Bride and Groom Portraits

A few of our bridal and groom photos...

We decided to have a reveal and our couples photographs just before the wedding ceremony.  We didn't want to be rushed and also didn't want our guests to have to wait an hour for us to have our photographs taken.  Turns out it was the best decision for us.  We loved having our special moment to ourselves without others looking on and had time to relax and enjoy the moment as soon to be husband and wife before walking down the aisle and saying I do. 

Our photographs were taken at The Mission in San Juan Capistrano, a few blocks from our wedding venue.  (El Adobe de Capistrano).  We had to pay $75 to have our permit for our photographer.  We probably could have skipped that if we weren't wearing a tux and bridal gown!  At any rate, it was the best $75 out of wedding budget.  We love the backdrop for the photos and the privacy we had on a quiet Friday afternoon.

Below are the pics of our reveal to one another.  As you can see from the photos it was a special and tear fulled sacred moment shared between the two of us!

Our Ring Bearers and Flower Girls

A few words on our ring bearers and flower girls... 

We are so blessed to have so many fun kidlettes in our lives. Here are some photos and bios of the little people in our wedding party!

 

Elle Everett ~ Flower Girl

Miss Elle Julianne. This is our youngest niece. Elle will be 15 months old for the big day. She is such a happy and adorable baby and we can't wait to see her in her princess dress and black ballerina flats.

Bailey Kaufman ~ Flower Girl

This is Bailey Alexandra. I met Bailey when she was 2 years old. She was flying down the street on a 2 wheel scooter, with a binky in her mouth and curly pigtails bobbing along. She is now a sassy seven year old (who is quite an old soul) who still melts my heart and keeps me laughing with her serious grown up questions.

 

Lauren Schuerger ~ Flower Girl

Lovely Miss Lauren Elizabeth. She is my seven year old cousin and good pals with her neighbor and friend Bailey. She is seven going on seventeen who is a social butterfly with a heart of gold. No doubt you'll find her on the dance floor getting down!

Nicolas Hughie ~ Ring Bearer

Meet Mr. Nicolas Kenneth. He is our youngest nephew and we think he is the CUTEST and mello calm baby boy. . His mommy bought him the cutest tuxedo. He'll be styling for sure.

  

Grant Demos ~ Ring Bearer

Meet Grant Scott. Grant's grandfather is going to be our Officiant. I've known his family my entire life. Grant is ALL BOY which made him Tim's shoe in for our ring bearer. He is a five year old spunky little guy and we know he'll be a stud rocking his Chuck high tops.

  

Blake Kaufman ~ Ring Bearer

And last but not least, Blake Ryan. Blake and I met when he was just a newborn. I was his nanny and he quickly named me LaLa. His parents scolded me for working with him to walk at nine months old. He hasn't stopped yet. The fourth of five children, he never misses a beat. Chances are, if you see Blake and I together he will always start the conversation with, LaLa and I are going to make cupcakes! He's my sweet cupcake.

Groomsmen

A few words on our Groomsmen ...

Joe McCollum ~ Best Man

Hailing from parts unknown, you cannot control Joe, you can only hope to contain him. I have known Joe for more than a decade and have racked up unforgettable memories. We have traveled across the country in a Toyo-wagon and survived. I am awakened each morning by the text tone of Words of Wisdom by Joe. (Insert inside joke of the day here). He also makes sure that I know whenever the classics like Grease 2 or Smokey and the Bandit Part 3 are on TV. If you need a good friend there is nobody better than the Man, The Myth, The Legend – Coach Joe Mac. Give Joe five minutes and you'll see what an astonishing man he is. All I'm saying is it will only take five minutes.

Chris Palmer ~ Groomsman

The good ol' Mississippi Boy turned Georgian, Chris and I became friends while serving in our Church's High School Sunday School Ministry. (Gluttons for punishment). He's served as my wardrobe advisor a time or two, and let's just say I rocked the Kung Fu suit courtesy of Mr. Palmer. MMH used her one veto on me wearing the powder blue tux for the wedding. Sigh. If you think that I am a talented vacation planner, I ain't got nothing on Chris. The man can do some trip planning (and not miss a single attraction). I'm grateful that he and his three girls will be taking a trip to California to see his friend Timmy get hitched. Even if it means I will be dressed in a boring suit.

