For Christmas Dallas got me a facial/massage combo package at Spa Forever in Bucktown and I finally went and used it a couple weeks ago. I also got an eyebrow wax, stopped for lunch at Flipside Cafe, and got a mani/pedi at Nail Gallery. All of these places are within a block or two of each other, so it worked out perfectly. Fun day in Bucktown! And seemed fitting to do it while Dallas was at Mitch’s bachelor party in Tennessee!
Kenji & Harmony trying to make a basket. Friend looks on.
Vince & Eddy
Getting ready for dinner.
This is the 7th year that we have gone to Doug and Naoko’s Labor Day barbecue. We drove from the Lake House to the barbecue and only could stay for a few hours because Dallas had Josh’s birthday dinner to go to that night. Even though our visit was short, it was great to see everyone and catch up. .. see how big the kids had gotten. Always bigger than expected, right?
Doug & Naoko like to have a Labor Day party every year. Here are some photos from years past:
- 2005: we played a lot of horseshoes
- 2006: Jordan brought fresh smoked salmon from Alaska. He’d just been on a trip there.
- 2007: No Party? Or just no photo or post?
- 2008: Lots of kids. First year I noticed that?
- 2009: Also celebrated Aunty Gail’s retirement. One more photo from that year.
- 2010: Doug & Naoko have a new house
- 2011:Two new babies – Eddy and Ty – and Caroline and Danny expecting one more.
Cocktail hour aperitivo: Chips, salsa, and guacamole.
Adam and Andy
Brett and Kelly with coconut drinks.
Brett and her coconut!
Even Dallas had one.
I noticed that the wedding photographer was taking shots of the wedding party on the pier at sunset. Beautiful!
Trevor and all his friends! Just kidding! He stepped away to smoke and take in the sunset.
Soon, everyone joined to watch the sun set.
The dinner setting was gorgeous during the sunset.
Table #5, Couple #1: Kate and Trevor
Table #5, Couple #2: Mitch and Emily
Table #5, Couple #3: Dallas and Rachelle
Table #5, Couple #4: Damian and Vanessa
The photo slideshow that friends put together. The photo showing is of ziplining in Hawaii on our wedding trip!
Surprise! Guy on stilts with a live marionette puppet!
We followed them down to the beach.
Fire dance!
Brian and Sara’s first dance as a married couple.
Everyone rushing the dancefloor!
Brian busting out some Michael Jackson moves. He also did his signature move, the worm.
“…. now I had…. the time of my life… ” (Josh and Kelly)
“…. I put my hands up, they’re playing my song….. “
It’s a Party in the USA Mexico
Mike and Todd
Josh and Dallas (and their horrible dance moves).
Mike, Todd, Josh, Dallas
Kelly and Vanessa
After Brian and Sara’s wedding ceremony, we all went back up to the palapa where a mariachi band was playing. On the boat I said something like I’d hoped there would be mariachi, so I was extra excited about this! The band played for the cocktail hour, where we chowed on salsa, guacamole, chips, and many, many fruity drinks. On this trip the Miami Vice had been the most favorited fruity drink, but during the cocktail hour the favorite was definitely the drink in the freshly chopped coconut!
For dinner we headed up to the upper palapa. Dallas and I were at Table #5 with Damian, Vanessa, Trevor, Kate, Mitch and Emily. We had been hanging around with all these guys for the whole vacation, so it was a fun table to sit at. Adam gave a really nice (and funny) speech during dinner and Brian’s brother Mike poignantly stood up to say that he wished their mother could be there with them that day.
Next, some friends put together a surprise slide show with photos of Brian and Sara throughout the years. At first everyone paused dinner just to watch the show and take a trip down memory lane with Brian and Sara, but it soon became apparant that this thing would go on forever, so dinner resumed. (I helped edit a lot of the photos, so I know there were over 500, which would auto-play for something like 40 minutes.)
At the end of dinner everyone was surprised when an elaborately dressed guy on stilts came in and was controlling a life-sized, real-live-person marionette puppet. This grand entrance was punctuated by the two guys following, who were playing a slide trombone and a drum! They moved all around the dinner space and then all the guests followed them to the beach where they performed a fire dancing show. Extra impressive, since it was a very windy day!
Next up, Sara and Brian had their first dance. After that everyone basically rushed the dance floor and it was nonstop til the end of the night! People danced their butts off! Especially to Brian’s favorite Miley Cyrus song! What a fun wedding! Thanks to Brian and Sara for inviting us to be a part of it!
Larry, Josh, Brett, Todd and Marty boarding the boat.
Us.
“I’m on a boat!”
Andy couldn’t resist the pole!
Arriving at Zama.
The seating cards were inserted into limes. Neat idea!
The menu – Tixin-Xic Fish, Carne Asada, Potatoes au Gratin, Steamed Vegetables.
Emily & Mitch
Christine, me, Vanessa
Damian & Vanessa
Josh, Lynda, and Trevor getting drinks.
Kilmer & Jess were in our row for the ceremony.
Vanessa & Lynda were in front of us.
Us
Larry
Brian and Officiant Josh.
Todd, Danielle, Nate
Adam & Chloe
Mike & Carrie
Sara & her parents
Sara & her parents
Sara & her parents
Sara & her mom
Josh did a great time conducting the ceremony.
Danielle, Chloe, Carrie
The Rings
The Kiss
Married!
Sara and Brian were married at the Zama Beach Club, which is a gorgeous venue located on the shores of the secluded Sac Bajo area of Isla Mujeres. To get to Zama, all of the wedding guests took a short walk from our hotel, Ixchel Beach Hotel, to the Magana Dock, which is next to the Mocambo Restaurant. While many of the ladies preferred to be in the enclosed lower level of the boat so they didn’t mess their hair up, I thought the open upper deck was the place to be. The ride was really fun and very beautiful. Even if I did have to watch Andy pole dance (not so beautiful).
Upon arrival at Zama, we all walked down a long pier to get to the beach club. There was a big open palapa with a bar and a marble dance floor, a smaller palapa where we’d be having dinner, and seating set up on the beach for the ceremony. There was a bit of time (15 or 20 minutes) before the ceremony was to start, so of course, everyone got drinks… which we still had while being seated and watching the ceremony. If you know any of these people, this is not odd!
The guys were all dressed in casual suits with tropical flowers on their lapels and the girls all had gorgeous, long, plum-colored dresses. Sara looked beautiful, of course, in her long, strapless gown, carrying flowers whose colors coordinated with the girl’s dresses. Josh was the wedding officiant and conducted a very heartfelt ceremony that included both Mayan traditions and personal touches that you’d only know if you were friends with Brian and Sara. Very nice.