My little brother N. married K. on Saturday at the First Congregational Church in Walla Walla. So now he's a married man and he has a Mrs. This makes him the first kid in our family to get married. Not that he's a kid or that little. Nope. In fact, he's 28 years old and 6'2.

<a title="IMG_8263 by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/7776811840/"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8432/7776811840_14bd27eaf2_z.jpg" alt="IMG_8263" width="640" height="427" /></a>All things considered this was a pretty easy wedding. At least from the point of view of the groom's family.
<a title="N, C and me at the church by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/7776734850/"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8421/7776734850_090c142bd8_z.jpg" alt="N, C and me at the church" width="640" height="427" /></a>
Sure we hosted the rehearsal dinner at our family cabin and that took a lot of planning, sweat equity and hard work but when the actual wedding rolled around it was pretty smooth sailing.
<a title="K's hair by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/7776948534/"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8305/7776948534_db2c985274_z.jpg" alt="K's hair" width="640" height="427" /></a>
The bride invited my mom, my sister and me to get our hair done for the wedding with the bridesmaids. This was great fun and meant that I didn't have to worry about what I'd do with my fairly short hair. We showed up had a cup of coffee, ate some fruit and I drank a mimosa.
<a title="Fruit by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/7776928610/"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8434/7776928610_b88648d206_z.jpg" alt="Fruit" width="640" height="427" /></a>
<a title="Drinks by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/7776924618/"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8289/7776924618_3c2b235998_z.jpg" alt="Drinks" width="640" height="427" /></a>
<a title="IMG_8240 by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/7776892752/"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7263/7776892752_7707b91db9_z.jpg" alt="IMG_8240" width="640" height="427" /></a>
<a title="Make-up for the wedding by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/7776872270/"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8430/7776872270_3516181d9c_z.jpg" alt="Make-up for the wedding" width="640" height="427" /></a><a title="Lip gloss by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/7776877218/"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7253/7776877218_084b54ddd0_z.jpg" alt="Lip gloss" width="640" height="427" /></a>
<a title="The salon by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/7776860224/"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7138/7776860224_3439d6af63_z.jpg" alt="The salon" width="640" height="427" /></a>
<a title="Hair and veil by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/7776856076/"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8446/7776856076_df148cfc3f_z.jpg" alt="Hair and veil" width="640" height="427" /></a>
<a title="Hair and veil by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/7776831840/"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8296/7776831840_e2ce7214c5_z.jpg" alt="Hair and veil" width="640" height="427" /></a>
<a title="Hair and veil by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/7776844404/"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8434/7776844404_8e15918965_z.jpg" alt="Hair and veil" width="640" height="427" /></a>
There was one funny-awkward moment when the stylist asked me what color the bridesmaids dresses were. Um, I don't know. Why? Well because I wasn't actually a bridesmaid. It's just that the stylist didn't know this and it took me a minute to catch onto the fact that she didn't know that I wasn't a bridesmaid. So I lean over to ask a bridesmaid what color the dress is. Answer: maroon with a grey sash. The stylist looks at me with big eyes and says: it's pretty brave of you to not have even tried on your dress before the wedding. I hope it fits. That would be pretty brave (and/or crazy) of me but as the sister of the groom I was simply doing a reading and luckily this does not require a matching dress. Needless to say, I straightened things out pretty quickly and the stylist thought I was a whole lot less crazy than she had just minutes before.
<a title="My hair by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/7776919382/"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7106/7776919382_2d4cdb69c4_z.jpg" alt="My hair" width="640" height="427" /></a>
From the salon, I stopped by Coffee Perk for an iced coffee and here my sister C. and I practiced our readings for the wedding. She read a selection from Shakespeare's play <em>As You Like It</em> and I read e.e. cummings "i carry your heart." We stopped by Macy's so that my sister could buy a pair of earrings to wear and then I ended up buying a pair too. Mine were originally $29 and I got them on sale for $9. Not bad. Not bad. Only I didn't buy mine to wear at the wedding. I just bought mine because I liked them.
