It doesn't have to be the same as everyone else!

Most religions are more than just a religion. There is the Faith (beliefs/teachings), the practice (meetings/duties,etc) culture (tradition, socialization) and stereotype!
Generally stereotype is based on the culture of the religion, we can all think of several catholic, Jewish, Mormon, and evangelic stereotypes. Stereo types generally come about with because of a strong culture. There are often stereotypes about a religions own culture started by it's members.

So, a stereotypical LDS (Mormon) reception, is done at the closest meeting house in the gym, (or 'cultural center' - gym with a stage, so it doesn't sound like gym). They are generally catered by the churches women's organization, it's an open house type of format; people come, get some creme puffs, finger sandwiches and, if lucky, a helping of some sort of casserole, often including cream of chicken an or tater tots! And, for stereotype's sake, I'm throwing in a jello dish of some sort, maybe with suspended bananas.

Though we, Desiree and I, have attended many of these, we don't often photograph them, because...well we just don't. We had a similar reception, we chose to do it in a friends backyard, to break from tradition. Everything else was the same though, right down to the creme puffs.

It's so fun to work with a couple who really wants to break from the norm, the stereotype, the tradition, the jello mold and do their own thing. Brianna and Sam did just that. The wedding ceremony and sealing was, of course, done at the temple with their closest friends and family. The reception, was where they were able to express themselves. It was awesome.

Desiree and I showed up about 45 minutes to an hour before the reception started at the historic San ysidro church in Corrales. I walked in to the smell of fresh Krispy Kreme donuts. I can't tell you how good that church smelled. I wished church smelled like that more, it would be easier to get the kids to get dressed. Anyway, at the far end of the room there was a doughnut tower and cupcake cake being assembled by Sam's sisters. I wanted a doughnut so freakin' bad I could hardly stand it. I did have enough respect for Jessica, to stay away from her tower while she finished it. Even though the smell was deliciously amazing. after about 2 hours of smelling it, my blood sugar rose and I was more jittery and less interested in eating one, huh, go figure...

So 6:00 came and so did the Pizza. What pizza? you bet! Boxes of Dion's pizza, and salad. So if you started walking in the back of the church you were first hit with the smell of Dion's pizza. As you got closer to the front of the church the pizza smell was being intermingled with the doughnut smell... It's hard to work in conditions like that!!

Anyway, the rest of the evening was great fun, Brianna's family got up on stage with the band and sang a couple of songs and Brad, Brianna's dad played bass guitar.

We stayed til they made their exit and poor Brianna was pelted with birdseed by her younger sister with wicked good aim. (she didn't think to empty the birdseed out of the package and through it... ouch!

We have known Brianna's family for many years and it was pretty fun to be able to see the first of many daughters get married! Ahh, Life!