marriage is forever

sometimes we need a little reminder of why we work hard at our marriages... and here is a good one.

 my marriage was, from the very beginning, something that i intended to be a part of for time and all eternity. i told my young womens class once years ago, that an eternal marriage was something i wanted, because when you love someone that much, this life just isn't long enough. for that reason, i intend to keep building... so that when we reach the eternities, i have something huge that we built, together, day by day, that will truly last forever. 

12 years down, eternity to go

on friday doug and i celebrated 12 years of marriage, at home on the couch... with a grumpy little boy who had been to the doctors for his needles that morning. sigh. i guess that's how life as a parent goes hey! but... saturday night, we got a babysitter (dougs sister, how convenient) and headed out to the mahogany creek inn, with our friends who live next door to dougs parents, and just happen to have their wedding anniversary the day after us! it was a great night, good food, good company (half her family showed up, she kept apologising, but it was great, they are good value!) and lots of fun.

we've been to the inn multiple times and would still highly recommend it to anyone. their service and food is excellent!

jayden & leigh got married!

today was one of those days that was just in a word, perfect.

our dear friend leigh got married to her sweetheart in the perth australia temple, and we were invited to be there for the sealing, as well as attend the reception that followed.

jayden and leigh looked so blissfully happy, they are such a perfect fit and i am so so happy that they have found each other. they have known each other for years and years, and were friends long before they started dating, so they've always been perfect together.

doug and i at the temple

leigh's family, the brennans have been friends of our family for as long as i can ever remember. we moved to northam when i was 4, before she was even born, so we have always known each other! she and her sister alexandra (who was one of my bridesmaids when douglas and i were married, almost 9 years ago now..) has always been like the sisters i didn't have. over the years they have borrowed my clothes, my jewellery, come over to have their makeup and hair done... and just been a huge part of my life. i love them (and their whole family!) so very much.

my boys at the reception

reception was at the bluewater grill in applecross, a gorgeous restaurant overlooking the swan river across to the city. it was perfect, the room was set up beautifully, the weather was great (not too hot!) and the food was amazing. we were so impressed with it - and the service offered by the staff. a+

this awesome cake was made by a girl leigh knows here in perth (who is also from brisbane and married a perth boy - there seems to be a lot of this perth/brisbane intermarriaging going on... cause that's what leigh and jayden are too! haha) and was banana and carrot cake layers. oh my gosh. it was incredible. so yum and so perfectly finished.

i had been helping leigh over the phone for the last few weeks to organise some of the wedding preparations, which included making 24 mini vases to be placed on the tables at the reception. each was a small milk bottle, with a page from a vintage book i had wrapped around and secured with double sided tape, then tied off with ribbon. the roses were kindly donated by the garden of a company i happen to be quite close to. i won't say any more than that - but i did ask permission!! promise! the roses were at their end and it's been so hot that they didn't last as well as i would have liked, but they looked nice regardles. 3 on each table... it was a nice touch. we also organised the flowers over the phone and i ordered them from our work florist in subiaco. thank goodness for technology and facetime hey!

i had a chat outside with alex between courses and couldn't resist snapping a few pics of her sweet evie. what a little doll she is. ♥

you can see how much fun these two have just from glancing at pics of them together. i asked if i could snap a few of them to send to mum and dad seeing as they aren't back yet, and they certainly obliged, even if jayden decided to go all crazy on her with the nearest steak knife. haha.

but really, they look as if they belong together.

another cake shot - with that dream view in the background

as always, the time for speeches comes... with memories and lots of laughs. the dads had everyone in fits with some good stories from leigh and jayden's childhood. they've certainly gotten up to some mischief.

and the cake cutting! 

i just loved leighs dress. it was so classic, i am sure it will never go out of style. she just looked amazing and so beautiful. more gorgeous than i have ever seen her look and just so happy. there was no wiping that smile off her face.

at the end of the reception there were a few games, including guess who, with questions about their lives, to see if it was leigh or jayden who did something. we were all given a stick with both their faces to make a guess. some of the questions had the two of them in fits of laughter and us all scratching our heads, where as some were blindingly obvious... one thing is for sure, their children will be absolute daredevils.

it was a day of love and sooooo much laughter. congratulations leigh and jayden, it is truly a pleasure to know you both - and to have shared your day with you.

♥