Monday Mug Shot - Kelly's Wedding

Maxim Hotel and Casino

Las Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas, Nevada, is what I call the “prop room for the subconscious.” Every bizarre image you’ve ever seen in a dream you will find in Las Vegas. That’s not at all insulting Vegas; I find that to be Vegas’ charm!

My friend, Jeff, and I flew into Vegas Memorial Day weekend, 1995. Kelly was living in Barstow, California at the time and we were going there for her wedding! The plan was to fly in and rent a car to drive to Barstow. We chose Vegas instead of Los Angeles because the rates were considerably better for a Vegas package that came with hotel and a free brunch than just the flight into LA, so we planned our travel having an extra night in Vegas to play before we went home.

Kelly came out to Vegas to spend a little time with us before leading us back to Barstow. She didn’t expect any of “the Zoo” to make it out and was pretty excited to be having not only the coordinated event, the beautiful, and I mean beautiful, custom made dress in a breathtaking outdoor setting, but she kinda looked at Jeff and me being there as her “roots” being represented too.

We met Carl for the first time the night before the wedding, which is when we pretty much met everyone in the wedding party and several friends she knew in Barstow. For the party before the wedding, we shot pool at the local pool hall and it gave a friendly atmosphere to get to know everyone and to enjoy Kelly buzzing in the wedding excitement. I had been the maid of honor at Kelly’s wedding to her first husband many years before in Michigan, but I was not Kel’s maid of honor for this wedding because she never dreamed I’d make it. But I was ready to step in should he very pregnant matron of honor have to step down in a hurry.

The wedding went on as planned and there was no birth in the middle of the ceremony.

I took a ton of photos since there wasn’t a hired photographer and in the days before digital cameras, at least before on for me for sure, I wanted to make sure I had a few that could be framed if they wanted to. I got the classics, pictures with the wedding party, a few were taken with Jeff and me, the hands and rings on the bouquet, the driving away shot. I also got some great shots of the cake and the devilish smiles on them both as they held cake for each other followed by shots of the bride and groom both wiping off frosting faces.

In 1995, I hadn’t anywhere near met David. In fact he hadn’t even met his first wife yet. I was committed to my career and really had no desire to ever marry, so I always avoided the bouquet curse at weddings, and if I couldn’t avoid being thrown in to the herd of single woman, I stayed in the back and ran the other direction when it was thrown. Even at Kelly’s first wedding, I prepared to run the other way. When she over threw trying to get me, the bouquet hit the ceiling and hit the ground in from of the women. Kelly did NOT want the bouquet hitting the floor this time, which she feared because I was the only single woman over 18 there. When the curse time came, she stood just a couple feet from me and told me that if I didn’t catch the bouquet, if I let it fall on the floor, she’d kick my butt all the way back to Michigan. Nothing is as intimidating as a bride in heels towering over you. (Especially when she knows exactly where in Michigan she’s kicking your butt to!) I caught the bouquet. In fact, that bouquet is in the bedroom I share with my husband. The curse finally did catch up with me, but it waited until I grew up some and it wasn’t such a curse anymore.