Happy Sunday!
Today is my husband’s and my 23rd wedding anniversary, so I thought you might enjoy a few pictures from one of my favorite days ever. (Although I’ll apologize for their quality – I was too lazy to pull them out of the album and scan them, so I just took pictures with my phone.)
The Sunday Edition header is one of my favorites. I have a thing for wedding hand photos and my own is no exception. Of course, it occurred to me only when I was looking through the proofs several weeks after our wedding that maybe I should have gotten a manicure. But honestly? Even today manicure isn’t really a word in my vocabulary. Short, no-nonsense piano nails are all I ever have.
Here’s our entire wedding party. Yes, it’s enormous. Tim was the first of the kids his age on his side of the family to get married, which meant that we tried really REALLY hard to include everyone. (Note to future brides: don’t do this, you will still fail.) Of the six little girls up front, “only” four of them are flower girls – the other two passed out programs as people were seated.
Then we have my dad and me over on the right. I love that photo. And my dress (which I paid a whopping $400 for because I got it during the end of season clearance. Woo!)
Winners this Week
If you’re a winner, you should have received an email from the author in charge of the giveaway. If not, please email us at: prizes at inspyromance dot com.
Heather Gray’s winner is Mary Preston!
Janet Ferguson’s winners are SC and Dalyn!
Brenda S. Anderson’s winner is Andrea B Brooks!
Congratulations!
Don’t forget… every comment you make qualifies you to win one of the monthly Amazon card giveaways!
Specials this Week
Marrying Mandy by Melanie Snitker is 99 cents through August.
Calming the Storm by Melanie Snitker is free today through Tuesday (8/12-8/14).

Our formal shot — we actually took this before the wedding.
Reader Gathering
Did you know InspyRomance hosts a Christian Romance Reader Gathering group on Facebook? Join us… but don’t forget to answer the questions for admittance!
The Back-to-School Giveaway is Coming Soon!
If you’ve been hanging around here at InspyRomance for long, you probably know about (and hopefully look forward to!) our two big giveaways each year. The second of those for 2018, our Back-to-School giveaway, will kick off mid-August. Because we know we have several international commenters and we like to share the wealth of paperbacks as much as we can, there will again be a special paperback prize package just for international readers. This year, however, rather than asking you to tell us in a comment (and then hoping we see it and update our spreadsheet), we’ve created this little form. If you’re an international reader (meaning you don’t live in the United States, just to be 100% clear on that definition from our perspective ;) ), please take two minutes and fill out this form. That way we know who to enter in our international giveaway!

On our way to the receiving line. You can see my dad a bit and the pastor, my uncle.
Last Week on Inspy Romance
On Monday, Brenda Anderson introduced us to Regina Rudd Merrick.
On Tuesday, Jan Thompson talked about scars and circumstances.
On Wednesday, Autumn Macarthur invited us to come to the lake.
On Thursday, Shannon Vannatter talked about quirky characters and wounded souls.
On Friday, Narelle Atkins brought us a recommendation for Snowy Summer.
On Saturday, Alexa Verde asked about our favorite romance tropes.
Next Week on Inspy Romance
Monday: Carol Moncado
Tuesday: Annalisa Daughety
Wednesday: Deb Kastner
Thursday: Valerie Comer
Friday: Lindy Peterson
Saturday: Lee Tobin McClain
New Releases
August 2018
Heart Healed (The Potter’s House Books 10) by Alexa Verde
Marrying Chrissy (Brides of Clearwater 3) by Melanie D. Snitker
Seasons End (Madison Creek B&B 4) by Jackie Castle
July 2018
The Indentured Queen (Crowns & Courtships 4) by Carol Moncado
A Heart Realigned (Peacock Hill Romance 3) by Elizabeth Maddrey
A Reservation for Romance (Homegrown Love 3) (Arcadia Valley Romance 19) by Annalisa Daughety
Becoming Me (Imagination 1) by Staci Stallings
Skye (Rainbow Falls 1) by Heather Gray
Once Upon a Laugh by Heather Gray, Krista Phillips, and 6 others
La Risposta: The Answer (A Tuscan Legacy 9) by Autumn Macarthur
A Sudden Spark (The Spark Brothers 2) by Liwen Y. Ho
Merciful Love (Lavender Vale Farm 1) by Jackie Castle (re-release of Love’s Mercy)
Oh, fun! I had a manicure for my wedding. My one and only manicure. The lady put elaborate designs but they ended up kind of freaking me out when the pictures came back. Yeah, I have short piano nails as well. No polish ever….except when I had a lapse in judgment and ended up getting tips and designs for my wedding day. I spent my entire honeymoon, on a cruise to Bahamas, soaking those tips so I can rip them off. Memories…..
