One thing that blew me away this last weekend was the amount of help we received for the wedding, from so many people - help setting up, decorating, cleaning, etc. etc. Here are just a few examples: (warning: this is a very long post!)
My brother Lloyd is a school teacher in L.A. His school doesn't get out for another week, but he drove up for the wedding and was here for only about 24 hours. Before he started driving back, after the wedding, he stayed and helped clean up - specifically sweeping the gym floor (which is a big job)
A week before the wedding Dana Shipp called to ask if we needed any help. I thought about it and told her that if she had any ideas for how to make the buffet table look pretty I'd appreciate it. She said okay. The next day she came over to our house with platters and fabric and candles and baskets that she had just bought for the occasion. She and Norma set it all up Friday night and Saturday morning, and then they and Eric kept the tables running smoothly during the reception. The tables were beautiful.
My sister Lynette and her husband Roger came from Chicago for the wedding. It was the first time in a long time that all of my siblings were together. They volunteered to be the chauffers for my parents which was greatly appreciated.
As I said, Andrew's family was amazing. I feel bad that they didn't have more sight-seeing time, but they seemed very happy to help. Andrew's aunt spent alot of Thursday afternoon and all of Friday up at the church making the cakes. We asked Angie to open the building for us each of those days. She ended up helping with everything - from the cake to ironing table cloths, setting up tables, helping make the food, and cleaning up each night. She was at the building longer than we were. We couldn't have done it without her.
Mariah came home. She was a good babysitter at the temple.
Saul and Amy Valdez, and their children, have been good friends of ours for years. Last year, and this year, Saul offered their services as D.J.s for the weddings. They packed up all of their equipment and headed here from L.A. They wouldn't think of letting us pay for this, but they did let us compensate them with a batch of cookies. What a deal!
My brother and sister-in-law Tom and Madeline ended up being our runners. They made several trips to and from the building and our house throughout the reception, getting things that I had forgetten. It was great. They also let 2 of their daughters come and help with the set-up Friday. Everyone was so impressed with them - especially Melissa. She would not sit down and rest. She just kept saying "what can I do to help". We kept teasing her about having a boyfriend at college, and told her that we owe her when her wedding comes around. She's not engaged or anything, but we are standing by!
A Hanaike wedding cannot happen without the Porters. Jade put on a beautiful shower for Hillary in May. They let Hillary sleep at their house when Andrew was sleeping at ours and they let us store lots of the food in their kitchen the night before the wedding.
The Lualemaga's also spent most of the weekend at the building. Mae was the master mind of the ceiling decorations and she also did all of the flowers - the bouqets, boutenniers, etc. Her kids stayed at the building the whole time, and helped Luke have fun up there as well. Nua came to the building before and after work to help out.
Reggie's sister had some specific projects that she worked on before the wedding. She threw Hillary a shower. She painted all of the picture frames (that Reggie's brother made) and strung all the beads of pearls for the centerpieces. She helped with the set up and the clean up. As we were heading home after 10 hours at the building Friday night she asked me what I was making for dinner. At that point there were 17 people sleeping at our house. I hadn't even thought about dinner. She went home and then brought over a tri-tip roast, teriyaki chicken and rice - all nice and hot. What a life-saver.
Hillary and Andrew hired a wonderful photographer for up at the temple. I can't wait to see the pictures. They didn't, however, have anyone specific to take pictures at the reception. So when our good friend Josie walked into the reception Hillary asked her "can you please take some pictures!". Josie then went to work, and we really appreciate it.
Last year my niece Natalie and her boyfriend came for Julia's wedding. I think that by the time they arrived he had been upgraded to "fiance". They worked the whole weekend long, helping with everything. By Sunday afternoon Reggie took them on a quick driving tour of the city before they had to go back to school. This year they came as newlyweds to Hillary's wedding. I thought for sure that they would have time to sight-see. But again, they helped and helped and helped. Ray stuck right there with Reggie, Andrew and Lester setting up the lights and taking them down. By Saturday night we asked Ray to take our van full of tired kids home and then come back to get us and all the presents. I just have to say, you know that I trust and approve of someone if I am going to let them drive away in my van. We told them that one of these days they are going to have to come to San Francisco, not to work, but just for a visit.
My Julia came a week early. A couple of days after she got here her doctor called from Idaho to say that she ought to have her sore foot checked out by a doctor here. Turns out they said she had injured it pretty good and needed to wear a medical "boot" for the next several weeks. She still helped as much as she could - holding baby Cali who absolutely loved her, and then doing alot of the cooking for the reception. Lester came in Friday night and got right in and helped as well. Poor Julia - last year, the night before her wedding she slept on an air matress in the living room. This year, she still got an air matress, but at least got to share it with Lester. They were both really good sports.
Our sweet Rocio helped as much as she could with her 3 rugrats following behind her. She came up to the church for a while and ironed, but then needed to get her kids home. She ended up holding down the fort at home, as we sent more and more kids home ahead of us.
And lastly,my sister, Marianne. She is one of the hardest working people I know. As soon as her plane landed she was helping with everything, at home and at the church. Maybe its because we are sisters; maybe its because this is the house she grew up in; but when she is here its not that we finish each other's thoughts, but we finish each other's job. I rinse and she loads. I cook and she cleans. I drove a van full of supplies up to the church and then she drove back to pick up more people. Happily this year she was able to stay several days after the wedding, and so we had some relaxing time too, watching lots of chick flicks (the first being Emma, of course). Summer is just not summer without Marianne.
I'm sure there are even more, behind the scenes people, that helped in so many ways -taking down tables and chairs, cleaning and helping in any way they could.
We are so blessed, for all the people that helped, and all the people that traveled near and far to spend this wonderful day with us.
