CELEBRATING DEAN AND VALERIE

Today was the day Dean and Valerie had their California reception to celebrate their June 1st wedding in Hawaii.

 

Although the party was scheduled to begin at noon, Dean and Valerie and I arrived at the reception site at 7:30 a.m. to help get things ready.  Dean and Valerie's friends, Xavier and Dee, hosted the reception in their beautiful Escondido home which overlooks a lake.

 

When the party ended, Dean gave it an eleven out of ten rating.  Everything was perfect:  The weather, the food and the atmosphere.  I even got to give a brief speech to enlighten the guests to some facts about Dean that they previously could not have know. 

 

All fifty guests joined me in doing an impersonation of Dean's answer to me when I asked him several months ago if there was good chemistry between him and Valerie.  After I showed everyone how to impersonate Dean we all, in unison, reenacted Dean's response to that very important question:

 

"Ooooooooooh, YEAH!"

 



 

Part of the deck at Xavier and Dee's home.

Valerie decorated all the cupcakes last night and early-arriving guests this morning helped display them on cupcake towers before the multitudes arrived.

Valerie had her hair straightened for the event.

Dean made himself useful in the kitchen.

Dean and Valerie mix it up with their guests.

Mario drew caricatures throughout the afternoon.  Some were pretty good.

My caricature didn't really look very much like me, in my opinion.

Dean and Valerie cut the cake.

The father of the bride and the brother of the groom.  Charles gave a sweet speech about Valerie just before I gave a not-quite-as-sweet speech about Dean.

As Dean's big brother, I am committed to make sure that nothing ever stands between Dean and Valerie.

After most of the guests left, Dean pulled out his guitar and entertained the party stragglers.

Among Dean's song selections, he modified Nat King Cole's hit, Sweet Lorraine, by changing only one word.

I've just found joy
I'm as happy as a baby boy
With another brand new choo-choo choy
When I met my sweet Val'rie, Val'rie, Val'rie

She's got a pair of eyes
That are brighter than the summer sky
When you see them, you'll realize
Why I love my sweet Val'rie

Now when it's raining, I don't miss the sun
Because it's in my baby's smile
And to think that I'm the lucky one
That will lead her down the aisle

Each night I pray
That no one will steal her heart away
I can't wait until that lucky day
When I marry sweet Val'rie