Mark Graffius ~ Groomsman

Not only am I gaining a wife, but four brother-in-laws (and four sister in laws!) are an added bonus. Mark has given me much insight into the World of Hughie (he has over 30 years experience) and it's nice to know that I have my personal coach to guide me through these unchartered waters. We both are crazy enough to be restaurant owners and have been known to solve the world's problems over a cold beverage and a gourmet hamburger. He's good people and my bride and I are very appreciative for the generosity that he and his wife give us.

Micah Thompson ~ Groomsman

Micah has a rough life. He and his bride Courtney live in a home in Florida which overlooks the water. They cook gourmet meals on their deck at sunset and read the newspaper on the beach. That is, when they are not on a six month honeymoon hiking all 2,181 miles of the Appalachian Trail. (They were the original inspiration of our vacation idea of seeing the Appalachian trail... but by CAR not FOOT). Mo and I go way back... and I may have been the Sunday School teacher who took this preacher's kid to his very first concert. Micah is a high quality guy who inspires me to be more, do more and live more. I'm blessed to call him my friend.

TJ Blalock ~ Junior Groomsman

TJ and I are buds. This boy will have you laughing, just by being his comical, enegetic, unique 11 year old self. My bride says that he's a Mini Me ~ so, naturally, he must be a pretty cool kid. (And there are only 10 cool kids in my book). TJ and his Uncle Bo have a special bond. If full time jobs weren't sort of a requirement, building legos, setting up cities of army men and playing videogames while eating sugary goodness would keep us occupied full time. TJ has his passport now, so we hope that he will come spend some time with us real soon.

Tom Blalock ~ Groomsman

So, our parents said that it never occured to them that their sons would be called Tim and Tom when they named us Thomas and Timothy... but... their sons are known as Tim and Tom. Sorry, mom and dad. Thomas Watson Jr., is my big brother and one of my closest friends. I sort of get along with him, well as far as brothers are concerned. I can thank him for showing me the fine art of courting a woman (see caption on shirt above), getting out of any sticky situation (not that I would ever have any use for that) and the rewards of hard work and dedication to family. I'm sorry that I had to come all the way to California just to find a wife, but know that wherever we live we will always find a way to stay connected. Love you, bro!

Bridal Party

A few words on our Bridal Party...

Kathi Salley Randall ~ Wedding Coordinator
Kathi and I met during my first straight-out-of-college job at Loma Linda University Children's Hospital Neonatal ICU. Season tickets to the Clippers, vacationing in Mexico, marathon training, double dates, Nationwide Girls Shopping trips... Oh the memories. KSR is the most organized detail oriented gal on the planet and my ffff (favorite funnest friend forever). The perfect Wedding Coordinator!

Lindsey Thomas ~ Matron of Honor
Lindsey and I met as Freshman at Oregon State University. Our college days were spent joined at the hip as we experienced sorority life, broken hearts, (we broke the hearts) Beaver games, all night study sessions, and the journey of graduating and entering the real world. Life has taken us to different parts of the country, but our bond has remained strong and we continue to do life together laughing (and sometimes crying) through every new adventure. Lindsey is my crafty, intelligent, artistic rock and a gift from God!

Rachel Clark ~ Maid of Honor
Rachel and I met at Comfort Zone Camp in Malibu. CZC is a camp for grieving children where Rachel and I volunteer. We became fast friends and I can't imagine my life without Rachel's energy, enthusiasm and example! We both share a love for all things musical theatre, will try just about anything (see photo above taken after a brief salsa dancing break and improvising with a hand made fan) and have had many cookie dough eating, pandora streaming, sleepovers.

Carolyn Edwards ~ Bridesmaid
Carolyn is the call-at-anytime-drop-everything-and-listen kind of friend that every girl should have. I'm so blessed that she's mine! We met 10 years ago when we were in different phases of life. Several years later we reconnected when I relocated to California. We discovered that were a whole lot more alike than different. The stories she could tell... Between mutually suffering through dating debacles, her gardening lessons,and marathon bargain shopping God knew we need each other!

