Sunday, June 28, 2009

we're eatin' cake for breakfast

You know the tradition of saving the top of your cake in the freezer? Well, we have a small freezer and that cake was just too good to freeze it for a year.

We just ate it.

We picked up our fresh cake for our first anniversary yesterday and have been enjoying it for breakfast today!

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One Year Wedding Anniversary Cake

Happy 1st Anniversary Jake. I love you I love you I love you.

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Saturday, June 27, 2009

this week last year, saturday

By this time on Saturday my up-do was in place and I am having the best hair day of my life.
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We had woken up to blue skies but there was definitely a HUGE chance of rain and sure enough when we were done at the salon it was overcast and starting to sprinkle. But for some strange reason the rain was not sending me into a panic -- maybe it was because it was my WEDDING DAY!!!

I drove out to Camrose Hill in my car with Katie and Cassie following behind.

As I was driving the weather was patchy, with beautiful storm clouds and clear blue skies in the horizon. I will never forget what it looked like.

I was oddly calm considering my personality. However, my thoughts turned to a slight panic with the possibility of it really raining. I started to think of how sad it would be to not be able to share Camrose Hill Flower Farm with all my friends and family -- it is just so beautiful there.

THEN this song came on the radio with these lyrics (looking at them now, I must have only heard a few key* words - either way, it made me cry with joy, I just knew it was a sign that EVERYTHING was going to be perfect)!

Don’t stress, don’t stress, don’t stress
Just tell him to the left left left
Don’t stress, don’t stress, don’t stress
Cause we gone & we gone & we gone
*No stress, no stress, no stress
*Girl you deserve nothing but the best

*No stress, no stress, no stress

Girl you need to tell him…
That I'm leavin’ never to come back again
You found somebody who does it better than he can
*no more making you cry, no more them gray skies
Girl we're flyin on the G5 G5


I credit this silly silly song to saving me from a whirlwind of panic, a spiral of doubt, and for changing the course of weather that day.

That morning it was ABSOLUTELY pouring buckets at Camrose Hill while friends and family were setting everything up -- my Mom was totally without a doubt panicking. PANICKING.

I was freakishly calm as a cucumber.

As always so were Katie and Ben.

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Later that night guests told me that they drove to Stillwater (from all directions) with storms and pouring rain but as soon as they got near Camrose Hill it was clear and beautiful.

At the same time Jake, the procrastinator, did not disappoint! As soon as I left that morning for my hair appointment he began frantically calling jewelery stores in St. Paul looking for one that was open. He had decided to buy me a necklace as a wedding gift - pearls! WOW. He is a keeper.

Peter arrived at our house and they headed to Super Target and bought $250 dollars worth of umbrellas! Just in case.

We were all at the Farm and the day had officially begun. All of a sudden it was 1 pm and I hadn't even gotten dressed!
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After all the getting ready and taking photos we had to make a split second decision about the rain -- we had the iPhones in over gear checking the radar and at approximately 3:50 (ten minutes before people began to arrive!) the decision to be outside was made! Everyone started to assemble the chairs OUTSIDE for the ceremony (apparently, except for Katie and Grandpa Bill :)

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iPhone checking!

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Seriously, look at that sky!

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The ceremony was so beautiful. My Dad was hilarious. Jake looked amazing. My veil was super long. My family was so wonderful. Our friends were all there. Everything about Camrose Hill is magical. The barns, the fields, the flowers. And the weather, wow --- it was seriously freakin' amazing. Perfect Minnesota 75 degrees with a slight breeze. Perrrfect!
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The night was full of hugs, laughter, food, cake, flowers, wine, beer, dancing, s'mores and love. Oh my goodness I want to do it all again and just hit pause. It goes so fast with such a fury. And with a blink of an eye it comes to a close...the linens are off the tables, the flowers are in buckets, and the candles are blown out.
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But what a day, what a day to remember.

Friday, June 26, 2009

this week last year, friday

I remember waking up, last year on this day, and thinking - HOLY SHIT IT IS HERE. It was FINALLY Friday, the day of our rehearsal and rehearsal dinner. The day BEFORE our wedding!

This was it, this was the 'beginning' of the 'end' of our wedding planning!!!! There was no time left to plan, work out the details, or panic! Thank goodness.

The day was HOT, 90 degree Minnesota hot with humidity.

We met our family and wedding party at Camrose Hill for the rehearsal and it was so much fun! We put everyone to work though - moving chairs and figuring out the 'flow' for the next day.
Wedding Rehearsal

Wedding Rehearsal

Ben and Becky had driven all the way from Colorado and made it just in time, we were so happy to see them!

Amanda had brought me the most beautiful 'practice' bouquet.
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Rehearsing the ceremony was very smooth and efficient because of our wonderful Officiant Reverend AnnaMarie Ronning. She was a pro! Jake and I had worked out all the details of our ceremony with her beforehand.
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Wedding Rehearsal

After the rehearsal we all headed to The Dock Cafe in Stillwater and had the most delicious meal. Our table was long and sat in front of an entire wall of windows, we had the most beautiful view of the river. It began to absolutely pour, but that was fine, it needed to cool everything down.

Jake and I felt so happy that night and were so ready for the next day to arrive!

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Thursday, June 25, 2009

this week last year, thursday

Thursday morning my parents were at our house ready to help in any way they could.

So we extended our dining room table to 11 feet, drew up a huge reception diagram, and finalized the seating chart. After hammering it all out, I began to write every one's name on the place cards along with their table number (only making a few mistakes!). Then for the next two (or three?) hours my Dad whole punched the corners of each place card and my Mom and I tied raffia on every single one. Oh, AND we alphabetized them too! We were seriously emotionally and physically exhausted when we got done.
Gocco Wedding Placecards

Gocco Wedding Placecards

All I wanted was for the place cards to be blowing in the breeze at Carmose Hill Flower Farm on my wedding day.

That night Jake and I had to finalize the wedding program and our plan was to Gocco print 250 of them (just like our invites, rsvp's, directions cards, favors, and place cards). By hand. Late Thursday night. The day before our rehearsal dinner.

Well, after realizing that our program template was NOT going to physically fit onto a Gocco screen (and maybe freaking out a little bit)...Jake called Kinko's to see if they could help.

Twenty minutes later Jake arrived home with 250 beautifully printed programs!

We had LITERALLY spent hours and hours and hours printing all our other materials by hand and here we were, the night before everything was about to begin with printed programs in 20 minutes. It was hilarious.

We were ecstatic to be 'done' with all the details! And so ready to get married!
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Wednesday, June 24, 2009

this week last year, wednesday

We designed and Gocco printed 250 place cards on Wednesday - getting ready for the seating assignments which had not been finalized yet!
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Tuesday, June 23, 2009

this week last year, tuesday

We designed the favors and on Tuesday I Gocco printed 250 on tiny vellum envelopes. Then I stuffed them with wildflower seeds and sealed them with double sided tape!
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Organic Wildflower Seeds as Wedding Favors

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Monday, June 22, 2009

this week last year, monday

I had been collecting, borrowing, and buying antique bottles for months and on Monday I delivered them to Camrose Hill Flower Farm to be used as vases for the flowers on the tables.
Wedding Details

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