It's Showertime!!!

Congratulations to us!!! With our wedding less than two months away, a million things were happening and tensions were high for us, but on Sunday, we were able to escape from it all at an amazing wedding shower thrown by none other than my momma.




Let me just begin by saying that my mom went all out for this event and I never expected as huge a celebration as my mother planned for our wedding shower. From these beautiful invitiations...



...to after brunch festivities at the house,... and threading a beach theme throughout (which I'll explain later). I mean look at this. A beautiful flower arrangement, a fishing net, pictures, shells and more.



Everyone gathered for brunch at Cafe Del Rey for some delicious food. Hey look! The menu says "Shower for Kevingrid" at the top (with a sea shell, just like the invitation)! I ordered the peeky toe crab cakes, dry aged sirloin burger and the lava cake. Mmmm.



When I say everyone gathered at brunch, I'm not exaggerating. Everyone came together to celebrate our impending wedding, from Ingrid's family...



... to Ingrid's friends...



... to my family...



... to more of my family...



... to more of my family and my friends.



After we greeted everyone and made introductions, we all sat down for a fantastic brunch.



As you might imagine, it's the first time some in attendance had ever met each other, but everyone seemed to get along swimmingly.



Speaking of swimming, Ingrid and I would soon be swimming in the Maldives, where we planned to spend most of our honeymoon... hence the beach theme for the party (the pictures in the back there are of the island resort where Ingrid and I would be staying). As I mentioned, my mom went all out for this celebration, and had more food back at her house where we gathered immediately after brunch (as if we didn't have enough to eat at the restaurant).



Darren's daughter, Jada, was in town and joined a couple of the other groomsmen for the celebration.



Ingrid's family was in full force with her brother, her father, her cousin and her mother all in attendance.



Hey look, it's Glady and Natty, the newlyweds whose wedding was just weeks before ours, those line-jumpers!!!



We were all having a great time, thanks to my mom who planned such a great gathering.



Hey, there go those newlywed line-jumpers again. Look at them leaving early and taking food to-go, on top of it all...



Are these another two with wedding bells in their future?... If so, let's hope they don't jump the line too.



Eventually it came time to cut the cake... good practice for the big day I must say.



And what shower would be complete without the actual showering of gifts? Ingrid loves opening presents and this time, she had an audience.



Everyone gathered around for the gift opening, which included mostly gifts for Ingrid, but a few sprinkled in for the both of us. Good practice for marriage, I suppose...



All of these ladies know about marriage... I think they're telling me it's kinda like being in jail.



I guess I better get used to that. That, together with my wife smacking me on the head with a mallet, and a child sitting on my lap. Wow. Marriage is going to be great.



I know, I know. Marriage is great. I can't wait.



Unbeknownst to Ingrid and me, it's apparently customary to create a wedding bouquet from the ribbons on the actual gift to be used at the wedding rehearsal. Dawn was kind enough to prepare a bouquet from these ribbons and created a lovely faux bouquet for use to use.



We all had a wonderful time, especially Ingrid, who went home with tons of wonderful gifts. We have such thoughtful and caring family and friends. Thanks again, mom, for making this happen. We love you.



By the way, as you can see, somebody at the party vandalized my cake...



... something tells me I should be focusing on these guys with those suspicious grins on their faces. I'm pretty sure I know who did it, and I have something special planned for that person's wedding engagement once the day actually arrives. Muuahahaha!