I promise this will be the last “non-dolly” post for a while. I have just been too busy with my party planning to focus on anything else….
If you didn’t know, last night was our Married Couple’s Sweetheart Banquet and it all turned out so nicely… We had 16 couples and it was held at a very nice Chinese restaurant in town… I went in about 2:30 Sunday afternoon and started decorating the tables and the front table…
We set up the table like one big banquet table and it reached almost the whole length of the room…
(My pictures aren’t the greatest because we had the lights dimmed…but this is all I’ve got. One man brought his “nice” camera, but I will have to wait on any pictures from him… If you click on any picture it will enlarge.)
There was a new couple at church this morning and they found out about the party and said they would like to come… They did but they couldn’t find a babysitter, so they had to bring their little boy… it turned out okay… he loved rice!
I put my favor bags on the tables, along with some rose/flowerpot centerpieces that I generally use. Remember those flowers that were given to me by the store in town because they were just going to throw them away? Well, I cut them down a bit, tore off some of the outside petals and laid them in bunches on the tables… it added a nice colorful touch. Then I had these square votive glass holders with candles burning around the centerpieces.
It made for a very pretty table.
The couples were all asked to bring in a wedding picture that could be placed on the table. They had to put it somewhere other than where they were sitting. That’s my sweetie and me in the brown picture frame…almost 35 years ago…
That’s my hubby in the lower left corner… looking like he’s trying to get his favor bag open…to throw “Kisses” to people… (literally!)
At the front of the room, I brought my half bust mannequin and put my wedding dress on it and draped it on the table, along with some long stemmed roses in a vase and my cake… My hubby just loved that topper!!! :o)
We got started eating and passing around that candy jar… remember, the one I gave you all a chance to guess?
Well, now I can reveal how many candies were in it… 303! Yep, I’ve been packing those candies in the jars for 23 years and know how to fit those M&M’s in every nook and cranny! Becky (a subscriber of mine) guessed 175 and was the one who guessed the highest, so she won… At the party tonight the winning guess was 278!
I just had to show you this one dish that the couple beside me ordered. It was salmon but what everyone loved was the food carving… Look at this bird… everyone was taking pictures of his dish.
After we finished eating, our pastor and his wife read their wedding vows to each other and we got to hear what they said. It was wonderful…then they asked us to stand and we were led in a time of renewing our vows with our spouses… It was even better!
My hubby called all the men up to the front for a huddle and gave them some instructions… They were to pick a rose from the vase and take it back to their wives and ask them if they would “accept this rose…” (Anyone know where that idea came from?) We had also asked the men to bring a Valentine Card for their wives. They took just a few minutes and “accepted” their roses, but then were asked them to lay the roses down. While everyone was standing, my husband told the men to remember back when they first fell in love with their wives and think about how they felt; how blessed it felt to have this woman say she’d marry you. Then he asked them to hold their wives like they did when they fell in love. Next he hit the stereo button and we had a CD qued with Anne Murray’s song, “Could I Have This Dance?” and the men had been encouraged in the “huddle” to slow dance with their wives. This was something we had never done before and we were very nervous about this part. We didn’t want to make anyone feel uncomfortable or embarrassed, but as we did it, I couldn’t resist taking a little peek and everyone seemed to be enjoying it. If they weren’t they were certainly faking it… It was a very romantic time with our mates… *sigh*
Then we said it was time for cake! We sliced it up and if you think it looked pretty… I guess it tasted okay, because look what’s left…
At the very end we asked the couples to remember whose picture was in front of them and when they got home tonight, take a few moments and pray for them. I also told anyone who wanted to pick up some of the roses in the middle of the tables to help themselves.
