"We Are...Penn State!" A Wedding in Blue and White! COMPLETED 11/03 - Page 4 - PassPorter - A Community of Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, and General Travel Forums
As of January 1, 2019, we have closed our forums. This is a decision we did not come to lightly, but it is necessary. The software our forums run on is just too out-of-date and it poses a significant security risk. The server software itself must be updated, and it cannot be without removing the forums.
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There are other changes as well.
Why? Well, the world has changed. And change with it, we must. The lyrics to "We Go On" for IllumiNations say it best:
We go on to the joy and through the tears
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Moving on with the current of the years.
We go on
Moving forward now as one
Moving on with a spirit born to run
Ever on with each rising sun.
To a new day, we go on.
It's time to move on and move forward.
PassPorter is a small business, and for many years it supported our family. But the world changed, print books took a backseat to the Internet, and for a long time now it has been unable to make ends meet. We've had to find new ways to support our family, which means new careers and less and less time available to devote to our first baby, PassPorter.
But eventually, we must move on and move forward. It is the right thing to do.
So we are retiring this newsletter, as we simply cannot keep up with it. Many thanks to Mouse Fan Travel who supported it all these years, to All Ears and MousePlanet who helped us with news, to our many article contributors, and -- most importantly -- to Sara Varney who edited our newsletter so wonderfully for years and years.
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If you miss us, you can still find some of us online. Sara started a new blog at DisneyParkPrincess.com -- I strongly urge you to visit and get on her mailing list. She IS the Disney park princess and knows Disney backward and forward. And I am blogging as well at JenniferMaker.com, which is a little craft blog I started a couple of years ago to make ends meet. You can see and hear me in my craft show at https://www.youtube.com/c/jennifermaker . Many PassPorter readers and fans are on Facebook, in groups they formed like the PassPorter Trip Reports and PassPorter Crafting Challenge (if you join, just let them know you read about it in the newsletter). And some of our most devoted community members started a forum of their own at Pixie Dust Lane and all are invited over.
So we encourage you to stay in touch with us and your fellow community members wherever works best for you!
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I'm all caught up again now Sue. What a great report and what beautiful photos. It looks like a wonderful ceremony and I love you in your dress - it suits you perfectly.
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Caught up now. The ceremony was beautiful. Also, I bet you all are so happy the wedding was NOT this past week-end. Can't imagine having to deal with all all that snow!
Thanks for all the nice comments! Sorry this has taken so long to update, we had quite a bit going on and time ran short. But here goes!
After the ceremony, we left the chapel. I needed to go find Sharon, the limo driver, and square up with her. The bridal party still had a plethora of pictures to take, so we left and headed in the direction of the limo, which was parked across the street from the chapel. As I had mentioned, Sharon and I had really hit it off, and she was even better in person! I gave her the check, and we talked for a few minutes. I asked my DMiL if she wanted me to go get the car, as her feet were really aching and it was about a 3 block walk. She said that would be great. Sharon overheard us, and said "I can take you in the limo! We have some time!" Heck yes!!! So we all piled into the limo and Sharon took us right to our car!
Sharon and the limo:
Inside:
The champagne on ice:
Steve and my DMiL:
We drove over to the reception and were soon having a great time at the cocktail hour! My Dad was already there, settled, had a scotch and soda and a plate of food! He was happy, but you could see that the day was already taking it's toll. He sometimes forgets that he's 85 and doesn't have the health or stamina that he used to. But he was a trooper!
I didn't take pictures of the cocktail hour, but around 6, the limo and the bridal party arrived. We were all called outside so that the introductions could be made. Again, I handed my camera over. Most of these came out OK, though:
Steve and I, father and stepmom of the groom:
Bob and Kim, father of the bride and his girlfriend:
Peggy and Mark, mother and stepdad of the groom:
Nancy and Gary, mother and stepdad of the bride:
Greg and Emily:
Chase and Erica:
Kyle and Jen:
And the happy couple, Mike and Jess:
Note the Penn State game on the TV above the table:
They did a best man and a maid of honor's toast. I really really like this tradition. This is the 4th wedding we've been to where both give a toast, and I think it is wonderful!
Kyle:
Jen:
After the toast, they broke with tradition a bit, and had the cake cutting. The reason was that the cake was dessert, and the facility wanted to cut it while dinner was being served. The cake was blue and white (I know, you're shocked! ) and the topper was a wedding couple sitting on the Nittany Lion! Jess and Mike had made the wedding topper themselves after they couldn't find what they were looking for!
Cake:
Topper:
Cutting...and feeding...the cake!
While dinner was being readied, the bride and groom did their first dance:
Next were the "formal" dances. Jess has a Dad, and a stepdad, plus her sister's Dad, which was he mom's second husband. (did you follow all that ). So she danced with all three:
Her dad (Bob) and Jess:
Bob:
Dave (sister Emily's dad, Jess's first stepdad) and Jess:
Gary (current stepdad) and Jess:
Peggy and Mike:
Mike and I:
After that, dinner was served. The bride and groom had chosen a buffet, and it was delicious! They had chicken and beef, potatoes, veggies, salad, and rolls and butter. I had only the beef, only to find out later that the chicken was too die for! I made two plates, one for me an one for my dad, and kept telling everyone on line that I wasn't eating for 2, I was bringing my dad back a plate! Mike told us later that they were supposed to have a carving station, but somehow, they ended up with a platter of beef instead. It was still really good, but they were a bit disappointed, and the facility wouldn't take anything off the bill for them.
After dinner, the reception got into full swing. I'll post reception photos in my next post...be warned...
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After the toast, the dances and the dinner, everyone let their hair down, took off their tux vests and the party really started!! I think I will let the pictures tell the story:
My DNephew and my DNiece-to-be, Joe and Caitlin:
Steve and Mike:
Not sure what they were discussing, but the slide show is in the background:
Mike and my DMiL:
During the dollar dance, Mike got handed the camera:
And this is what he was filming:
A blurry Mike and my DSiL, Marianne:
Mike and Kyle during the dollar dance:
Margo, Suzanne and my Dad:
The garter was Penn State blue and white:
"See? I've got it!"
She doesn't look happy.... :
DSiL Marianne and Matt, good friend who also did quite a bit of the videography:
Matt with the camera, Steve with the microphone:
Steve and Gary:
There are no words... :
Matt and the photographer, Michelle:
Fist bump!
DJ requests:
My DSiL, Debbie, doing the disco!
We're not really sure who her partner was here:
This was "Love Shack":
Peggy and her Dad:
Debbie, Jess and Mike watch the screen:
DSiL and DBiL, Marianne and John:
DSiL and DBiL-to-be, Gail and John:
Debbie and Mike:
Greg came with no date and ended up with two:
Wonder what they are talking about:
Mike, Kyle and Steve:
Kyle and Mike, and the last picture taken:
We had a great time, even my Dad. Marianne offered to take him back to the hotel when he was getting tired, but getting him ready for bed is a complicated procedure and I really needed to be there for it. So he stayed. The reception went until 11 PM in full swing. At 11, we loaded up Dad and headed back to the hotel. We got ready for bed and were soon asleep.
Next up, final thoughts and a wrap-up of the weekend!
What a fun time - Steve especially looks like he was having a great time! I am disappointed though not to see any one-eyed shots in here...
It's great to be able to put some faces to some names... of course if we meet some of these people in December, I'm going to be saying "I recognise you from the wedding reception", which will scare them no doubt!
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