we traveled to NH for my brother's wedding in september. it was a private ceremony officiated by my sister and i (my brother officiated our weddings!) and it was held at our summer home. in a tiny town of about 1,000 people. on the land where my grandfather bought property and had the trees but down, then processed into lumber. used the lumber to build a cabin with 4 bedrooms, 2 baths, a bunk room, a full kitchen and laundry and 2 decks. set back from the water, and even the toilet paper rods were hand-carved. borrowed bricks from a nearby abandoned building to build our fireplace, and in the middle is a brick taken from a confederate soldier's house in the Civil War era. to bring it that far north was supposed to be a symbolic kick to the crotch. :)
it was catered by an INCREDIBLE catering company that served lobster rolls (a new england tradition), orange seared scallops, a delicious truffle custard, guacamole and margartias (the boys' FAVORITE) and the most incredible entrees and AMAZING desserts we have ever eaten.
i did the flowers and the place settings, including the brown ribbons on the napkins. that deserves a whole other post :) the boys wanted locally grown, natural-looking flowers. my mom and i got these at a local apple orcahrd farm stand where i worked as a young teenager.
this is the tent we rented. it's where the boys had thier ceremony and i never thought it would have fit! see how dense the woods are? the trees are so thick it's sometimes hard to walk. it was perfect.
i adore this picture. my cousin peter, who has my grandma's firey red hair, and his mom (my mom's sister) are standing with my second cousin james. the guy with the laptop is my uncle (mom's brother) and beside him is my great aunt. i simply adore her. she is my grandmother's last remaining sister. she is almost 90. every time i see her her health declines, and her husband didn't even make it out this day. her hair is blonde as blonde can be, and she has so much spunk and personality.....i love her to the moon and back. i fear the end is coming. i simply can't handle it. i am so happy she was there.
my mom and sister. that's all i have to say about that.
far right, my until-recently-but-now-in-your-face-all-the-time uncle. dad's bro. dad in the middle....see the resemblance?
the whole gang.
my brother, left, and newest brother in law.
vows. tear-inducing. my brother is a fantastic speaker.
jay-z and big daddy.
honestly, the nicest group of people i have ever met. the kindest and sweetest guests. they were so wonderful to my parents and my son adored them. jackson cried and cried when they departed back to san fransisco. he even named on of his dinosaurs "uncle steve" because steve bought it for him. i am so sad to say that one of these kind-hearted people has recently suffered from a terrible, terrible accident. one that brought me to my knees and praying to god that he wouldn't be taken from my brother.
all in all, it was what a wedding should have been. a happy time in a memorable place surrounded by those in love, and those who do love. the type of love may be non-traditional and non-customary, but it is the epitome of TRUE LOVE. which, no matter what formit takes, is a wonderful thing.
