October 2019 - Wedding

Our greatest adventure begins!

At the end of my last post, we'd just left Georgia behind and made it to my dad's in Virginia. Three weeks pre-wedding, we were busy preparing and doing some final renovations on the camper before our big getaway. Let's catch up.

Camper-prep was in full swing. My handy husband-to-be upgraded the brakes on the truck. We hung shelves in the camper for organization and decoration, worked on some bathroom projects, and went through everything we were bringing with us one last time.

We found Kyle an outfit for the big day, got alterations for my dress, figured out where to rent chairs from, reached out to traveling guests, visited our venue a few more times, and worked out all of the last-minute details that come with weddings.

Kyle and I have family all over the continent, and most of them have never met. We were overjoyed at the opportunity to have so many people we love under one roof, not just for a one-night event, but for the weekend. To be able to watch them hang out together and make new memories as a family is something I will cherish forever.

Mountain Laurel Farm was the perfect setting to get everyone together. The lodge is stunning and full of character. The farm offered plenty of space for guests to camp out with us, which helped with lodging costs. It is such a peaceful, beautiful place that encourages both exploration and relaxation. 

 

Kyle and I got to the lodge on the 16th. It was really nice to have such a big place to ourselves for the night. We explored the property together, talking about our plans, and preparing for family. From the moment they arrived, our wedding weekend flew by.

We had so much fun feeding the friendly resident cows fresh apples from their orchard, and spent a lot of time down by the pond and exploring the rest of the beautiful farm. The host, Margaret, was as sweet as they come and went out of her way many times to make sure we felt at home.

We kept an eye on the weather all weekend, as we'd planned an outdoor ceremony. They had a gorgeous old woodshed turned into an event pavilion with lanterns for mood lighting and a stunning backdrop of the Appalachian Mountains. 

The farm would provide hay bales for seating, and we would cover them with burlap and lace and arrange them in a semi-circle near the wooden arch decorated in hand-picked wildflowers. We'd also planned a bonfire after-party with warm drinks and live music. 

               

The morning of the 19th started off wonderfully with a delicious breakfast cooked by Matt, the resident chef. The apple scones were amazing and it was really cool that he used fresh ingredients from the farm! We sipped mimosas and came up with a plan for the day.

Unfortunately, the forecast that morning brought bad news. By the evening of the 19th, it would be raining and chilly. The mountain views and bonfire just weren't in the cards. Instead, we decorated the beautiful old lodge together and moved the furniture around to make it work. It was rustic and romantic and something we made happen as a family which was so special.

I loved that we were able to decorate with fresh flowers from the farm's gorgeous garden. Guests had a great time picking them, and enjoyed making their own floral arrangements with mason jars and ribbon to be used as centerpieces during the reception.

Everyone got to help decorate, or cook, or contribute in their own ways, and that made our wedding day exactly what we'd hoped for. Those personal touches from our favorite people were a big part of what made our day so special.

Kyle's mom (Janice) made a beautiful charcuterie platter for cocktail hour. 

We also had an AMAZING photographer, Danni from Apple Ridge Photography, who did such a great job watching out for those precious moments and capturing them for us. She is super friendly, professional, offers great packages, and does fantastic work. She really captured the vibe of our special day, and being able to look back at those beautiful memories is priceless. 

Our "first look" moment on the porch just before we got married was really emotional and sweet. I loved having that special moment with just us during such a hectic yet exciting time.

Caty did an amazing job braiding my hair and even tucked in some adorable white flowers hand-picked by Kyle. It was such a romantic and thoughtful touch. (She also made my belt and helped a ton with food & coordinating everyone! Thanks, Caty!)

 

Finally, once everyone had arrived, it was time. Kyle rang the bell on the porch and we came inside to get married! We said our vows cozied up by the fireplace, with candlelight and the love of our family surrounding us. We were honored to have our friend Skip as our officiant. He did an awesome job and there were happy tears all around.

After the wedding ceremony, we rearranged everything to make one long table so we could all eat together. It was awesome to have everyone there celebrating with us, sharing stories, and enjoying some AMAZING food. Dad killed it with the meat selection, and Mom's dessert table was perfect. So many kitchen helpers made everything really easy, and the food tasted better knowing it was made with love, by our favorite people.

Our wedding day was the happiest day of my life, by far. I would relive it every day if I could.

We are so appreciative of all of our guests who took time out of their busy lives to travel long distances, and help us in so many ways. It warmed our hearts to see everyone come together to help us make our wedding day perfect and celebrate love with us.

We cherished every moment of family time. At the end of October, overflowing with love and happy memories, we took off heading South to begin our long-awaited honeymoon road trip adventure! 

Next post coming soon with stats from our first month on the road!