Able Blakley (my brother) married Kari Koster on September 27, 2014 in Bison, OK. It was truly wonderful, extremely exciting, delightfully intimate, and a fabulous party.
This post is full of pictures of the event. My http://blakleyhomeplace.blogspot.com/and
sister have written most of the stories on their blogs. I'll highlight a few, but check theirs out as well for more tidbits.
Friday morning, I helped Kari make floral decorations for the reception, while the kids and Brent went to school. We all headed north to help Grandma & Audra shortly after lunch. I loved that lady M jumped right in and helped me make all the flower arrangements for the tables. She is going to be quite the family matriarch someday and such a good hostess. We all had lots of other tasks and corn shucking too.
Being a spice/farm family wedding there were plenty of elements of both. The grilled jamaican jerk chicken was probably my favorite item and something we would never have made just a few years ago. I made huge pans of brownies for this event too and loved them. I also love this picture of my brother as the light fell in the magic hour.
Look! All five of us pulled together in one picture, mostly even looking at the camera! Brent & I, along with apparently everyone else, didn't sleep well, and were ready to be off on a grand celebratory adventure.
Te people at my job are always curious about what our kids are wearing so here is the full length "kid pic." They are all at least looking in the direction of the camera if not exactly smiling.
Prep time is different as the groom's sister. I checked on him a lot (and Kari some too, but she had lots of friends and family with her). Grant was the most amazing best man ever as we all knew he would be. Grant is the brother Able found for himself in life and I couldn't ask for a better one for him.
In one of the pages of my mom's recap she lists all the family music making that goes on with our crew. It is a thing and I love it. Here little Ro was helping observe the warm up/prelude music with some of the Shurtz girls.
Too sweet. One of the moments I almost cried.
Why yes, this is another one. I was sitting right behind them and just had to have this picture. (Tears).
E, meanwhile, worked hard on the comic relief. In addition to his normal adorableness, he doesn't really get the being quiet parts of church. In the middle of some quiet prayer he announces -- "I like your hair buba." He proceeds to pet B's hair and talk about it. Definite laughter moment.
There were concerns about how the Korenak boys would do thorugh Mass, but they rocked it (of course).
Beautiful Bride on her Daddy's arm. SO sweet.
Kari and Able chose to sit in a pew by themselves rather than standing or sitting at the front for all of the ceremony. They came up for salient parts, but it was a good compromise.
This picture. Saying their vows. Standing right where Brent and I stood, and right where Audra & Zach stood. Love it. I felt as things happened x3 that it was just as the stories say a little magical. I think the repetition and shared experience binds us closer together into a unit. I've always had that strong unit with my siblings and think this sealed us as six all the more. (I sound like my mother).
Here is B rocking Uncle Able's hat during the coffee and doughnuts phase of the day.
Here I am with "my people." Tracie & Sarah are with me always, in all of life's big moments. It is amazing. I am so very glad they were there.
Then we headed back to the farm, changed, packed, headed back to the city, dropped off my family at home, and headed to the reception to decorate. That went well and strangely quickly so I had my hair done before coming back to change for the evening.
B went to his first sleep over. I missed the drop off, which is probably best as I would have made it more dramatic than need be. These two + a very sleep E came to the party. M had an awesome time at the party, especially dancing with Daddy and her friend Molly (we have video!).
She was also very excited about the impending slumber party at Grammie's (Note that M also upgraded her hair and accessories for the evening. Love it).
Here they are rocking on the dance floor!
Kari is an amazing Aunt and our kids positively adore her. I loved she and M saying goodbye-- so sweet and in the midst of a huge party, but plenty of time for the two of them.
Cake! and laughter, both good.
First Dance as Husband & Wife. Beautiful. I don't have pictures, but the Mother/Son dance was pretty delightful too. It was to Thank God I'm a Country boy. It was full of silly exuberance and I think they both loved it.
Cute Cousin Hat pics! At the end of the night, Brent and I drove the newlyweds to the Skirvin, took the presents home with us, and wandered very sleepily home.
At 7:40am, my brother called, extremely perky, and wanting to pick up the presents. They opened them in my driveway, in the back of the Ranchero, while waiting for Audra. It seemed strangely perfect. After this, there was some clean up, picking up B, Brunch at the Skirvin, and then picking up more kids, a baseball game, and very long family naps.
While we did that, the newlyweds flew off to their minimoon in Chicago. It was a very wonderful weekend. We love them both so very much.
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