Summer 2013 Part 3: Wedding Reception

My Washington parents, as I have so often referred to them here, Bill and Sally, hosted a wedding reception/farewell party for DFJ and me on July 27^th, 2013. It was a beautiful event set in the home that I lived in during my first two years in this country. The reception was meant to be low-key as is my way of doing all things. But the beautiful, idyllic, charming home of Bill and Sally; DFJ’s mom’s flower arrangement; all the special people that came to celebrate with us; and the amazing food, made it so very special.

The love and support that everyone showed by coming to our party was overwhelming. It was very touching to see how everyone was so happy and excited for us and our new adventure. Seeing the faces of all the people who have helped me grow up and survive in this country meant the world to me. My words are simply not enough to convey what my heart wants to say.

Here are some pictures of our reception… no fancy schmancy wedding photography here (we didn’t hire one), just good ol’ pictures from our cameras.

All the flowers displayed on the tables and the serving areas were arranged by DFJ’s mom. They were stunning! The flower fillers came from the grocery store but the roses, hydrangeas, and dahlias all came from Sally’s gorgeous garden.

For favors, I made 6 batches of this granola recipe and packed them in glass jars. Let me tell you, this is the best granola ever! EVER! We labeled it “Happy Feet” granola with a picture of our feet dangling over the dock in Lake Chelan where we got married last April.

Rich Sisters catered our delicious food and scrumptious bite-size desserts. There were some delicious hors d’oeuvres and my favorite was the fresh zucchini with sun dried tomatoes. Rich made some roasted cashews with rosemary and “secret ingredients” and they were to-die-for. The main entrees included: Mediterranean inspired Israeli couscous (fresh ingredients with bright flavors); spinach salad with dates (from Ottolenghi and Tamimi’s Jerusalem); perfectly-flavored roasted fingerling potatoes; chicken with caramelized onion and cardamom rice (from Ottolenghi and Tamimi’s Jerusalem); and fresh salmon with dill sauce (this guy knows how to do salmon right). Everything was in-season, fresh, and full of bright flavors. Rich's cooking philosophy is definitely right up my alley! There were different kinds of bite-size deserts (I can’t name all of them) but I can tell you that they were all delicious and were a HUGE hit.

I think that a good time was had by all, especially the little kids who ran around carrying little chicks in their hands, catching frogs, and dancing. The adults sipped on some wine that DFJ and I bought from Kitzke Cellars, our local favorite, while listening to some smooth, relaxing, world music by Café Blanco. The lead singer, Eddie Manzanares, is the best! Bill had a beautiful speech that brought me to tears… and DFJ and I said some words as well.

I will definitely remember our wedding reception with great fondness. All the people who helped me become who I am today; the special people who brought me here, Bill and Sally; and my husband, DFJ… my love and gratitude to all of you!

To my family in the Philippines, don’t worry about missing the beautiful party, we’ll have another one when DFJ and I come home!