Aug 25 Shannon & Daniel's Wedding Day !

Aug 25
Today is the day!! It's wedding day and everything is ready to go.

Daniel & Shannon 

The bridal party is all gathering at Patty's house starting at 7:45 for hair and makeup. You're a champ Patty! She has snacks and beverages for everyone and she has to get ready herself. What a peach! While Patty's house is much busier, over at John's house it's not so bad. Daniel planned a breakfast for John and the groomsmen at 10 a.m. Pretty easy. John left early and picked up 3 guys at their houses and I drove the opposite direction to pick up another fella and drop him off at the restaurant. While they enjoyed breakfast Leslie and I were doing some little stuff at the house. We got snacks out, had our showers and just got stuff ready for when the fellas get here. I need to drive up to the wedding site to put up a sign for a private function. The site is Mt Tolmie Park which is about 3 blocks from Johns house. It's a hill that has a great view of Victoria and surrounding area. Fortunately the smoke from all the forest fires is much better today and it's only cloudy, not raining.

Parking and a pottie ... nice lol

When the fellas got back they gathered in the family room and watched a soccer game. (Guys have it pretty easy on wedding day) Daniel had gifts for his groomsmen and he handed them out at John's. 

Footie jerseys for everyone!

Of course while watching soccer you need a beer so we all had a cold one. The bus to the wedding site isn't for a while yet, plenty of time to get the tuxedo's on and be ready to go.

It's after noon already....just!!

After a beverage it was time to get dressed and catch the bus up the hill to Mt. Tolmie. Heather's boyfriend, Sam, is back now after setting up the DJ equipment they rented for tonight. Sam is DJ'ing the wedding for Shannon & Dan. What a nice guy? Plenty of time for Sam, Leslie and I to change and head up the hill too. Les and I have a small task today too. We have champagne in a cooler for a little toast after the ceremony. We set that up at picnic table by the entrance and then just mingled with everyone as they arrived.

What a view and the weather is perfect.

My nephew Bryon, Niki, Ellison & Sophia 

My nephew Graham & Brittany 

My sister Donna & John

Side view of Donna, Bryon, my sis Margie & Dennis & Kevin  and Kerry from the back

Before long it was time to be seated and the ceremony to start. Sam the magical DJ was seated just behind us and playing the wedding music from his phone hooked up wireless to a speaker up front. I thought that was pretty cool. Anyway, the guys all walked in and Daniel waited patiently for his bride to enter. Lol.

Look great guys!

Beautiful girls!

Now for the moment we have all been waiting for ....

Our beautiful niece and her Dad on her wedding day 

Daniel's vows were so great, from the heart.

Sealed with a kiss !

Mr & Mrs Daniel & Shannon Potts  !!!

What a great ceremony! Not too long and they had both written some really nice vows to each other with some parts that were pretty funny. He promises to get her McDonalds if she's hungover. Haha, nice. So happy and proud of you both. What a fabulous couple.

Leslie and I hurried back to the picnic table (with some extra help) to open the champagne and pour the little plastic glasses. My brother stood on a table and toasted the happy couple and everyone raised their glasses to toast their day.

Would you like some champagne?

Serving champagne

After the ceremony Leslie and I caught a ride to the hotel where a bunch of my side of the family were staying. A nice chance to visit before the reception. Soon we all jumped back in the vehicles and headed downtown to the Edelweiss Club, the venue for the reception. 

It's Leslie. Dave needed a break so I will tell you all about the reception. At the entrance to the reception was a table with a tribute to Karen, Shannon's mom, who sadly passed away in 2011. We know she was smiling down on her baby girl on this special day.

We arrived in time for a couple of cocktails before the bridal party arrived from their photo shoot. It was so much fun spending time with the family.

Margi with her kids, Bryon (Niki) and Terryn and grandkids

Kerry, Lisa and me

Heather, Kevin and Lisa

Brittany, Terryn, John and Graham

Kerry and Brittany

Dave and I with Brittany and Graham

The wedding party arrived and got settled.

Tequila shots for everyone!

After a great welcome by the MC we had an amazing dinner including roast beef and Yorkshire pudding. So delicious. Had to have seconds of the Yorkies and gravy (I'm British on my Mom's side after all). After dinner it was on to speeches, toasts, cake cutting etc. John's toast to the Bride was amazing. I think I cried for the third time that day...lol. He sure does love his girls.

Those smiles :)

Love the shoe game...so many laughs

Next came the dancing. DJ Sam was en pointe and the music was great. A fine North American debut Sam ! ( That was Daniel's line but we borrowed it)

Music  so good you just gotta move

Niki and Elli. Sophia sitting this one out. Dave in the back rockin' out.

Me and John...woohoo  lol

A short break for the DJ. Sam, Heather and us

All the nieces and nephews (Sorry Bryon, can't see you back there)

Photo booth fun!

I would like to thank all the photographers whose pictures I used here. A couple were mine but I borrowed many from others as I was way too busy dancing, talking and in the photo booth to be taking near enough pics for the blog. A very special thanks to Patty who opened her home TWICE, to the Roche family and the bridal party, and snapped off over 300 pics so we could all remember the fun.

Cheers Patty :)

To Shannon and Dan: Thank you for being part of our lives. We hope you always have enough. Enough struggle to make you appreciate everything you earn. Just enough sadness that you truly value joy and happiness. And we hope you have already had just enough heartache that you cherish the love the two of you share for the rest of your lives. 

What a great day. Love you guys.