We ended and cleaned up and were were out of there by 10:00. When we got home, there were things to put away and I had quite a few roses myself that were left so I arranged them in a vase and put them on the dining room table. George walked Reuben and I went to the bedroom to try and find the bed… (it was covered with clothes… *sigh* ….I wasn’t sure what I was going to wear tonight.) Marilyn, I ended up wearing a black and white lace dress with a little black cardigan sweater. I was hanging up tons of things and finally put on my nightgown… George came in and changed too… after just a little bit, he came into the bedroom and said, “come here…” I walked into the kitchen, and all the lights were out, but he had taken 4 of those little candles and put them around the flower arrangement I had made. He had gotten out his CD player and it was on the table. He said, “I want to slow dance with you again…” So he put on the CD, and this time I really enjoyed the dance… Then we sat down and listened to most of the the other songs…
That’s why it’s 1:54 a.m. and I just finishing this up… Oh well, I’ll slow dance any time he wants! *sigh again!*
I did read all your comments from Sunday… thank you so much!
See you tomorrow,
Blessings, Jeanne
I suppose–and hope–that you are still sleeping as I write this! What a fun night you must have had! I felt like I was there too! Everything turned out so well, the table looked lovely, the cake and your wedding dress made for a sweet setting for all who attended. No wonder George feels so lucky to have you!
So George watches “The Bachelor”? No girl on that show is anywhere near the prize you are! Such fun activities you had planned, and oh gosh, I was a WHOLE 200 candies off on that jar! I guess I’ll have to blame that on the M&M’s!
HI Linda,
I’m going to try and squeeze in a few comments right now… I wasn’t up at 4:38 like you, but I got a call from my mom at 8:00 asking about some medicine of hers… so I got up… and did dishes… fun, huh?
No, George does not watch the Bachelor, but he knows they ask that question when they want someone to stay till the next week. It’s sort of like the “That’s my Final Answer” phrase… everyone knows it…
Yep, those little M&M’s can hide in lots of spaces in the jars…
Thanks so much for your sweet comments Linda,
Blessings, Jeanne
Oh what fun you all had. I felt very smiley when I read what George did at home for you…what a wonderful way to end the celebratory evening that you all had.
It does look the cake was a major success too! It was all so beautiful.
Take care.
Thank you Becky,
I had a really nice time last night and it seems everyone else did too. One of the couples videoed the couples dancing as he had his arms around his wife… and then sent it to me this morning. It was actually kind of fun to see everyone snuggling with their sweetie…
The cake was pretty much demolished… but that was a good thing…
Thanks so much Becky… I didn’t get your prize out today, but I will tomorrow…
Blessings, Jeanne
How kind of you, Jeanne…thank you.
How romantic! 🙂
Hi Christine,
Three words….Yes it was!
Blessings, Jeanne
Well done! Know your friends appreciated all of your endeavors.
Hi Joy,
It was my pleasure to do this for the couples…we all had fun!
Blessings, Jeanne
Jeanne, I think your second “career” could be as a party planner. What a beautiful event with all the couples dressed so smartly for this special evening. George sounds like such a romantic guy with all his suggestions of love and devotion, even after getting back home. You are a very lucky woman! I hope you got a good night’s rest – you certainly deserve it!
Hi Karen,
I don’t think I could be a party planner full time… But I do lots of baby showers, bridal showers, birthday parties, couples parties and I enjoy doing them on a smaller basis…
I do have a very romantic and thoughtful husband….
Well I was going to sleep in but my mom woke me up with a phone call… Oh well….
Thanks Karen,
Blessings, Jeanne
What a wonderful time you must have had. Everything you planned was just perfect.
The decoration and the cake were lovely.
I’ll help you out with something dolly related. Melody was revealed this morning on tv.
The decision was fast and simple for me, I’m not the least bit interested in having her which is great so the saving money for Addy can continue unabated. We’ll wait to see her collection as something may be of interest for my daughter’s Julie or perhaps some small accessory will fit my dolls. I kind of doubt that though since the time periods are so much earlier.
Hi Laura,
Thank you for the sweet compliments on the party and how things looked. It was a lot of fun.
As soon as you told me about Melody I had to go see what she looked like. I don’t think she would fit in with the clothes I make…actually it’s the bangs… They make a doll less versatile….so I won’t be getting her either…
Thanks Laura,
Blessings, Jeanne
Jeanne, I just had to tell you that I took time this morning to read this entry and oh my gosh, was I ever glad I did!! That was the most beautiful and romantic Valentine dinner for couples I’ve ever seen! Everything was just perfect…the decorations, the food, your cake and of course the slow dance. Wow, what a spectacular evening and your George is amazing! YOU are amazing and I have GOT to get back to regular reading. I miss it and I miss you 🙂 Love and blessings!
