HOME!
Is where we finally are after spending 16 of the past 33 hours in the car driving to northern Minnesota and back. It was totally worth it though, to reunite with old friends from our days in Minneapolis for a beautiful, lake-side wedding! :D
Ben and I left at the crack of dawn Saturday morning and witnessed the most beautiful sunrise at 6:30am,
passed our standard tunaCORN Fantasy Football Adopt a Highway sign around 8:00,
breezed through the Twin Cities at 10:15,
and hit the open, rural roads of northern Minnesota about an hour later!
I’ve never driven further north in Minnesota than Minneapolis/St. Paul, so I was not prepared for how stunningly beautiful and picturesque the countryside was.
Whimsical hay bales, grazing horses and red barns dotted the landscape,
and big, puffy clouds made an impressive backdrop.
We reached the hotel around 1:45pm, which left me just enough time to shower and get ready before catching our 3pm shuttle to the ceremony. One problem: check in wasn’t until 3:30!!! Nooooo!
After a slight panic attack, the woman working the front desk let me shower in the unisex pool bathroom and get ready in a dirty hotel room.Â
Serenity now. Serenity now. Serenity now.
As you can probably imagine, I got ready in record time and made the shuttle with a few minutes to spare, before we were ushered off to the ceremony held at a private home on 10 Mile Lake!
This place was absolutely incredible.
We drove down a long, windy driveway to get to the front door, walked around the back, then BAM.
There’s the killer view.
(There’s my killer view! ;) )
The air was warm and there was a slight breeze coming off the lake – it was perfect!
Now Ben and I met Kristy & Jess, the couple getting married, when we moved up to Minneapolis after college.
They are two of the nicest people we know and a BLAST to hang out with. (Still thinking about the pool bathroom, apparently…)
The ceremony got underway promptly at 4, and the bridal party walked down the aisle.
Don’t you ADORE these bouquets? They’re just baby’s breath – I thought that was so clever and elegant!
Plus I loved the turquoise color of the dresses. They looked great on everyone. :)
The ceremony was beautiful, meaningful, and before we knew it, the knot had been tied!
Whee! :D
After the ceremony, the couple and their bridal party immediately walked down the dock off the house and into an awaiting boat for a cruise around the lake.
I loved this!!!!!
While the wedding party was having their pictures taken, the guests convened at the reception site – Chase on the Lake Resort.
The back of the resort had a little beach area with docks and slips that we explored a bit.
Soon enough the girls were back and it was time to get the party started!
This is a fun bunch, people. ;)
We sipped on cocktails and nibbled on apps before heading into the ballroom for toasts and dinner. (Jeremiah Sweet Tea Vodka what what?!)
I loved the decor in here. The couple’s family had strung all the lanterns,
and the camp where Kristy and Jess met provided the centerpieces at each table!
Birch tree sections had been hollowed out for pretty tea lights, and mason jars (!) were filled with happy white and yellow flowers. :)
(yesssss.)
Dinner included a nice, light salad,
and perhaps – no definitely – the best walleye I’ve ever had. It was BUTTERIFIC.
After dinner, things really got kickin’…
at the bowling alley next to the ballroom – HA!
The girls threw a couple strikes,
While I made out with a spare.
Robbed, I tell you!
Your standard wedding shenanigans rounded out the entirely too-much-fun evening,
and fun was had by all. :) Oh, and there was pie in lieu of cake. Genius. I had Strawberry Rhubarb and it was amazing.
May you have a long and happy marriage, Kristy & Jess! Thank you for including us on your special day!
Ben and I are heading out for a nice long walk to stretch our legs before calling it a night. We are tuckered out but happy to have spent the weekend with some really good friends. :)
Have a great night!
~~~~~
What’s the most unique thing you’ve seen/done at a wedding?
The past two weddings I’ve been two have been absolutely epic. Bowling at this weekend’s and an 80’s cover band at the one I attended this spring?! Awesome!
Shortcut Soup Supper | Iowa Girl Eats 12.07.2011
[…] but the scenery actually reminded me a lot of the lakeside northern Minnesota towns that Ben and I drove through this past summer. Add in all the state-themed stores we’d passed by at the MOA earlier that day, packed with […]
Jeff 08.26.2011
What a wonderful blog. Thanks for sharing.
Jeff Wilke
Barn Weddings 08.25.2011
Lovely bride! I like your wedding dress. It was elegant and stunning.
Kelsey 08.22.2011
Wow as I was scrolling down I was thinking Northern Minnesota…could it be J&K? I went to lots of bar crawls in Iowa City when they started dating….and Jessica’s grandparents are my neighbors. Did you go to Valley w/ Jess? Love these beautiful pictures!
Laurie 08.22.2011
Wow, small world! I’m pretty sure I was a counselor at that camp (over 10 years ago!) – I think I recognize one of the brides. How cool!
Michelle (The Runner's Plate) 08.22.2011
Those pictures make me miss Minnesota SO much!! I love southern Minnesota, but northern MN is where its at–the birch trees, the lakes, and the incredible scenery!!
AC 08.22.2011
As part of a wedding photography business, it takes a lot to impress me… everyone thinks they’re unique & original… but, big ups to these ladies! They managed to wow me! Here’s hoping for a bowling wedding in our future as well!!
em @ simplypresent 08.22.2011
Looks like you had tons of fun this weekend, great pictures! I went to college for a year in the Twin Cities and I miss it. I visited some friends and family there earlier this summer. It looked like gorgeous weather for an outdoor wedding!
AJ 08.22.2011
I just got engaged a couple weeks ago, so I am just beginning wedding planning. This was a fun post to read. I really love the idea of being married outdoors, but I would be so devastated if it rained!!
I thought Minnesota has a ban on marriage between same sex couples. It is great that this couple got married without waiting for the state to “allow” them to do so.
Iowa Girl Eats 08.22.2011
Congratulations on the engagement! One of the girls is from Iowa (which allows same-sex marriage,) so I think that’s how they got around it. I’m not 100% sure on the details though!
Ali 08.22.2011
That was a beautiful wedding!! The baby’s breath was such a cute idea too. Also, where did you get your nude colored shoes that you wore?? I need that color shoes ASAP!
Iowa Girl Eats 08.22.2011
Payless! :D
robin 08.22.2011
My 21 year old daughter is getting married next May and I love the idea of the bouquets of just baby’s breath!..so pretty ..and congrats on the tv spot..I’ve told my friends about your blog at work and how much I enjoy it!
Iowa Girl Eats 08.22.2011
Thank you Robin!
Sheri 08.22.2011
The photo of the tree lined road with the boat in the center is beautiful! What an great weekend :)
Lisa in Fort Worth 08.22.2011
Love Ten Mile Lake! I got to visit there years and years ago. My best friend in high school her family had a cabin there. Still do as far as I know. It was the best! Water so cold and clear! Not like these Texas “bath tub” lakes.
Bridget 08.22.2011
Beautiful wedding and location! I’ve run Grandma’s marathon in Duluth twice and the drive up is stunning.
Weddings for us mostly took place in the mid to late 90’s where it was still pretty traditional (boring). The most recent wedding we attended a few years back had dueling pianos which rocked!
Sweet Simplicity 08.22.2011
The bride’s dress was gorgeous! All those ruffles–love!
Hope 08.22.2011
What a beautiful wedding! The color of the bridesmaids dresses is so pretty and summery! :)