Lake-Side Wedding Weekend

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. 

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!

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