Oh how funny! I don’t think I would have gotten tips but who knows?
Hi Elizabeth- congratulations:) Thanks for sharing your photos- we have a similar photo of our hands and rings. I have never had a manicure- it would only get ruined when I am riding or climbing or something…:)
Blessings:)
Thanks! And yes! I guess I’m too hard on my hands for it to be worthwhile. But I do sometimes paint my toes.
Hi Elizabeth! Happy 23rd Anniversary! Thanks for the blog and the discussion it is generating. Our wedding album also has a similar photograph of our hands, rings, and bridal flowers. Haven’t looked at the album for a while and will be looking at it today. I also have never had a manicure. I always preferred short nails / piano hands. For special occasions, I use clear nail polish. Thanks for sharing. Enjoy your day! Hope you will have an opportunity to celebrate. Best wishes.
Thanks, Renate! I’m glad you’re enspired to dig out your album – I think it’s fun to look through and remember – and maybe leave it out to show your grands tomorrow!
Welcome to the no nonsense nails club! ;) There seem to be a lot of us!
Happy Anniversary! Have a blessed day!
Thanks!
Happy anniversary! I’ve never had a manicure. I’d be too embarrassed for anyone to look at my hands that closely.
Oh I get that! And thanks!
Happy Anniversary, Elizabeth! Love the pictures!
Thanks! :)
Happy Anniversary. My uncle was a pastor also. Fun times.
Thanks!
Happy Anniversary to both of you! Those are lovely photos, Elizabeth, thank you so much for sharing!! I have never had a manicure either…I was talked into a pedicure with co-workers once and it was not a pretty site. I am seriously ticklish and do not like having my feet touched, lol!!
Thanks! And haha – pedicures are hard for me too!
Happy Anniversary Elizabeth! Love the wedding photos :)
Thanks!
Happy anniversary!! I had five bridesmaids because I wanted to include my sister, my 3 closest cousins, and my college roommate.
Thanks! And yes! Trying to include everyone can make for a lot of attendants, can’t it? :)
Happy Anniversary! Beautiful photos, thanks for sharing. :)
Thanks!
Happy Anniversary! Loved the pix. Our 38th is coming up in a couple of weeks. Blink. How’d that happen?!?
I’ve had one manicure in my life, and that was only because my kids gave me a coupon for Christmas one year. I saved it for a Christmas event an author friend and I hosted together, and had my nails done with gold sparkles under a clear gel coat. It was rather fun, but I haven’t felt the need to do it again!
Thanks! Yeah, the time just zips past. It’s crazy.
Happy anniversary!
Thanks!
Happy Anniversary! I enjoyed looking at your pictures.
Thanks!
Happy anniversary!
Thanks!
Happy Anniversary! I also have the same rings/hands shot. I did get a manicure and a few tips because I broke off some nails before the wedding. Those tips fell off quickly. I am like you and like my nails short and no polish or fuss.
Thanks! And no-nonsense nail gals are apparently more prevalent than I realized!
Happy Anniversary Elizabeth! I hope you have many, many more to come.
Thanks!
Happy Anniversary! You do look lovely in the pictures, which are always fun to see!
:) Thanks!
Happy and blessed 23rd Anniversary.