A weekend away in the woods can leave you feeling disconnected from work and demands of every day life at home. The normal hustle and bustle is gone. No internet. No “Hmm, what to make for dinner?” Nor wondering who needs to be where, at what time? One such weekend allows you to be – thankfully connected to nature, fall foliage and your extended family.
In our case, family was the real reason to be just a few hours away from home, and especially way from the Internet, our endless high-speed, streaming video over WiFi.
It was an honorable occasion… We were there to help celebrate young love.
This weekend, my (younger) cousin married his best friend, a beautiful young woman whom we’ve gotten to know a bit over the years. She has joined our family – time and time again at various family events and gatherings (none quite as memorable as this) – now, she has joined us forever.
Their “backyard chic” wedding was casual, yet fancy and really more lovely than the pictures others have posted online to describe this type of ceremony.
The weather cooperated beyond our highest hopes and the tent kept the evening’s chill from dampening our celebration. While it had poured buckets the day before, and extended our drive by at least an hour; the day of the wedding gave us sun, lots of glorious radiant heat and pre-season (for us) views of Autumn’s best colors.
During the weekend, we were able to reminisce about other weekend getaways, vacations and yes – weddings, including our youngest sister’s which was also held outdoors. In contrast, her June wedding weather was nearly 20 degrees cooler… perhaps I exaggerate, but when you expect it to be 70 or 80 and it is instead the mid fifties…it is chilly.
Of this wedding, we have pictures and shot glasses and our personal “favorite” moments to look back on – things that make you laugh, smile and remember…the flowers, the dancing, the vodka shots, the cupcakes and so much more.
When I asked the kids their favorite moments, they call out – the BBQ brisket, the pillow fight, the visit to the country store, the cabin (even with dorm style sleeping for the ten of them) and the fireworks set off to help close the evening with a spectacular light show.
Sometimes the kids help you to realize that there is always a different perspective of the exact same moments in life.
We do all agree; however, that our home is missed, even after just a short time away… The kids will soon be back online, chatting in real-time with their friends, tackling schoolwork, or choosing a video from the many options of YouTube, Plex and Netflix. The adults will be able to catch up on tomorrow’s work (downloading hundreds of e-mails not able to be read while away – not so very missed I think) along with downloading snapshots to share with the new Bride and Groom and all of our family, too.
Congratulations M+K – we wish you many loving and happy and connected years as husband and wife (or is it wife+husband?) Either way… we love you and thank you for sharing your young love with all of us, too.
~ Dawn aka Hat Girl