I now pronounce you husband and wife...

The Bride was beautiful. The Groom was handsome. The Bridesmaids looked lovely. (Yes all the dresses finally arrived.) The Groomsmen were dashing. The Ushers ushered and filmed. The ceremony was personal and had humor. The weather - as near-perfect as you could as for.

When the day was all over with, each extended family had added a new member and there was a new married couple beginning on their life's journey together.

When all the planning had begun many moons ago, it seemed like a long time until the wedding. However, time slipped by seemingly quickly.

For all the bumps in the pre-planning, the day went as the couple wanted. To quote a friend, the ceremony and reception were simple and unpretentious. The kids have their priorities right. While they wanted a memorable day, they didn't need to spend unwisely.

The ceremony and the reception were about the couple as it should have been.

The church in Amherst is a small, well maintained older church with lovely stained glass. The music was exceptional. The ceremony was performed by two pastors. One whose church the ceremony was in and the other had confirmed the groom. And with the injection of humor, of course, there were the sports references. It has to be a Nebraska thing because there were football references during the sermon. Again - as it should have been.

The ring bearer and flower girl almost stole the show but that happens at most weddings. Both were as cute as cute can be.

The reception was at the Kearney Community Theater. It is a small venue and provided an intimate feeling to the party. The background music was big band music, again picked by the couple, which added to the ambiance. The bridal party was on stage. The toasts were spoken. The cake was cut, the punch was poured and the chocolate fountain flowed.

Then it was over. Sigh.....

That is when the MOB cried and hugged and cried some more. Seriously, I did very well because I am a wedding crier. When asked later, if I was relieved everything was over, I couldn't say I was because I never viewed this experience as something to be relieved about. I believe the entire family looked forward to the whole day because these events don't happen every day. The wedding was a happy event and we want only the best for the kids as the start on their new adventures. Again... a sigh and a tear....