The First Day of Miracle Workers

As I get more pictures from the wedding, I'll post them. I did manage the snap a few shots Thurs. evening before the wedding. The first 'miracle worker' was my friend Derryl. I know him from Cranberry Quiltworks. He works with Gina Halladay and sets up the Gammill Quilting machines. I am lucky to have enlisted his help because he is usually on the road, picking up machines in Missouri or setting up and repairing the longarm quilting machines.

He put up the lights for Daughter #2's reception in the cultural hall of a church building in our area. I was so impressed. He had quite a system for doing this. I think you'll be impressed too! Check out these shots:

First we all check the strands of lights. Are they all working? Are any loose? We had family and friends help us with this process.

Next, Derryl climbs up the scaffolding to put up the center piece. And there he starts hanging all the strands. Notice we are all on the ground where it is safe. Derryl has done this many times before.

At one point, Nathan climbs up with Derryl to lend a hand. This boy is a rock climber, former gymnast, and is on the track and field team at Cal State Fullerton. It was no big deal for my new son-in-law to go up there and help Derryl. And notice I am still on the ground where it is safe? There's no way I was volunteering to go up there! Yes, even the groom had to help set up his own wedding reception. Remember, this was a do-it-yourself project.

Look, it's almost done! It's looking good.

While up on the scaffolding, Nathan (my son-in-law) and his friend, covered the basketball backboard with some black fabric. As a joke, they wrote "Skankey Love" up there in duct tape. Yes, it was a "Skankey Love" affair. My daughter traded her last name Love, for Skankey. Stacy (the bride) took a look at this sign and laughed. Then she said, "Let's keep it!" She was a good sport. So this was another part of our do-it-yourself decorations.

And here is the mother of the groom putting up the finishing touches on the canopy we used for the wedding cake. I got the canopy at Ikea and we added twinkly lights. It came out nice.

And here is the only picture I took of the ceiling during the reception. I think we had 300+ people there. I know our professional photographer got some better shots. Believe me when I tell you that it really turned out beautifully! Thanks to Derryl, one of the miracle workers.

To be continued...