Show us your life Friday: Reception and Honeymoon!!!

WARNING:  Photo-heavy post.  As much as I tried to keep this short, I just...you know, couldn't.  Today's "Show us your life Friday" post is the wedding reception and honeymoon - two very big things to lump into one post, if you ask me!!!  But, I tried my best and attempted to breeze over things when necessary.  I apologize for the copious amounts of photos.  

We had a slight break between our ceremony and reception, allowing us to take photographs in between and then arrive at the reception in time for cocktail hour.  This was especially important to me because I wanted this relaxed time to mingle with our guests - without feeling pressured to travel from table to table during dinner.  It was wonderful!  We had some passed appetizers, beer and wine, and hot spiked apple cider - perfect for a chilly November evening.  Here is a great shot of our guests enjoying cocktails!  

We showed up, wandered around chatting with people, sucked down some spiked cider, and cut the cake, which was displayed upstairs for everyone to see during cocktails.  The cake was small but beautiful, and it was certainly the best wedding cake I had ever had!  Not that I'm biased, or anything...but really.  It was a spice cake with caramel buttercream filling and cream cheese icing.  YUM!!!

Our guests headed downstairs to the dining room as our band played some classics from the '50s and '60s.  

Meanwhile, upstairs, we practiced our dip.

It didn't go so well during our actual dance.  Oh well!  :)

Our first dance, to "Our Love is Here to Stay"

I love this photo of us listening to some of the great toasts we heard that evening.  That's one of my closest friends, Jon, over there to the left.

Hey look, it's Lisa!  She was clearly enjoying herself.

...and wrapping up the reception photos, here is a dance floor shot.  Those are my wonderful college friends hamming it up for the camera.  Love you boys!

And...the HONEYMOON!  We went to Costa Rica, and stayed at the most amazing resort ever - Gaia.  Highly recommended.  Here is Matt the first morning after we woke up...working on his first of many pots of strong Costa Rican coffee!

Here we are at the BEACH!

Look, a sloth!  At Manuel Antonio National Park.

MONKEY!!!

Yes yes, I know.  Cheesy.

Here we are, looking a little weird and tired and sunkissed, at dinner one night.  Look, I have long hair!  Weird, right?!

I can't remember if this is right before or right after we went zip-lining in the rain forest.  An absolute must!  It was a total blast, even though I was scared to death most of the time.

One of many afternoon mojitos in the pool...yummy!!!

The hotel had the most amazing infinity pools.  Seriously.  We hung out in the pool pretty much every day and sipped mojitos.  It was paradise.

Goodbye, Costa Rica!