Moeko and Matt's Wedding Shower

Playing the newlywed game

Food. Mmmm.

Cake and banana pudding. Mmmm.

Silly wedding dress with toilet paper game.

The groom (far left) and bride wait on a hamburger

We picked Moeko and Matt's wedding shower date more than two months ago, crossing our fingers that the weather would be warm by the time March 14 rolled around. Well, it wasn't warm — nor was it dry. Luckily, we were cautious in our party planning and reserved a covered picnic area. 

Despite the drizzly, 44-degree day, many people still turned out to celebrate Matt and Mo. Among the party planners (Matt's parents and sister plus Dan and me), we prepared a spread of hotdogs, hamburgers, fruit and veggie trays, chips and dips, cake, banana pudding, beverages (adult and other), cheese platters and more. 

Also, Kristen had an ingenious idea that she passed along to Matt's parents: bringing a tailgate tent to cover the grills. They brought one and I was able to borrow one from a coworker (thanks, Jenn!). 

Of course there were also the obligatory wedding shower games. The two we did were the toilet paper wedding dress design competition and the newlywed game. We had several good sports for the wedding shower competition (and several fabulous designs). The newlywed game — played by Moeko and Matt, Matt's parents and Matt's sister and brother-in-law — was hilarious. We used wipe boards and dry erase markers to make the show a little more game showy. I tried to keep the questions relatively innocent, but some of the answers sure made for some comedy and awkwardness. 

Here's the question list we used:

Have the girls answer/guys write on wipe boards

1. What is your your husband's worst habit?
2. What is your special nickname for your husband?
3. What is the strangest gift your husband has ever bought you?
4. What would your husband says is the last thing you two argued about?
5. What does your husband have a fear of?
6. How many girlfriends did your husband have before he met you?
7. What is one thing your husband can't live without?
8. At what age would your husband say women are at the peak of their attractiveness?
9. Who initiated the first kiss?

Have the guys answer/girls write on wipeboards

1. Complete this sentence: I think my wife looks the sexiest when he/she wears __________
2. Complete this sentence: the one activity that I hate but I do it with my wife because I love her is ________
3. What part of her body is your wife most insecure about?
4. Within five pairs, how many pairs of shoes would your wife say she has in her closet?
5. What celebrity do people tell your wife she looks like?
6. Close your eyes. What color are your wife's eyes?
7. What TV show could your wife watch a five-hour marathon of?  
8. What celebrity would your wife leave you for?
9. From the first time you met, how long (within four weeks) did it take for your wife to know you were "the one?"

And like any successful wedding shower, Matt and Moeko got lots of awesome gifts that they'll be able to enjoy throughout their married life. Matt even got a few "man gifts" (ratchet set, shop vac, etc.). 

Congratulations, Matt and Moeko!