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!
Ms.S 08.21.2011
How fun! Past two weddings we went to were from the same friend circle – totally different. The first brought in Grecian dancers who performed and led the crowd in some Greek wedding dances (the couple met in Greece); the second included music composed by the groom’s mother, readings from Shakespeare & Ovid, and an Indian buffet for dinner (which was AMAZING!!). We have one coming up in December that’s using a Never Neverland/Alice in Wonderland/50’s theme…I can’t wait!!!
Your segment with channel 5 was great, by the way. :)
chelsea 08.21.2011
where did you get your dress you wore to the wedding?? ive been looking for a dress like that and cant seem to find one i like, yours is adorable!
Iowa Girl Eats 08.21.2011
Target! :)
Leia 08.21.2011
What a lovely wedding that must have been! GORGEOUS wedding gown! Congratulations to the brides! <3
I think the neatest thing I've seen at a wedding was when the bride's young daughter walked her down the aisle. The little girl's father was not a part of her life, so her step-father-to-be was going to be adopting her…and she walked her Mama down the aisle. Talk about a tear-jerker! :)
Josie 08.21.2011
Looks like a beautiful wedding!
Just stumbled across your blog and wanted to say hi. I lived in Iowa for the past 5 years and just moved back home to the Pacific Northwest. I’m inspired by your running and one of these days hope to be able to run faster and longer too. :)
Tiffany 08.21.2011
This is one of my all-time favorite IGE posts. Beautiful wedding!
Adrianne 08.21.2011
Love, love, love the dress! Beautiful summer wedding!
Kaye 08.21.2011
I LOVED this post! What a beautiful wedding and couple.
Molly 08.21.2011
I have been patiently awaiting this post. I have known kristy since I was little, and met Jess the year Kristy met her at camp :) I love those two. They are so great. and that wedding was GORGEOUS. Northern Minnesota will always have my heart. So perfect.
Molly 08.21.2011
ah and I totally missed that Birchwood provided the centerpieces. Oh my gosh- I die. So amazing.
Iowa Girl Eats 08.21.2011
OMG I didn’t know you know J + K!
Kim 08.21.2011
Bowling – that is awesome!
Kristin 08.21.2011
What a beautiful and happy couple. I just teared up a little bit. Thank you for sharing the celebration with us.
Jennifer 08.21.2011
Beautiful wedding! Yay, America! =)
Tracy @ Tracy's Treats 08.21.2011
After 4 years of living in the Midwest, I can honestly say that the summers are what I miss most. They are gorgeous and the wedding looked beautiful!
I love how they had pie instead of cake…totally goes with the outdoorsy/more rustic wedding theme!
Courtney @ The Granola Chronicles 08.21.2011
What a fun wedding – I love how the couple looks SO excited in every picture!!
S. 08.21.2011
This made me cry. Thank you for a lovely post :)
anna 08.21.2011
No worries – weddings always make me cry a little too :)
Lesley 08.21.2011
I second the comment above. A) I had no idea how pretty Minnesota is and b) sneakers under your wedding dress rocks!! I also really like the dress, that headpiece, and the red lipstick. All together it just looks so old Hollywood glam!
Iowa Girl Eats 08.21.2011
That’s totally what it looked like! She had these awesome turquoise/green feathers in her hair too. Sylin’!
Heather 08.21.2011
Small world-My twins had your father for their teacher last year at Crossroads. I found your blog a while back and love to read it. My daughter dreams of opening a bakery some day so she has really enjoyed your recipes! My husband’s family has a cabin on Ten Mile (he grew up in Bloomington, MN) I always get excited when someone mentions that lake-a beautiful place!
jenn 08.21.2011
Looks awesome! My hubby is from Minneapolis, and I secretly dream of relocating there someday :)
Shaya 08.21.2011
Umm, Minnesota is freaking gorgeous. Reminds me there there is still so much to see in our own little (enormous) country, and wonder why I gallivant across the world instead of exploring more locally!
I loved her Converse shoes under that beautiful dress, wish I had worn something more interesting under mine!
The coolest thing that ever happened at a wedding I went to was the bride and groom bringing out a famous Persian pop group to put on a ‘concert’ at the reception– SOOO much crazy, sweaty Persian dancing!!
Amanda 08.21.2011
That location is stunning!!!! What a fun wedding! I love how they incorporated bowling into the fun.
Colleen 08.21.2011
Looks like a fabulous wedding! Love the bowling. Nothing unique at the weddings we’ve been to, unless you count a bunch of polish music and dances.