It's Shanna... like banana

We met up with hubby's parents this weekend for his cousin's wedding at the beach.  It was interesting to say the least!  I have to say it was quite amusing in a "did that really just happen" sort of way.

The monkeys were adorable in their beach wedding/Easter outfits as you can see by the photos I have included.  They were also very well behaved considering how bad they wanted to run in the sand and play.  I let them run some of it off before the wedding and afterwards, even though they waited so late that it was pitch black during the ceremony and the only way we could see what was going on was by the light from the video camera.  It was also quite chilly, and this is coming from a very pregnant woman who has a core temp around 200 degrees by now.  

The first thing I noticed was that there were no chairs.  I was going to have to stand on my steadily swelling (because of the car ride there) ankles.  About 5 minutes into the Jonas brothers song that was played as the bride walked down the aisle (yes I am serious), big monkey and I sat down in the sand in the back.  We had some loud commentary from my mother in law and were serenaded loudly by my father in law during one of the songs played during the ceremony.  My mother in law decided to let my monkeys know that the groom was marrying a "ready made family".  Great, had to try to explain that one quietly.  

Someone, maybe several someones, lit up a cigarette during the ceremony.  The father of the bride had been drinking since 1 pm and was overheard making threats to the groom.  I think he was at least half joking.  My father in law proceeded to walk around the back of the preacher to take up close and personal pictures during the ceremony... he was not the hired photographer.

Here is a quick run down of the reception, which I will have to say was nicely done..

• caught my father in law eating meatballs off of the food tables with his pocket knife.
• an older woman cut both the wedding cake and groom's cake before they had gotten to the regular bride/groom cutting with pictures.  She and her husband really seemed to enjoy the  cake.
• big monkey was allowed by my father in law to "redecorate" the groom's cake.  I was horrified and tried to whole heartedly fit my swollen self under the table.  
• punch was spilled on my mother in law during a wrestling of people onto the dance floor - big monkey was on the dance floor most of the time we were there and this was very cute.
• the groom ended up in the pool, followed by many others.
• we left around 8:45 to go upstairs and put two very tired and chocolate covered monkeys in bed, apparently it got better after we left.

All I know is that I better never hear another negative comment about my country family or how much fun we had at my wedding reception.  I will have to say that the people there were very genuine.  They were what they were and they weren't trying to act like they were anybody else, well except some outlaws of mine.