Two weeks ago we celebrated the marriage of our younger daughter, Jenny, and our new son-in-law, Josh. They met about two and a half years ago, and right from the start they enjoyed a common interest in travel and good food and libations. Over the past few years they have shared short jaunts to their favorite spot on the Oregon Coast (Cannon Beach), taken road trips to Vancouver, B.C., and enjoyed a three-week tour of Italy. We got to know Josh well when he joined us on a two-week family trip to Maui two years ago and could see what an easy-going, fun-loving traveler he is (even with the challenge of his 6-foot, 5-inch frame). It was a no-brainer, then, when it came to developing a theme for their wedding reception.

The venue, at McMenamin’s Cornelius Pass Roadhouse west of downtown Portland, Ore., included tables for guests at both indoor and outdoor areas. Each table boasted a centerpiece of flowers accompanied by a directional sign indicating one of the locations Josh and Jenny had visited, along with its distance from the wedding site.    These were beautifully calligraphied and illustrated by one of Jenny’s high school classmates, a graduate of the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD). Each was accompanied by framed photos of the couple in that location, and the surface of the table was sprinkled with heart-shaped die-cuts from maps.

The “guestbook” took the form of a large globe on which guests could sign their names and good wishes for the couple. Most chose to sign next to a location of significance to themselves and the couple, adding an extra level of personal meaning. Nearby sat a funky old suitcase holding the evening’s favors: luggage tags with a message from the bride and groom. As I circulated throughout the evening from one table to another, it was fun to overhear conversations between the guests spurred by the travel motif. The signs and pictures were especially helpful icebreakers for those seated with people unfamiliar to them. As I have noticed in so many social situations before, travel seems to be a great unifying and entertaining topic.

You will not be surprised at all to learn that the newlyweds are enjoying a well-planned honeymoon, a two-plus-week sojourn in Spain. Join me in raising a glass to Jenny and Josh, and to a lifetime of adventures, at home and abroad.

— Patty Vanikiotis, associate editor/copy editor