The bridal show photobooth

Having never been to a bridal show/expo/whatever, plus never having wanted to go to one, I wasn't sure what to expect.  But to support my semi-engaged (that's a long story I'll let her share if she gets her own blog) friend (we'll call her SaraBeth) I was willing to part with some Saturday time and seven bucks.  To be honest, it was nice to have grown-up girl time and lunch at Mimi's that didn't involve mac & cheese--I can recommend the naked french onion soup and garden salad with low fat citrus vinegarette, yum-o and low WW points, BUT beware the muffins!  I only ate half...and it was goooooood.  Anyway, it was sort of like the state fair,  or a home and garden show.  Instead of hot tubs and solar yard lights there were travel agencies and tuxedo rentals.  Some dresses on impossibly thin, impossibly young girls.  Purveyors of cake--only two giving out samples.  And chocolate fountains--with blue goo.  I don't care if it's really white chocolate--it's blue!  Or whatever color coordinates with your scheme, no doubt.  But really, blue?  On strawberries?  Even I would pass that up at a reception.  Sorry if I offend anyone, but I stand firm on this conviction.  Accept chocolate in it's natural pigmentation!! 

There was someone pushing Scentsy products--and I immediately called my sister-in-law, Sunny, to alert to this brilliant marketing opportunity.  She's selling Scentsy products and they are FABULOUS!  I have one at home and one at school (the kids really start getting ripe by 4th period).  I can get her email address for you if you're interested.  BUT the biggest,  bestest, most impressive thing of all at the bridal show was--the photobooth!!  I don't go to a lot of weddings, and maybe this trend is already on it's last leg, but a photobooth at your reception!!  LOVE it!  You can rent a black and white or color one.  It prints a double strip so guests get one and the other is popped into a scrapbooky thing where the guests write their good wishes, whatever...don't you just love it?!  Made the whole day worth it.  Of course, SaraBeth is really just planning on going to Vegas (which I wholeheartedly recommend--shout out to Little Church of the West!).  I think she's trying to acclimate herself to the idea of a wedding, her wedding.  And as luck would have it, our local bridal expo is tomorrow!  Two bridal expos in one weekend.  I'm really going to see if there's a rent-a-photobooth operation around here.  I could add a paypal button here to raise funds to help Mama Nockinbird start a business...let me know what ya'll think.

I don't think Loverboy has a scanner anymore, so I can't share the hilarity of our photobooth experience, but Little Miss and I staged our own "home" version.

Sticking out of the tongue--photobooth classic.

Trying rabbit ears.  She's five and had no idea what we were talking about when we said make rabbit ears for the next picture.  Are we really that lax?  Sad when the truly important lessons fall through the cracks.  But we're caught up now!

We're pirates.  Note the hook and squinty "ARGHH."  Pirattitude.

Scared.

Now, fear not, gentle readers...I may have been running around collecting ideas on ways to get brides to part with their money (and going to Barnes and Noble and Mimi's...and Sam's), but I take my family duties seriously.  I came home and went straight to work.  There were homemade stuffed peppers made and, in the theme of the weekend, proposal cookies.

I made these the first time after we'd been married for several months, a year, something like that.  Loverboy took one bite, got down on one knee, which he had not even done the first time around, and proposed.  Hence, proposal cookies.  Super easy:

Heat the oven to 350.  Line a cookie sheet with foil.  Break apart enough graham crackers to lay a single layer, filling the pan.  Melt 1 1/2 sticks of butter.  Add 3/4 cup brown sugar.  Heat over medium, stirring occasionally until it boils.  Let it boil 2 minutes.  Add 1 tsp of vanilla and stir it up--but be careful, it bubbles and hisses and pops when you add the vanilla.  You can add some pecans here, too.  We love pecans, but prefer these without.  Pour the caramelly mixture over the crackers, spread with a spatula until it's more or less even.  Bake about 15 minutes.  I usually take the foil out of the pan and let them cool a few minutes then break them apart. 

Someone beat me to the breaking apart stage.

Return tomorrow  here for more exciting tales from the bridal expo...