Bobi
Hi Bobi,
What sweet thoughts you shared with me…I’m glad you found me today too!
It was a pretty romantic evening… Both before and after the party!
I’ve missed you too… I should have reached out to you, but I know some people come and go and I’ve tried not to be possessive of my readers.
Thanks for coming back today…
Blessings, Jeanne
Could not be any lovlier and a tearful post. Can’t wait until next year
Hi Jan,
Awwww…I didn’t mean to make you cry… I’ll have to come up with something really special to be more special than last night was.
Thank you so much….
Blessings, Jeanne
What a lovely and romantic evening planned. And George sounds so sweet.
Your cake looked so yummy.
I’ve known my husband since he was 12. I will never forget how thrilled I was to ride double with him on his banana seat bike. Lol. We still share personal nick names and good laughs and memories that have great meaning after all these years !
What good husbands we have!
Wow, your commet about the banana seat bike was so cute.
Lucky girl you are.
Hi Paula,
George was standing beside the table when I read your comments, so I read them out loud to him….he just smiled…
Just like Joy, I loved your banana seat comment too. We do have special hubby’s!
Blessings, Jeanne
You and George sure know how to make things memorable for yourselves and everyone else. I was thinking he might be planning a renewal of vows, but the whole evening was so much more even than that, the decorations, the dancing and your own celebration. You are both so fortunate to have each other. You are also a wonderful writer. Thanks so much for sharing the wonderful evening with all of us.
Hi Susette,
We prayed hard about what to do this year…and these were the things we felt the Lord wanted us to do. I looked back over my comments and it looked like we were taking all the credit for the party. That made me feel sort of uneasy. Things always go better when we pray…
Thank you for your comments Susette…. I don’t know what I’d do without my hubby…And I’m glad you like my writing…
Blessings, Jeanne
What a wonderful evening you all had, Jeanne! Your decorations were lovely, and your cake turned out so beautifully!
Hope you got some extra rest today–you deserve it!
Charlotte
Hi Charlotte,
Thank you so much for your nice thoughts about the party…
Actually my mom woke me up with a phone call early this morning…so no…no extra rest…
Oh well…
Blessings, Jeanne
When I read what Bobi wrote, I thought, “She said it all,” but then Charlotte added my only other thought — I hope you got some much deserved rest. What a great couple you are. I’m sure that either everyone there is telling other people and you’ll have twice as many people next year or everyone is agreeing not to share so that next year will be just like this one, except that that cute little boy will be a year older. His parents now have a whole roomful of inspiration.
Thanks Marilyn,
I loved what you said about that young couple having a room full of inspiration…what a neat observation…
If we get many more couples we’ll have to find a bigger place to have it.
No rest today…maybe tomorrow…
Thanks so much,
Blessings, Jeanne…
Everything looks so beautiful–what an amazing job you did! I’m sure all the couples had a great time. Even the food is beautiful. Just a special night for everyone. How blessed you are to have such a romantic husband! My hubby is not really romantic, but he is a good husband, and I think God every day for him. I’m sure you feel the same way about George.
Hi Carolyn,
We did have a really nice evening…maybe you could get that CD and play it and try slow dancing with your hubby…you never know what might happen…
Still, there’s something to having a good and steady husband. I’m glad you thank the Lord for him each day. He surely feels that…
Blessings, Jeanne
Did you get a nap today? It’s always amazing how you pull together that whole evening. I remember last years dinner too. Such fun activities and even though some hubbys don’t seem romantic it appeared they had a very good time.
Our golf group played a fun game last week too so if you need an idea for next year……?
You are so generous and fun loving
Have a great week
Hi Kathie,
Sorry, no nap today… Another day…
We were hoping the slow dance and the men paying special attention to their wives would rekindle some marriages where things have gotten mundane or lukewarm…
I can always use another game, so send it my way!
Blessings, Jeanne