THE OTHER HALF OF WHAT?

You know how sometimes, jokingly, you say something like "I would love to see how the other half lives..."? I said that the other day and someone said, "the other half of what"? Well, last week we had an invitation to attend an event in Houston that showed us exactly that; how the other half lives and WOW! What an experience! I won't divulge the names of the parties involved, I will just say that the son of some good friends married very well! It started with a fully engraved invitation (including the envelopes) that required four dollars in postage. The invitations for our wedding were engraved but that was twenty seven years ago. I didn't realize that people still did 'things and stuff' like that.

The 'celebration' was held at the Bayou Club which is the most exclusive club in Houston. You don't buy a membership to the club... they are only passed down or inherited. Anyway, this was the entrance to the tent which was the largest tent erected for a private function in Houston. The floor was built over the swimming pool out the back of the club. The chairs are set up for 300 of their closest friends and family... The low curtains down the side and the large panel at the end of the tent were just the backdrops for the ring ceremony. The couple was actually married in Salt Lake City on Thursday then flew in their private jet to Houston for the 'ring ceremony and celebration' on Saturday.

The groomsmen in white tie and tails! And there were more bridesmaids.....

This is just to give an idea of the scale. The flowers were absolutely spectacular!!! White hydrangeas, Casablanca lilies, pale pink Colombian roses. The bridesmaids all had bouquets like the Maid of Honor. The arrangements at the entrance to the club were similar to the one behind the bride but even larger! Spectacular!

Scale again! There were ten chandeliers like this one. When the backdrop came down, there was a sixteen piece orchestra with four jazz singers providing music for dancing and entertainment.

Following the ring ceremony they invited us to go back into the club house for cocktails and hor' devours while they transformed the tent into this! Really, spectacular! They had four food stations with a variety of delicious treats including prime rib, seared scallops, shrimp and seafood gumbo. The cake had seven tiers and the flavor was, (drum roll.....) wedding cake! My favorite! I am still looking for the secret to what makes wedding cake wedding cake!

Beautiful!

With our friends, the Williams-- Father and Mother of the groom.

I do clean up occasionally, and my hair is finally growing in from Halloween! Oh, the arrow over Suzie's shoulder is pointing to Mike Leavitt, former Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the former Governor of the great state of Utah. The senior Bushes were also on the guest list but they decided the Secret Service security issues were too complex so they canceled.

This was one of the place cards for the rehearsal dinner held the night before the celebration at the River Oaks Country Club, and yes, Mitt was there.

I have been to a lot of big events in my life but this one was truly amazing. It was fun to be invited and it was fun to be able to attend. Every once in a while you have to break out of your comfort zone and do something new and different. It is good to see all of the 'things and stuff' that happens outside of our everyday life, but it is also good to come home to our cozy, comfortable life.

Thanks, Lana, for the invitation! It was wonderful!