Issue# 812014
the
love issue Joe Nelson
Janell Jones jump the broom!
Wedding Program
Special Thank Yous
Sharing Our Story
Reception Info
Hopes For the Future
Interactive Quizzes
“Advertisement� Joe Nelson
Janell Jones Nelson
Phoebe the Dog
Letter from the “editors” Friends and family, we can’t express just how much it means to us to have you here tonight. You’re here because you know us and you know that we express ourselves creatively. With that in mind, we hope this “magazine” program gives you a small inclination of just how full our hearts are. Thank you for being our support system, our encouragement, and our team of “good folks” who wish us well, no matter what. God willing, we will continue loving each other through the ups and downs of life, and we thank you in advance for being our rocks, our teachers, and our friends. Please enjoy tonight and accept it as a gift. May this celebration be one of many Blessings to come. You are our favorite people in the world and we love you!
SOCIAL MEDIA request: Please help us keep tonight’s ceremony sacred by NOT posting any ceremony photos or videos on social media. DO feel free to Instagram pics of the reception though! #loveon8114 1
contents page
contributors
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J&J QUIZZES
just how well do you know them?
page
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page
specific shout-outs to some special helpers of today’s celebration
Our Story
10 years in the making— how it all began, in brief
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back cover
ADDITIONAL THANKS
credits, and a vow for guests
program ceremony. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7:00 receiving line & hors d’oeuvres. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7:30 please gather and stay in mezzanine (dance floor) area
announcement of Mr. & Mrs. snack, drink, mingle, party! cake cutting, bouquet & garter toss, dances. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9:00 snack, drink, mingle, party some more! sparkler send-off. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11:30 an assistant will gather us outside in the park
notes: photobooth closes at 10:30, venue closes at midnight 2
contributors IRIS “JEan” & JOE NELSON SR.
Momma Jean and “Old School” (papa) Joe Sr.’s unwavering faith and support of their baby boy has been his foundation in this world. Examples of strength, humor, and the virtues of a good chess game with a little “Crown” on the side never hurt either.
GRENÉ Jones
STEvEN CROWDER Best Man and Joe’s best friend for 20 years! Danita Dolly Janell’s “sister” (first cousin) is also the ring bearer’s mommy. :) KANEM Gilespie Joe’s great friend who is always down to help. FLOWER GIRLS (also known as “the nieces” ) Aryana Kani, Adriana & Antonet Hernandez
The woman responsible for Janell’s love of fun, mom Grené has enthusiastically scouted thrift stores, bargain bins, and sales papers over the past few months to help bring this day to life. Her and efficient cousin Danita have enthusiastically teamed up—and are fully prepared to show out.
Ring BEARER Patrick (“P.J.”) Jr.: a little man with a big heart.
ANDREA SHIPP
WEDDING SINGER Kaiisha Brown Janell’s elementary school best friend gives the BEST gift: her talent.
H.B.I.C. (Head *Best friend* In Charge) is the maid of honor, which is the only reason she’s not also the coordinator of this event. This über organized and grounded little sprite has been a consistent source of calm support for Janell, and she also gave Janell’s phone # to Joe for them to start dating!
NICOLE CRAFTON-NEISH
Anyone who knows Nikki knows she don’t play. She gets things done, and done well. One thing she’s done well is being the most on-point, sharp, and loving cousins ever. There isn’t enough room here to list everything but we’ll start with the cake table & pasta for the reception!
AMBER McCollum/APril Shipp
“All-things-pretty”? CHECK. “Special moments” coordinator? CHECK. If Andrea ain’t around to hold Janell’s dress while she pees, these chicks will be. In fact, they’ve been at the ready to help in any way possible since day 0, and to that: THANKS. *special thanks to special friend Carla Brown, for her diligent help and work too!*
USHERS/INTERNS Regine / Undria goddaughter & cousins of the bride & groom
ASSISTANT #1 Ari is Andrea’s intern in “real life” and a big help for this big day. ASSISTANTS #2 & 3 Carla Brown. College Friend, consistent Friend, & “Sparklerista” tonight! Natalie Drogos. If more hands are needed, she’s ready. MUSICAL GENIUS DJ Kwest_on Matt went to college with Joe and met Janell separately years later. In ‘09 he threw the party where the bride & groom met again, after 10 years. He considers himself responsible for all this.
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(center
photo of “HE/SHE” ty over
“You know you’re in love when you can’t fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.” —Dr. Seuss
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Spread)
f US, with ypography rlay “I love you, not only for what you are, but for what I am when I am with you. I love you, not only for what you have made of yourself, but for what you are making of me.” —Roy Croft
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our story (Boy Flirted) [ insert college, jobs, & other life stuff that makeS you grow ]
(Girl Flirted)
3 Months Later
Asked Woman’s hand in marriage.
