Jon and Rachel - Married at Last!

Well, I saw a bunch of formal wedding photos posted on Jon and Rachel's Facebook pages so I am going to do a little posting of my own :)

These photos are just to wet your whistle. I'm running on a diminishing battery.. so will have to finish this up later.. but please enjoy.

We just want to start by thanking Jon and Rachel for allowing us the distinct privilege of being a part of the their lives. It is a tremendous honor and joy to be a part of their community and Julie and I are committed to encouraging them and supporting them throughout their marriage.

We ' love you honey'. 'Love you'. ;)

First and foremost, here's the beautiful bride in her gorgeous wedding dress. They were married at the Quail Hollow Ranch in the Santa Cruz mountains. It was a beautiful, sunny 70 degree afternoon. Perfect for a wedding!





































Here's Rachel going to wrangle her up a man!



















It's time to get hitched!



















And here's Jon. Does he look like a man who's about to get married or what?!



















Of course, I'm particularly biased.. but I thought Jon did an excellent job in picking his groomsmen. Here's Jon with his best man. Recognize the guy with the short hair?



















And here's the whole group. Who would have thought that over 20 years ago when our families all met and bonded in the Carpenter's Union Sunday School class at First Baptist Church of Los Altos that we would fast forward and see them all standing together as Jon took his marital vows. I hope our kids will form as good and as lasting friendships in their lifetimes. There is a strength that comes from being in community and it is such a blessing to see them all creating their own strong bonds that with a little effort should last them a lifetime.















Here's the 'sisters'! Don't they look great?















Is Aaron the ring bearer just the cutest kid ever? Oh, and take a look at the ring pillow that Rachel made (with assistance from Julie). There were so many personal touches from Jon and Rachel in this wedding. It definitely reflected their personality and creativity.





































Enough of the pictures that were taken before the wedding.. while the boys hid from the women and vice-verse. After all - they did get hitched! Afterward it was time for some pictures together. Do you think they even know the photographer is nearby?















Here's a picture of Jon and Rachel enjoying the traditional first dance. They danced to Tony Bennett's 'I left my heart in San Francisco' as we all looked on in joy.



















And here's Jon dancing with his Aunt Linda - or Auntie as she is lovingly referred to by all. Do you notice anything unique about her leg? To make a long story short Auntie suffered a broken heal/foot the day of the wedding rehearsal! Can you believe it? She was such a trooper though! She made it to the rehearsal dinner and of course a team of horses couldn't keep her away from the wedding ;) She wouldn't have missed this special moment for all the world. What a joy to dance that special first dance with your married nephew! Priceless. Well done Auntie!















Oops.. my battery is running out - so I only have time for one more quick picture/story. Here's one of my favorite pictures from the wedding.. but a little explanation is in order. You see, Hannah had bought a 'special gift' for Rachel and Jon. She had intended to give it to Rachel for use during her honeymoon - but had forgotten it in the car. Well, it finally dawned on her as the entire wedding party was gathering to see off the bride and groom. 'WAIT!' she cried as she scrambled for the car keys and ran to get her present. By that time the bride and groom were already approaching the get-away vehicle and about to take off. So out comes Hannah - racing for the car and the present. Whew! She did get it to the bride just as they were about to leave! So, in the picture the satisifed Hannah is jogging back up the walkway as the bride waves her Victoria Secret package out the window! Ahhhhh... sweet success!