Dana Everett ~ Bridesmaid / Sister of the bride
Dana is my baby sister and my friend. We've shared a lifetime of Hughie adventures. AND she's lived to tell of the times of my being the boss,(imagine that) choreographing dances to Cher and Michael Jackson hits, moving to a little tiny Oregon town (from lively Southern California) and walking all. that. way. to the bus stop in snow. She's grown into an amazing wife and mother (to our sweetness Elle) and I'm looking forward to the many years ahead of memories with the Blalock / Everett crew.

Katie Blalock ~ Junior Bridesmaid
Katie is Tim's niece. Since she made the list of Tim's Top 10 kids she has to be pretty cool. I got to know her while we cruised the Caribbean last Winter. She is an intelligent, genuine, beautiful, mature, athletic high schooler who is a ton of fun to be around. I look forward to watching her continue to learn and grow. No doubt she'll make LaLa and Uncle Bo proud!!!

Olivia Pierce ~ Bridesmaid
Olivia (also known as OHRIBEEUH) and I met when we were 10 years old and I was the new kid at Sisters Middle School. She was in the in crowd and was kind enough to befriend me. She was (and continues to be) one of the smartest, wisest and even funniest women of God and brings so much JOY to my life. We've traveled to the Caribbean, Asia and up and down the West Coast and have much of the globe left to cover as travel companions. I'm forever grateful for our friendship!!

Tirza Wibel ~  Honorary Bridesmaid
Tirza and I met in 7th Grade Math Class and my academic, social and spiritual development have been all the sweeter with Tirza by my side. Summer jobs at Black Butte Ranch, student council, ballet class, college tours (and ending up as Freshman roommates in the athlete dorm) nursing home volunteer afternoons... just for fun, high school dances, and my first friend to be married and a real grown up. I may not make my own bread quite yet but Tirza has so much to teach me about being a wife and mother and is my go-to girl!  Tirza is expecting a baby boy the month after our wedding so she will have to stay in Oregon.  She’ll be with us in spirit!

Gluten Free Goodness

Sweet T. has been working a side job for an amazing bakery that makes bundt cakes.  They are sold in Farmers Markets all over Southern California and are absolutely delicious.  I fell in love with the Italian Butter Rum before I kicked gluten to the curb.  And I've been craving / whining for/ needing some of that goodness ever since.  So when Timothy came over after work with a surprise behind his back, I squeeeeeeled to see that he had a GF bundt cake for me!!

The GF variety did not disappoint.  It was moist, sweet and the fact that it was made with tapioca flour instead of wheat flour was not even detectable. 

I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing that I now know that this sweet treat is out there.  I do, after all, have a wedding dress to fit into... ONE WEEK FROM TODAY!!!

Rest in Peace Ruth and Boaz Blalock

So, after a few successful resuscitations after fish bowl cleanings, we found a most pathetic site this afternoon.

Ruth and Boaz didn't bounce back this time.  We found them floating at the top of their fish bowl.  Fishy Heaven.



We were doing so well as pet owners.  Six months of feeding and providing tender loving care to our first pets.  Epic fail.

Guess we'll reconsider the whole bulldog scenario. :)



An Early "wedding happy" From Sweet T.

Timothy and I have been searching high and low for unique and personal gifts for his groomsmen.  The girls were easier to buy for as I knew that they would all love jewelry.  I found a pendant and earring set for them and also bought satin flip flops for them to wear as we dance the night away.  Timothy didn't want to be all matchey matchey for his friends, and he's put a lot of thought into finding each of them something that he knows they will like.  Thoughtful and sweet.  Love him!

Timothy bought two of his groomsmen Tervis Tumblers with their Alma Mater's logo.  And while he was shopping he had to buy his Sweetness Divine two!!!!

We LOVE our Tervis Tumblers.  They keep liquids cold and don't ever sweat.  We use them every day.  I'm not sure we need any more added to our collection as our cabinet space is just about to capacity... but I think Sweet T. did great finding these must haves for the soon to be Mr. and Mrs. 

And just for good measure I now have a Jessie Tervis and Tim has his UGA one. 

Yay for little (and useful) surprises from my Sweet T!

Penny Rich

Timothy and I have been saving our spare change (and bills here and there) in my piggy bank since we started dating.  We were saving for something special, and today decided to empty out Miss Piggy.

I headed to the bank and emptied a huge plastic bag into the coin counter.

Drum roll.... almost $300 in coins and dollar bills.  $300 to bring with us to splurge on our HONEYMOON!