I happened to holding the camera when the waiter brought Annie two margaritas and she found out Niko's has happy hour all day long when drinks are two for the price of one. Needless to say, by the time we left, she was feeling not even a little pain!










Here's Gentleman Leo helping Annie to the car.









We stopped at CVS on the way home and saw this bird and decided he wanted to be a part of our wedding photos!





It was a fantastic and magical day that won't ever be forgotten. Wish you could've all been there, but I would've fainted with more attendees.

Nuptial Entertainment #3

For my very northern friends and family, note the palm trees and lack of white precipitation!

The proof is in the license!!!


The groom and my new mother-in-law.













After the ceremony we all headed to Niko's Restaurant, as just I got everybody lost on the way to the Gov't Center, I got us lost again on the way to the restaurant. I have literally driven past this place at least a thousand times since we've lived here!








So much food and a fantastic salad bar too! Lots of toasting, laughing and carousing.


Skewered honey shrimp -- yum!
Skewered scallops -- one of my favorite things!

This 80-ish woman stopped by our table because she was curious about what we were celebrating. She was so cute and gave us so many good wishes. Seems she's a Niko's regular who goes there for lunch at least twice week. She was a wonderful character and quite stylish in her own way!





Bionett ordered Godiva chocolate cheesecake for dessert (most of which she ate the next day since she wasn't feeling quite up to par).

When the waiter was listing the desserts, I told him to stop at pecan pie. When will I ever have a wedding AND pecan pie on the same day again? So what if I felt like the Goodyear blimp!

Post-Wedding Day Two

Well, we're still together! As Rita Rudner says, "In Los Angeles if a marriage lasts longer than a quart of milk, it's considered a success!"
Here's my Maid of Honor, Anna Aliano-Spahr, and our Ring Handler, Bionett Arroyo. Don't we all look really happy?



Here's Bionett and I with her significant other and/or Best Man, Leonardo Carrasco (AKA Leo or King Shabbah in his former Brooklyn Hood).






This is Carol, the Clerk of Court who did our ceremony. She even helped with a few photos for us!

We got Married in the Morning!

Here we are pre-wedding and getting ready for the big day. I think Steve's mom was more excited than us at being a Maid of Honor for the first time in her 82 years!

We couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day -- about 62 degrees, blue skies, and everyone involved in a jovial mood.






























We got to the Pasco Government Center around 11:30 AM, made the payment to have the Clerk of Court perform the ceremony, went into the little wedding area and had about a two- to three-minute ceremony -- short, sweet and painless.


Since Leo was Steve's Best Man, I designated his girlfriend, Bionett, to be the official Ring Handler.




To be continued...

No Jitters for Me!

I'm getting married in the morning! We stopped and got some simple flowers yesterday to be picked up tomorrow morning on our way to city hall. Leo is bringing his girlfriend, Bionett, so I got her a wrist corsage too and designated her as the "ring handler." I could never imagine having a huge wedding where there was so much to organize, let alone pay for.

Steve and Annie dined on steaks with mushrooms and onions the other night, and since I'm not a steak person, I had my beloved nachos.

I have a shrink appointment today (how timely) and Annie's getting her hair done after that. Then we're heading to the VFW to play bingo -- what a wild bunch!

Malls and a Wedding Present for Steve

We went to Gulfview Square Mall since Annie wanted to use a gift card she gotten from her son and daughter-in-law for Macy's. We stopped at Auntie Anne's for a pretzel -- all types, but she and I both preferred the cinnamon pretzel with caramel dipping sauce -- too good!






































When we got home Steve's wedding present from me had arrived in the mail. He has wanted this for a long time -- it's a Jim Shore figurine of the seven dwarves on a log. He's a Snow White addict -- we have the animated movie which he watches regularly and we also have a CD with the music from the movie. Hi ho, hi ho, it's off to work we go...

Airboats and More Food

A few days ago we saw the first airboat ever in the Cotee River behind our building. These are usually only seen in the Everglades.

Annie's fallen in love with Mortimer Snerd! She says he's the only date she's been able to get in Florida!





Steve made his mom a shrimp cocktail with some huge shrimp he had in the freezer and she loved it!

I made chocolate chip cookies a few days ago and there's one left! Can't imagine who's been eating them!