<a title="Me all dressed up by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/7776765948/"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8426/7776765948_e6d45e44c4_z.jpg" alt="Me all dressed up" width="640" height="427" /></a>
<a title="IMG_8270 by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/7776782178/"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8437/7776782178_6a0f37a457_z.jpg" alt="IMG_8270" width="640" height="427" /></a>
At home, C. helped me wiggle into my dress with my hair all done up and I helped her.  I didn't expect to have this problem given the fact that my hair is so short but I did. Oh and I got lots of complements on my hair. So that was nice. Needless to say, I don't think I'll ever be able to recreate it at home.
<a title="Mom and N by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/7776729102/"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7246/7776729102_e1321bb20c_z.jpg" alt="Mom and N" width="640" height="427" /></a><a title="Mom, Dad and N by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/7776720346/"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8302/7776720346_a3cf9f5235_z.jpg" alt="Mom, Dad and N" width="640" height="427" /></a>
About 1pm we headed down to the church for photos. Again, this was really easy for me and involved me sitting around waiting until I was called for photos. I probably should have tucked my kindle into my clutch but I didn't think about that ahead of time.
<a title="dAd by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/7776691652/"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7263/7776691652_e39428be32_z.jpg" alt="dAd" width="640" height="427" /></a>
<a title="Dad's upgrade by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/7776672992/"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8290/7776672992_c7426a8b5b_z.jpg" alt="Dad's upgrade" width="640" height="427" /></a><a title="Dad's upgrade by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/7776660678/"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8441/7776660678_6091faac3c_z.jpg" alt="Dad's upgrade" width="640" height="427" /></a>
My poor little brother had a harder go of things. He took photo after photo both inside the church and outside the church in the 100+ degree day. By 2pm even the back of his vest was sweaty and I felt really bad for him and really glad for me. I was very happy not to be wearing a full tux.
<a title="Eating candy by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/7776601262/"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8307/7776601262_1eb9855b06_z.jpg" alt="Eating candy" width="640" height="427" /></a>
The service started at 4pm. There were probably 130+ people at the church. It was a really wonderful service. There were some <em>allergies</em> on the part of my brother... or maybe they were tears. Either way, it was wonderful to see N. &amp; K. so happy and so in love.
<a title="Cousins by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/7776591502/"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7128/7776591502_94ff7ca916_z.jpg" alt="Cousins" width="640" height="427" /></a>
After the ceremony N. &amp; K. escaped to sign the marriage license and then headed to Laht Neppur for a beer (or two). I tagged along because I am that kind of a girl. It was great fun. The bar is pretty everyman. There are picnic tables inside the bar, everyone drinks beer and people throw peanut shells on the floor. It was a really wonderful contrast of high and low to see N. &amp; K. all dressed up in the bar drinking.
<a title="Walking to Laht Neppur by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/7776583850/"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8303/7776583850_c7f42ed721_z.jpg" alt="Walking to Laht Neppur" width="640" height="427" /></a>
<a title="Walking to Laht Neppur by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/7776559078/"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8148/7776559078_80f80395e6_z.jpg" alt="Walking to Laht Neppur" width="640" height="427" /></a>
<a title="Walking to Laht Neppur by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/7776567184/"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8428/7776567184_fd7e4e5e80_z.jpg" alt="Walking to Laht Neppur" width="640" height="427" /></a>
<a title="At Laht Neppur by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/7776509626/"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8298/7776509626_87432fc8d6_z.jpg" alt="At Laht Neppur" width="640" height="427" /></a>
<a title="N and the bouquet by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/7776437360/"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8440/7776437360_a82fe1a1ee_z.jpg" alt="N and the bouquet" width="640" height="427" /></a>
<a title="The floor by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/7776394754/"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7134/7776394754_cce778e647_z.jpg" alt="The floor" width="640" height="427" /></a>
From there we walked down the street to the Red Monkey in the late afternoon heat. We had a cloyingly sweet shot made by K.'s favorite bartender. K. spent a couple of minutes in the walk in cooler with strict directions not to let her dress touch the floor. The Red Monkey was just a detour on the way to the Marcus Whitman Hotel where the actual reception was taking place.