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special quiz feature
These two have a lot in common—but not everything! How good are you at deciding who said (or did) it? Mr. Mrs. Both 1.
Who cooks more?
2.
Listens to a lot of NPR (public radio)?
3.
Who’s the night owl?
4.
More likely to do laundry?
5.
Most likely to break a hip skateboarding?
6.
Most likely to break a knee skiing?
7.
Who loves the color green?
8.
Who’d rather live on an island instead of in a city?
9.
Was a bad piano player as a kid?
10.
Would jump out of a plane?
11.
Bigger X-men fan?
12.
Bigger Transformers fan?
ANSWERS =1: Mr. 2:Both 3: Mrs. 4:Mrs. 5:Mr. 6:Mrs. 7:Both 8:Both 9:Both 10:Both 11: Mrs. 12:Mr.
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1. How did Joe hint that he was going to propose (and how did Janell miss it?): A. sketching a ring on a napkin and handing it to her (she didn't notice and blew her nose on it instead) B. spray-painting a ring on a wall (she looked right at it and missed it) C. whispering "will you be my wife" in her ear (but she fell asleep seconds before) D. throwing a ring box at her (it bounced off her head and she thought it was the wind)
2. They bonded over_________________ A. their mutual love of cats B. knowing the lyrics to rap group Wu-Tang Clans’ song Triumph C. their hatred of cartoons D. both having an extensive hat collection
3. As a way to get to know each other, they watched a lot of tv: Janell made Joe watch every single episode of :__________ and he made her watch every single episode of : ___________ A. HBO's Sex and the City / Cartoon Networks' DragonBall Z B. CW's America's Next Top Model / SpikeTV's Afro Samurai C. Vh1's Basketball Wives / HBO's Entourage D. HBO's The Wire / Nickelodeon's Avatar the Last Airbender
4. Which job has Joe NOT done before? A. tattoo artist B. short order cook at a nursing home C. shirtless chocolate model D. salesperson at an Apple store
5. Which job has Janell NOT done? A. telemarketer for Sears B. photographer for Baby Gap C. origami and puppeteer crafts assistant D. waitress at a doll restaurant 8
special quiz feature
6. Which of these things did Janell do? A. drive up a mountain in the dark B. get pictured on a side of a bus C. jump off a building and pass out D. all of the above
7. How many kids do they want? A. 4. They already started! B. none. They want to stay kids forever. C. 1. And if they have twins, they're giving one back. D. They'll save $ and "gamble" on it in about a year or two. or three.
8. Which one of these names is NOT a pet that one of them has had before? A. Skittles B. Herman C. Phoebe D. Fiona
9. Living arrangements: Where hasn't Joe stayed? A. A treehouse in Kenya B. A barn in Seattle C. A studio in San Diego D. A loft in Chicago
10. The original title of the book they wrote together was: A. sometimes you need to laugh and not cry… or read a book that does both B. someday it'll all make sense C. sometimes you can't bash your co-workers in the face—you make a book that does D. they wrote a book?
ANSWER KEY: 1= B 2= B 3=D 4= A 5=B 6=D 7=D 8=A 9=D 10= C
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Now that you, beloved friends and family of the couplE are here to witness them pledge their vows, do you promise, from this day forward, to encourage them and love them, to give them your guidance, and to support them in being steadfast in the promises that they will Make?
© 2014, by the Bride and Groom credits and acknowledgements The following is an incomplete list of persons who we’d like to thank (and just didn’t have room anywhere else in this magazine to do it)! ALL OUR FAMILY, and in particular: Our siblings—sisters and brothers Carla & Juaria (“Petey”), and Edward & Eric, for loving us in your own way; Auntie “Punkin” for sharing your treasure chest of baby pictures; Cousins Shell and Shun, for recommending cost-saving shopping ideas and giving us your grandkids and children as indentured servants for wedding related projects these past few months. ALL OUR FRIENDS, and especially: Joanne Shipp, for being “mommie #3” and always on call to cheer us on and do the most in the excitement department; Quin Henderson, for being Janell’s (Nellie’s) “sister-in-spirit” and not letting something like 2000 miles come between us. SPECIAL VENDORS, who went above and beyond what was expected and truly made us feel like our wedding was really important to them too: Oriana Koren (okrphoto.com), for being our “camera ninja”, giving us the best engagement photos for our website (joeandjanellwedding.com) and promising to bring the dopest-yet-authentically-sweetest moments between the Bride & Groom to life; *cover photos shown here courtesy of MikeJue.com Tinisha Dorsey (cookiecrumbcupcakes.com) for special flavors AND special requests; and although they were called out before, friends Kaiisha Brown (kaibvocals.com) and Matt Cannon (1kwest.com) for gifting us with thier musical and DJ’ing talents, respectively.
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