The Reception - Time to PAR-TAY!

After the cocktail hour ended it was time for the dinner and reception to start.  The Pelican Hill Resort, has an upper level ballroom that has an indoor and outdoor area.  We were there earlier in the day as the set-up was taking place and I knew it was going to be amazing. 

Debby had a wedding planner, but she also had a designer who designed "the Look" for the reception and dinner area.  Debby's colors were gold with lots of bright colors such as fuschia, orange, yellow, purples, pinks, etc.  They pretty much draped fabric along every wall of the ballroom as well as made custom covers to change the look of the huge hanging chandeliers.  It really was gorgeous.  Take a look:

tables with beautiful fresh flower centerpieces

the dance floor

Sisters of the Bride--
Becky, Jenny and Katey

The reception started with all the guests, grabbing their split bottle of Champagne with attached table assignment.  We got sparkling apple juice :).  I wish I could have taken one of these flower elephants home with me.

Once the guests were seated the families and wedding party were introduced.  Fortunately for me, I only had to walk in with my dad and sister.  Debby and Sam had the bridesmaids and groomsmen paired off and as they were introduced the DJ hit the music and they had to improv a dance as they came into the room.  This type of entrance pretty much let you know this was going to be a party--no stuffy reception formalities.  Debby and Sam were the last to enter and they came bursting onto the dance floor and everyone joined them with light sticks in hand.  The music was blaring and everyone was dancing.

Both of the girls were having so much fun, but seriously Paige was all over it.  That girl was on the dance floor all night just letting loose.  She danced her heart out.  It was so cute.  I didn't even know she could do the running man!  She had lots of people dancing with her, she was just so into it.  I better watch out, that girl is going to want to go out clubbing before too long!!  She didn't even want to leave the dance floor for the chocolate fountain, for those of you who know Paige-- that is really saying something.

After the intros and some dancing, the dinner and program started.  A number of different program items like toasts/speeches, dances, etc. were interspersed with dinner.  I didn't know this, but it is to give time for the wait staff to clear one course and serve the next dinner course.

So let's talk about food.  It was delicious.  My only regret is that I couldn't eat or even taste it all.  There was just too much, even for me.  Remember we had just come from a cocktail hour with lots of Indian appetizers.  Then we sat down to a 7 course meal.  For our entrees, Ashley and I chose filet mignon and Dave and Paige had chicken.

An Indian friend once told me that Indian weddings are all about the sweets and she was right.  Dessert was served with dinner, it was a warm apple tart with vanilla gelato.  However, this was a wedding so we also had to have cake.  Later on we were served one of two cakes - carrot or strawberries and cream.  To be honest by this time I was really full - so I only had a small bite of each cake, just enough to taste.

Here is Debby's "hanging" wedding cake.  It's fake, because
a real one would be too heavy to hang, but you get the idea.

As for food, it didn't stop there.  Later in the evening if anyone could possibly still be hungry there was a chocolate fountain and Indian candy/sweets buffet.  Probably one of my biggest regrets is not eating anything from either of these.  I just couldn't eat anymore at all, but I sure would have liked to.

Amongst all the eating, the Maid of Honor and Best Man gave toasts.  The big surprise of the night was when the Best Man called my dad up to give a speech.  I think the Best Man had had a little too much to drink and was going off script a little.  Public speaking is not my dad's thing.  If he could have run away he just might have done it.  However, we pepped him up, told him to just be himself because that's what everyone loves about him.  So, he sucked it up and did it.  Poor guy, he was so nervous, but he did great.

 

After dinner and the program ended, there was lots of entertainment which included dancing, a hookah lounge, martini bar, and a photo booth.  Our family stuck to the dance floor and the photo booth.  We took pictures in the photo booth, but I think they got lost somewhere in our travels.  I should also mention that if you happened to burn all your dinner off on the dance floor, you could refill at the In-and-Out Burger truck that pulled up at about midnight.  Free burgers!  Again, not one of us could eat, not even Ashley who has a serious love affair with cheeseburgers.  In fact, it was about this time that we decided to call it a night, but a good night it was.