<a title="The floor by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/7776394754/"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7134/7776394754_cce778e647_z.jpg" alt="The floor" width="640" height="427" /></a>
<a title="Walking to Red Monkey by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/7776358876/"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8300/7776358876_598076a921_z.jpg" alt="Walking to Red Monkey" width="640" height="427" /></a>
<a title="Walking to Red Monkey by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/7776316278/"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8435/7776316278_8270e1a3b3_z.jpg" alt="Walking to Red Monkey" width="640" height="427" /></a>
<a title="Red Monkey by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/7776310216/"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7117/7776310216_e2875f2c4a_z.jpg" alt="Red Monkey" width="640" height="427" /></a>
<a title="K at the bar in Red Monkey by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/7776299216/"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7126/7776299216_cd66db6e8c_z.jpg" alt="K at the bar in Red Monkey" width="640" height="427" /></a>
<a title="Shots by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/7776286800/"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8304/7776286800_90e3fd3b72_z.jpg" alt="Shots" width="640" height="427" /></a><a title="Shots by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/7776246876/"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8307/7776246876_927fff7f1d_z.jpg" alt="Shots" width="640" height="427" /></a><a title="Shots by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/7776240268/"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7127/7776240268_ed3b983f7e_z.jpg" alt="Shots" width="640" height="427" /></a><a title="Shots by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/7776233932/"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8445/7776233932_e7e2e1cd84_z.jpg" alt="Shots" width="640" height="427" /></a>
<a title="K with her bartender by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/7776227186/"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7253/7776227186_059a2e5a6c_z.jpg" alt="K with her bartender" width="640" height="427" /></a>
<a title="In Red Monkey by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/7776273074/"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8299/7776273074_33f0eba686_z.jpg" alt="In Red Monkey" width="640" height="427" /></a>
The Marc as it's fondly called is the nicest hotel in town and the only one with a ballroom. That makes it a staple on the wedding circuit in town. While this may make it sound common and pedestrian what it really means is that the hotel knows how to host a good reception. The food was amazing, the drink service was top notch and when the waiters cleared tables they did it professionally and with very little distraction.
<a title="At the reception by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/7776214264/"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7280/7776214264_13a792ae77_z.jpg" alt="At the reception" width="640" height="427" /></a>
<a title="N and F At the reception by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/7776180680/"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8439/7776180680_80214a0e4f_z.jpg" alt="N and F At the reception" width="640" height="427" /></a>
<a title="N and friend by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/7776161368/"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8429/7776161368_274f2bcb15_z.jpg" alt="N and friend" width="640" height="427" /></a><a title="Cheers! by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/7776133594/"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8422/7776133594_0bb85acb15_z.jpg" alt="Cheers!" width="640" height="427" /></a>
The night ended with a lot of dancing. I think that I can safely say, a good time was had by all.
<a title="Cake fight by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/7776103492/"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8443/7776103492_0d5fea3d29_z.jpg" alt="Cake fight" width="640" height="427" /></a>
<a title="Cakee by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/7776041962/"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8433/7776041962_702c5513f7_z.jpg" alt="Cakee" width="640" height="427" /></a><a title="Cake by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/7776048990/"><img src="http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7137/7776048990_bebd08db08_z.jpg" alt="Cake" width="640" height="427" /></a>
<a title="N and K the first dance by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/7775975402/"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8439/7775975402_e8c2291404_z.jpg" alt="N and K the first dance" width="640" height="427" /></a>
<a title="Friends by karolinka.sofia, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/29050866@N06/7775933514/"><img src="http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8444/7775933514_8c72fa5e81_z.jpg" alt="Friends" width="640" height="427" /></a>