Juji and Jay are getting married!

October 4th, 2012 / No Comments » / 44314 / Like

My younger sister Juji and her fiancé Jay are getting married today in Las Vegas.

I wish I could be there with them to celebrate their special day, but a combination of factors resulted in Jac and me not being able to make the trip. Juji’s two best friends, Jay’s parents and brother, and my mum and two aunties have all travelled to Vegas to be part of the wedding party.

A couple of weekends before embarking on their trip, Juji and Jay held a pre-wedding brunch at their home with friends and family. We did what we do best – cook, share food and eat, eat, eat.

The happy couple

Jac and I cooked up a big batch of mini egg and bacon pies, specially requested by Juji. They are really easy to make – here’s our egg and bacon pie recipe.

Egg and bacon pies made by Jac and me

We arrived early at Juji and Jay’s with the egg and bacon pies, a trestle table and extra Nespresso pods (there’s nothing like a get-together of family and friends to make a big dent in your Nespresso pod supplies). While Jay and Jac discussed best placement of the table in the backyard and rearranged the chairs, I hung out with Juji in the kitchen where she was pan-frying mushrooms with herbs and garlic.

Frying garlic mushrooms

Garlic mushrooms – it was hard to resist having a taste before the others got there…

Juji then removed a tray of scotch eggs from the oven.

Scotch eggs, fresh out of the oven

After the scotch eggs had cooled a little, she sliced them in half and arranged them on a serving dish.

Slicing scotch eggs

Scotch eggs

Friends and family began to arrive, all bearing food.

Almond croissants

Sausage, potatoes and tzatziki

Fresh crusty bread, butter and cheese

Jay was very proud of his roasted homegrown potatoes

Homemade sausage rolls

My mum’s mini meat pies

The feast! Nearby, the hungry hordes are advancing…

Jay’s mum brought a fruit platter. Naturally, I ate most of the papaya.

Juji made a cake

There are berries in the cake!

I made sure to save plenty of room for one of Juji’s homemade cinnamon buns with coffee icing. They are pretty spectacular.

Juji’s cinnamon bun with coffee icing – there are walnuts in there too. The icing’s my favourite part.

Mini lemon tarts

The last time we saw each other, I forgot to bring the elephant handbags I bought in Cambodia for my nieces Ruby and Zoe. I remembered them this time and gave the bags to the girls after they’d finished eating. Ruby was quick to point out she needed something to put in her handbag (“money, please!”). As I dug around my pockets for some spare change, Zoe followed her big sister’s lead (“me too, me too!”).

Two little girls with their new elephant bags

I’d bought Caleb a mini Qantas plane which he seemed to enjoy for five minutes… until he became completely obsessed with Jay’s measuring tape.

This tape measure is fascinating

Congratulations, Juji and Jay! Wish I was there with you to celebrate and eat our way through Las Vegas and New York (Juji and Jay’s next destination after Vegas).

Juji and Jay

I hope you will all join me in congratulating Juji and Jay on getting married! Hip hip hooray and welcome to the family, Jay! [insert evil sister-in-law cackle here ;)]