The Best Weekend Ever! (Mr & Mrs) The Recap

 

Hello my dearest Blogland Besties!

WE'RE OFFICIALLY MARRIED! YAY!! 🌼💝

I'm still catching up on life around here after getting back from the most epic wonderful weekend ever!! And I truly feel like Mrs W. now ❤️

I know legally we had the paperwork done from our courthouse excursion. But going through the gathering of family and friends, wearing the dress, saying the vows, blessing the rings - all of the things over this past weekend makes me feel like I'm truly a married woman with a hubby. I have a HUBBY and I love it!!! 💍

I have a busy week ahead and not sure if I'll get to pop in again until next week - so I thought I'd at least try to get this post out today. I thought I would share kind of a recap and highlights of our wedding weekend. And then I'll share pictures in another post right after.  I received them from friends and family...as obviously I won't have the professional ones back for a while. 

WEDDING HIGHLIGHTS

THURSDAY:  We got to the venue and checked into our adorable cottage. We went to dinner in the main lodge and then took a walk along the water and the property. Oh and we played some cornhole. Matt won the first game, but we tied the 2nd one! We then went inside and played some cards and just double checked all the plans for the next few days to come.

FRIDAY: We slept in. Woke up and enjoyed our beautiful view of the lake over coffee and talked about the plans to come that day. We nibbled some snacks (we had brought some snacks as our cottage had a full kitchen). Then we went and got a couples massage. They had a separate adorable cottage just for massages. It was a breezy day so there was some good waves going out on Lake Superior. They had the windows open in the room and it sounded like ocean waves. And they had pretty music playing. We requested relaxing lavender essential oils. And we enjoyed an hour long massage that we both agreed was the best massage we had ever had! 

It was nice to get relaxed because then by that afternoon friends and family started to arrive - and everything took off from there! We did rehearsal (& it was so windy and I worried if it would be that way the next day, or rainy!). And after rehearsal we went to the lodge for the pasta bar dinner we had for everyone (even some that weren't staying on the property came up for the dinner). It was amazing to catch up with my best friends and their spouses - some had traveled all the way from CA. We sat and visited until they had to kick us out to clean up the dining room! Lol Then it was time to head to early bed to get ready for the big day! 

SATURDAY: We got up really early to have coffee and wake up. The day dawned calm and peaceful - no big winds and no rain! Matt went to his folk's cottage to hang out, while Annie came to ours and Matt's Mom did too. So we could get our hair done. Matt's Mom and I got our make up done too. We had a few visitors pop in - Matt's Aunt brought us breakfast sandwiches. And my bestie's oldest daughter brought me a beautiful Fall candle and yummy treat coffee. 

Then the photographer came and photos began. Eventually Matt got ready and came back and we did a first look. Then we did more pics with family and friends. The strings duo showed up and started to play (they were phenomenal - total highlight for me!) We took our turns walking the wooded path along the water to beautiful strings music to go up to the spot to say our vows and become husband and wife in front of our closest people. My friends had helped with the decorating. The wedding coordinator did a phenomenal job. It could not have been more magical! I loved the puzzle moment where we symbolized becoming a new family of four while the strings people played Claire de Lune. It was all so beautiful!!

 Then a cocktail hour with more strings music and 4 appetizers outside too - up next to the lodge. Then dinner which was amazing. Then the cutting of the cake and there were other treats. Matt cried during the vows more than I did (my big softie) And then he gave the most beautiful toast at dinner (and we both cried again). Such a heartfelt loving fun day.

 Then we all went and changed and got on comfy clothes and went to a huge firepit right along the water. My one friend brought a speaker and played music. We had drinks and gabbed away. The venue brought out a late night french fry bar with 3 sauces - right down next to the fire. And s'mores kits too. Some family hung out for a little while, but by the end it was just my kiddos (their significant others) and my 4 besties and their hubbies there. Matt & I stayed until close to 11 PM . And I guess my besties stayed until 12:30 AM! The weather stayed calm & perfect, and the moon would pop out from the clouds and shine on the lake. It was truly one of the absolute best days of my life! 

SUNDAY: We slept in. Then got up and packed and loaded up the car. Then went to the main lodge to meet up with some family and all the besties for the continental breakfast for everyone. Think danishes, croissants, other pastries, toasts, butter & jams, coffee, juice and water. We visited for another few hours over breakfast and then it was time to say goodbye for real. More crying - especially having to say goodbye to the besties that live way out in CA. Then Matt and I bought a couple things from the gift shop there to remember our amazing weekend. Then it was time to head home.

SOME FAVORITE MEMORIES: 

*When I went to do my first look with Matt - the photographer had him standing looking out at the water. I went to walk up to him and there was a sauna cottage not far from there. 3 guys in speedos came running up from the lake right in front of me to go in the sauna as I was walking towards Matt (who couldn't see me yet) and they yelled "you look great!" to me before heading into the sauna. Lol 

*Seeing our closest family and friends and the constant loving words and wishes. Telling me how much I deserved this happiness, that kept getting me emotional. The love from my kids that day in the same way. 

*Matt's relatives were sitting closest to the strings duo during cocktail hour and kept giving requests. It was funny and adorable. :) 

*Matt's toast that basically thanked everyone for everything, but then telling the story about how he got a lot of crap growing up for being a GB Packers fan (because he was from Illinois and then MN) but then he got all choked up and said it was all worth it because if it wasn't for the Packers we wouldn't have met. It's crazy but that's true. 😉💚💛

*When we were feeding each other cake and I got some on his nose to be funny. Then he took a piece and smooshed it gently on my face but some fell down onto my -ahem- cleavage. And Matt was about to retrieve it with his mouth (being funny). Lol And I yelled out "No! My parents are watching!" to which I heard my kids yell out "Forget your parents, your kids are watching!" 😁 Everyone was roaring. It was so funny and I about died laughing and blushing. 

*Sitting around the campfire that night. Enjoying comfy clothes. The perfect cool temps for a fire (had on a sweatshirt and yoga pants). Looking up at the perfectly magical night sky with the moon causing the lake to glisten. Then looking at all the faces around me and I remember thanking God in silent prayer for all of it. I have never had a more full and grateful heart in my life. 

Thanks for letting me share all these memories here so I will have it to look back upon too. You were all there with me in my heart dear Friends. I treasure you all! 

 I will do a post of photos next.