy!

The pictures of this event are spotty, and you’ll notice that they diminish after the cake. I suppose that’s because I was the photographer, and, well, after cake, we broke out the wine.

But anyway. Yes. We had wine. It got dark. We passed the mosquito spray. Mr. Mary Jane and I floated from group to group, trying to spend time with high school friends and their families, while also attempting to chat up relatives and get to know friends of his parents. I also tried to spend time with my own parents: They did attend the picnic, but were to fly back to the East Coast the following morning.

At one point, several of Mr. MJ’s cousins ’kidnapped’ me to a nearby local bar, where I was told I had to do 6 shots in a half hour. I didn’t do six, but suffice it to say the night was still pretty much over for me after that. A heavy drinker, I am not. Before the tequila and schnapps set in, I did manage to snap this one last picture of the bonfire, where people were laughing, dancing, drinking and chatting.

We were told that the party went on until 3 in the morning. Mr. Mary Jane and I? Well, we went home at about 11. The kidnapping incident had left me feeling pretty awful, and we had to take my parents to the airport in the morning. I was driven home, given tons of water (and a few Tylenol PMs) and put to bed. (And surprisingly, I actually felt fine in the morning - once I’d had a lot of coffee.)

Mr. Mary Jane and I drove my parents to the airport in Fargo, said our sad goodbyes, then swung back over to his parents’ home to pick up the gifts and cards picnic attendees had brought us the night before. His mom made some calls and we ended up joining his parents, grandma, and some of his aunts and uncles for leftovers: wine, potatoes, chicken, salads and cake. It was a nice end to a week of wedding festivities.

So, the couple who got married on 09/09/09 with 9 people in attendance had 9 wedding recaps. No, I didn’t plan it that way. But I thought it was worth noting.

Wanna review?

1. Leading up to the Big Day
2. Cake, and DIYing the Bouquet
3. Getting Bridal
4. A Surprise for the Bride
5. Portraiture
6. Marriage Time!
7. Portraiture, Revisited
8. Did Someone Say “Cake”?
9. The Picnic (this post)

With that, my recaps are over. Don’t worry, though! I still have more to share with you. Up next, we’ll look at some color details… and then, the budget!