My second marriage kicked off with a Redneck Wedding. Seriously. We actually used the work "redneck" on the invitation. While the primary purpose was still the same as most weddings - to get us hitched - our second goal was for everyone to have a blast. All 150 or so of 'em. And I think it worked.

We knew as soon as we started talking about putting the rings on our fingers that we wanted to do it on the gorgeous farm where we lived. The old house had a huge front porch, woods and a creek in the back, and horse pastures in the front.

We lived far enough from neighbors to turn the music up as loud as we wanted. The side yard provided perfect space for horseshoe pits, and a mini-tournament coincided with the cooking and the eating. The kids could run and play, and guests could pitch a tent and avoid driving home under the influence.

The first ingredient for a successful redneck wedding is a pig. A whole pig. Cooked on a pig cooker. For the uninitiated, this is called a pig picking. Our pig was awesome. There were no left overs. Instead of groomsmen, my husband's friends kept the fire going until the pig was served. Charlie Mills Barbeque sauce complimented the cooking skills.

The pig was supplemented by Bluffton oysters, delivered from South Carolina by my sister, Deborah. My dad and my other sister, Julia, keep the oysters steaming, and everyone agreed, they, too, were unbeatable. Bluffton oysters are the best I've ever had - salty...oh my, my mouth is watering just thinking about it.

The ceremony took place on our front porch, the bride and groom dressed casually and comfortably in blue jeans, though the minister chose to wear his robe. Our friends and family gathered in the front yard to witness a quick and simple set of "I do's," and the groom removed his hat before he "kissed the bride."

We skipped the champagne and flowers and moved to the back yard after the ceremony, lining up at the keg--the keg is another important ingredient for a redneck wedding. A small, heart-shaped cake from the grocery store served it's purpose - making sure the kids had a bite of desert. We partied and ate and drank and sang through the afternoon and well into the night.

Our redneck wedding was so successful that we repeated the event not only for our anniversary, but every six months, until we had to move from that perfect location. Ah, the memories.

If none of this sounds very romantic to you, well, maybe that's because I'm not going to share the late night video captured by my sister of my husband and I slow dancing in the basement, after the rest of the guests disappeared.

Our redneck wedding represented many of the elements that keep us connected - fun, lots of smiles, family and friends, music, and yeah, Natural Light. I'm glad I didn't blow a bunch of money on a dress to wear once, or a photographer, or fancy catering. Our redneck wedding was perfect.