The Big Man's Wedding

No, don't think the title is referring to Bode; this is going to be a Bode-free post :-)  I spent the last couple of days out in Phoenix for Steve's (a friend from high school) wedding.  It was a quick two days, but I had a wonderful time, meeting Melissa (the bride), and seeing some old friends.  I arrived Thursday afternoon and hustled over to the wedding venue, which was at a golf course.  I quickly found Steve enjoying a pre-wedding glass of water with his Mom, Sue.

We headed outside for some pictures.  First is a shot of the whole Lauritsen-Berner family.

Obviously Melissa is the one in the wedding dress with the flowers.  Others pictured include Scott (Steve's brother) and Sue.  The two boys are Alex (left) and Noah (right), Melissa's kids that really love Steve.  Other members are Melissa's mother, brother, and some cousins and other family.  Next up is a great shot of the Lauritsen brothers.

I even managed to sneak in a picture with the Big Man, and my shirt and shoes sort of make it look like I belonged :-)

Here is a nice shot of Steve and the two boys.

Finally, the last of the pre-ceremony pictures is one of Steve and Melissa.  I actually think this is a pretty good picture, and should probably start charging for my services (and this is obviously a joke when you consider the tree-branch hanging down just behind Steve's head :-)

The ceremony took place on the first tee just around sunset.  The weather was perfect and the backdrop stunning.

Scott and Sue walked with Steve down the aisle, while Melissa's brother and Mom walked with her.  The person doing the ceremony (I don't remember his name, but he has known Melissa for a number of years) had some great things to say and really made it a wonderful event.  At one point, Steve, Melissa, Noah, and Alex poured sand from separate vials into one large jar, signifying the blending of their families from this point forward.

I loved the shoes that Steve and Melissa wore (as well as Alex and Noah).

At the end, Steve stomped the glass and we all yelled "Mazel tov!" 

And just like that, the two are now legally bound together for mutually beneficial tax purposes :-)

The reception was nice--good food, lots of good conversation, and awesome desserts.  The day after the wedding, seven of us went golfing.  I took the camera, but didn't really take any pictures, except one movie of Steve showing off with a 7-iron.

If you couldn't tell, his ball found the water.  Following the golf, Melissa's mother hosted a fantastic dinner at her house; what was even better was she had all the uneaten desserts from the wedding reception.  Thus, I'm feeling a bit heavy today :-)

It was an awesome time seeing Stiv again and meeting Melissa, Alex, and Noah--very neat to see how they're now a family.

I flew home and got back to some happy dogs, a fairly happy son, and wife that seemed rather nonchalant about my return--if only my coming home equated to the same level of happiness as an Auburn win :-)  Pleasant week to all.