Smith Family Tree: Wirlwind Wedding Weekend (Part 2)

Next we moved over to Gastonia for the wedding weekend. We could not check into our hotel so mom took the kiddos to the pool while Travis and I went to our favorite place in Kings Mountain, Swoogers, for lunch. We had a few fun filled, kid-free moments together, reminiscing about our life when we were first married and lived in KM. It will always feel like home to Travis. Of course we had to cruise by the high school and our old house. Wow our life has changed since then!!

Now onto the wedding! Chris and Donna Keeter were our dear friends from First Baptist in Kings Mountain. Shortly after we met them, they packed up their lives and moved to Honduras to serve as missionaries. We helped with their transition and really loved being a part of it. Travis (at the last minute, with one days notice) actually traveled with them when they first moved. We also grew close to their daughter Kala, who at the time they moved was a freshman at Appalachain State in Boone. Travis and I visited her every summer when we went to Blowing Rock. After we moved here we helped take a group from Bunn Baptist down on a mission trip. We had a spot open at the last minute, so we surprised Chris and Donna by bringing Kala with us. It was awesome! Regardless, they have become like family to us. Ever since first meeting her, Kala would talk about her "one day" wedding. Well that day came! She asked me to be her wedding director. It was an honor and great fun to be part of her special day as she married John Michael. Their wedding was at the Grand Hall in Mount Holly. It was a very unique venue. She is extremely creative and had done lots of preparation to make it beautiful. Here are a few pictures:

This picture is blurry but it shows the venue...it was a huge hall with exposed celings. Both the wedding and reception were here. The bride came down this stair case that is in the middle of the building. It was very lovely. (and caused for some interesting 'directing' as I ran around the building several times).

She used lots of different colors...and tons of beautiful live flowers and paper flowers.

Kala is a third grade teacher. She made coloring books and reserved a row for her students.

For wedding favors, they had collected lots of books to give away. It was a neat touch!

The decorations were all so "Kala" and seemed like they should be on Pintrest.

She used lots of burlap, fabric, and colored paper...

Each table had different centerpieces, but they were all on pieces of wood.

Her RSVP cards were also "crafty" and had places for people to write in various adjectives/verbs.

The aisles were lined with these old fashioned jugs.

I love this picture of Travis and his baby girl. They are both smitten with each other!

Family photos are just impossible!

The DJ did an "anniversary" dance that started with all married couples and ended with the longest-married couple winning a prize. The song was John Legend's "I Will Stay with You," that Cedric sang for our first dance six years ago!