And then they were one (just not prior to the reception...)

Friday!

9:30 am: Meet at Columbia College to start prepping the area.

O'Brien men move furniture from around campus to our reception site...

...while the mothers sit and chat.

"Getting married is hard to do..." -Ben

"Yeah, but the wooden swing makes it all worth it." -Stephen

Dr. Lane was our florist and did a fantastic job. He even hung "oasis" bouquets and sparkle beads from the center tree!

Mid-prepping I got multiple splinters and Ben got multiple gray hairs. What a great couple ;)

Fields (Lowther and Miller) men retrieved all rented items and tried to figure out that darn cotton candy machine

While Fields (Lowther and Miller) women put together praline bags! They worked so hard and long on this... Too bad we had probably twice as many as we needed :(

12:30 Go home to get ready

1: 30 O'Brien family pictures at Columbia College

Us with my new nice and nephews. What a good looking bunch... there are good reproductive genes in our families, if I do say so myself :)

My new sisters!

Sarah, Marie, me, Betsy, Tamara

2:00 Reception begins

Marie and Devan babysat the gift table all day. This is probably my favorite picture of them ever. Facebook, anyone?

A Columbia College artist was hired to capture the scene

The happy couple greets some of our many wonderful guests. I kept referring to Ben as "My.... Ben" because I didn't want to call my him my fiance or husband... Most people didn't know we wouldn't be officially married until after the reception.

This is the baby girl I nanny for. Her mom asked if it was ok to feed the 6-month-old  cotton candy. Don't question the nanny!

One of my favorite pics of us ever... Even if I didn't actually eat that deep-fried snickers and Ben had none of my cotton candy. Compromise, right? On film, at least!

Yeah, we're THAT couple.

We made those 'boards by hand, you know! It wasn't actually our idea to ride them at the reception. It way my off-handeed comment that sparked them being displayed at all, and Betsy suggested we get on them for a picture. The whole group ended up watching us skate around the grounds, and it was one of the most fun  and "us" moments of the day.

My niece, Cat, with Ben's niece, Kylie. Cousins? Anybody know?

Fields clan

Tired.

7:20 Sealing begins

 Exiting the temple after the most incredible and meaningful hour of my life :)

I've joined the married club!

Some So-Fars

This has been one fun, busy weekend.

HIGHLIGHTS

"I'm glad you're not worrying about that." -Suz
"I'm not, and I hope you won't either." -Ben
"Oh no. I've already forgotten about it." -Suz

Betsy stuck at ATL for 5 hours = $600 Delta bucks


Groucho's Deli ROCKS

"It's nice to put a face to the blog."


"You're invited to the wedding even though you never got your invitation. And, by the way, will you MC the BBQ games?" -Suz to Andy

The worst way for a groom to wake up his bride from a much needed nap on the eve of their wedding:
"We had a situation, but don't worry: it's been taken care of. Oh, and Dad and I only ate 20 petit fours. We just couldn't help ourselves."

"Could you have possibly worn a less provocative shirt to your sister's wedding BBQ?" -Mom
"It's just a girl." -Andy
"She's dancing topless!"-Mom

After Mr. O'Brien said a whole slew of awesome things about Ben:
"I'm sorry all I said about you was that you drool." -Mom to Suz

Ben kidnapped Susannah after the family BBQ to race go-karts at Frankies without telling anyone where we were going and not answering the phone. It was AWESOME.


Opa used to collect girl's hair bows in High School.


Danny failed a psychological test for a job.


Brett was mistaken for a drag queen.

"You have the right to refuse the sex talk." -Brett

Marie buys clothes to match hotel furniture. 


"Why don't you just drive up in the morning? Nothing starts until 2:00" -Suz to Jason
"Because I'm already in town." -Jason

Are we having a sealing....Or a CARNIVAL??

When we first got engaged Ben joked that we should have Deep-Fried Snickers Bars at the reception because this would be his family's first trip to South Carolina and it is a Southern tradition. I was so against the idea I even had the idea to call each of his family members to ask if they would really care if we had them or not, but my mom talked me out of it. Ben's brillliance was to mention the idea while my mom was around. 

"Suz, if that's what Ben wants, let him have it."

 "But this is a sealing celebration, not a carnival!"

Ben (and my family) soon figured out that I would cave on any point if I was told it's what Ben really wanted. He also got a cotton candy machine (I have to admit, I like that idea), but I did manage to talk him and my family out of a giant bouncy house (maybe for the family BBQ instead?), magician, and balloon artist. 

"Ben, who would do that for us?"

"Well, my dad could do the magic and I would make the balloon animals. I always had a job at my sibling's receptions."

"Your job is going to be GROOM!"

Here we go....


Ben experimenting on frying. They turned out to be really easy and really delicious! He was so excited :)

Ben teaching my nephew, Will, how to make them. Yeah... should we maybe keep the kids AWAY from the pot of hot oil?

Nope! He's a natural!

My sister, Megan, tries our first Deep-Fied Snickers Bar

And it gets a thumbs-up!

Well, we are at least having a little bit of a carnival. And I have say, I'm pretty excited. It will be one fun, memorable day. 

"Oh Aunt Suz... we're so glad you listened to Uncle Ben and will have deep-fried Snickers at the reception!"