Saturday, August 23, 2014

Wedding at Swiftwater


Dawn's early light floods our room,
as thoughts and memories flood my mind
the morning of the big day.


We opted to stay at the Inn at Suncadia
and leave the house we rented to the wedding party and all their preparations.


We arrived after dark from the rehearsal dinner,
 and had no idea we would wake up to a 180 degree view
 of the eastern flanks of the Cascade mountains.

The view was simply stunning.

Photos just don't do justice.


As the morning sunrise reflects on the nearby mountains,
I reflect on the many years that brought us to this moment in time.

Our own simple wedding, over 40 years ago-
our move cross country from childhood homes
 in New England to the West.

Starting our own family, building our home
- those busy years all behind us now.

The happy satisfaction of watching our children start lives of their own
and here we were on the dawn of our youngest son's wedding day.


Life had come full circle and I wanted to savor every moment.

As I gazed down at the swift water of the Cle Elum river,
I thought of my little boy - his chubby cheeks, the 'amazing' stories he would rush in to tell me as he discovered his world, dirty little dimpled fists clutching bouquets of wildflowers for me.

His mischievous ways and how he would always melt my heart
with his heartfelt and loving, 'I'm sorry, Mom'.

How could I stay angry?


And as he grew into a young man,
I watched his love of nature, sense of adventure,
generosity, and kind heart expand and grow.

We traveled the mine-field of adolescence together,
watched proud as he graduated and started his own company,
and found the love of his life.


And now, a new beginning and adventure awaits.


As I watch the gentle footsteps of the little deer below me,
I think of the gentle footsteps of the passing of time,
and how it sneaks up on you,
one footstep at a time.

Each step leading to the absolute now.
A journey of love.

Each day, a new beginning.
 Today a very special beginning.


So, with one last sip of our morning coffee,
we prepare for this special day.


The stage is set.....


Tables await....


Flowers ready to adorn and carry....


Place cards ready....


Tables numbered, centerpieces placed...


Menu's printed....


Wedding party dressed and ready to go...


The time is almost near.


The lovely bride arrives....


We are ready to take our seats.


The groom awaits...


The Bride is escorted by a proud Father.

A sudden gust of wind carries her veil,
providing a light-hearted moment through misty eyes.

But Dad is the hero with a quick retrieve
and all is well.....


With a sweet kiss, he gives her away....


Vows are spoken....


First kiss....


Man and wife....


We take our seats.


A beautiful setting with honey jar favors.


Sweet macaroons, too.


The Best Man toasts the happy couple...


The Matron of Honor takes her turn.


We toast, teary eyed as the Father of the Bride hugs his 'little girl' .


More tears as the Mother of the Bride speaks.


The Father of the Groom makes a toast...

'Don't forget to teach your children to sing and dance,

 and always laugh.'

Yes, he's as mischievous as he looks.....


Sister Jennie shares a laugh...


 with Sister Heather.


Heather's husband Eric joins in, too.


Siblings stand together.

The loves of my life....


The lovely bride thanks her guests through teary eyes.

I have a new daughter now! <3


The groom proposes a toast of his own.


The Best Man and sweet wife, Erica.


First dance.

The lovely Mother of the Bride looks on (far left).


Father/Daughter dance...

(They took lessons for weeks - the dance was wonderful)


Mother/Son dance...

(We laughed over our comparative lack of grace)


Cutting the cake -
sweet and polite tasting.



( I sewed the table covering )




Commemorative table honoring those attending in spirit...

My parent's wedding photo.



*Gracious hosts*
The Bride's Father and beautiful wife.
We thank you <3


Let the dancing begin!


And just like that, it was all over.

Congratulations to our dear newlyweds.


We wish you all the very best that life has to offer.

A life filled with love, joy and happiness.

We love you

xoxo




Thank you Dear Friends for sharing this very special time with me and my family.

It means so much to me.

'To have joy one must share it, -
Happiness was born a twin'
-Lord Byron-

I would like to give a special shout out to the wedding planner
Simply By Tamara Nicole

xoxo

Disclaimer: I would like to verify that I did not receive any compensation, discount, or any other special privileges for mentioning the resort, winery or wedding planner on this blog.

I simply had a wonderful time and offer this information to you for your own pleasure.

I receive no monetary or other income from this blog.
It is strictly a labor of love.
xoxo





35 comments:

  1. *sigh* The wedding was beautiful and enchanting, sweet Karen. I truly appreciate you sharing these precious pictures with us - I always love weddings :)

    Congratulations to the happy couple! Hugs to you!

    P.S. -I love the table cover that you sewed - it's lovely!

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  2. What a beautiful day, from start to finish. I loved your thoughts as the day unfolded, and the scenes from the hotel (which I will be googling for a future trip south-of-the-border). The bride and groom must have been so very happy with their celebration - it looked wonderful!

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  3. really sweet. love the loss of the veil moment. too cute!

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  4. Hi Karen,
    What a splendiferously beautiful occasion!

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  5. Karen,
    Everything looks so beautiful. I just love weddings and cry at them every time. I just went to a wedding a couple weeks ago, and everything was different from the bride wearing blush to the bridesmaids wearing white. It was all so different, yet wonderful. I like the idea of having the cupcakes along with the traditional cake. I love the laughing picture of the sisters. What a great idea that the tables were numbered with wine bottles, and the table covering you sewed is so pretty. Aahh, this brings back sweet memories of my Nel's wedding two years ago. What a glorious day this was for all of your family. Thank you for sharing this special day with us.

    ~Sheri

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  6. Hi Karen, wow what a beautiful wedding and congrats! Thanks for sharing the wedding with us. Enjoy the rest of the weekend.
    Julie

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  7. Hola amiga querida M que celebración de boda más alegre y hermosa !,, Que tenga un óptimo fin de semana
    Besos

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  8. I became extremely emotional when you talked about your son as a little guy...those are the moments I am in now and I can feel how fast they are moving. So sweet Karen. What a blessing to watch everything come full circle! And to see your son find a wonderful person is such a blessing! Your children are GORGEOUS!!!! And all of the details of this wedding are beyond beautiful! Such an adorable couple and such a pretty bride! Loved the flowers by the way and the skirt on the table that you sewed is fantastic! And what a setting to exchange vows! Sending you a big hug!!! This was a wonderful post lady....you did good! Nicole xoxo

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  9. Hi Karen,

    How beautiful the wedding was and loved seeing the wonderful photos, thanks for showing us.
    Your children are all fabulous and how proud you must be of them.
    Congratulations to the wonderful couple and wishing them all the very best.
    Hugs
    Carolyn

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  10. love Karen

    very very congratulations to the beautiful couple and to
    the parents of the two. Thank you that you took us to the beautiful festival. A wedding is always something very special and with
    connected great joy.
    The pictures are beautiful and you can only imagine the reality.

    All the best
    Rita

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  11. Dearest Karen,
    LOVELY day and very well documented; even the 'unveiling'!
    You did a super job on sewing the table covers; so utterly romantic.
    Indeed, what a view you had for starting this wonderful day off.
    Blessings to your entire family and in-laws.
    Hugs,
    Mariette

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  12. Ah, such a beautiful wedding. Scrolling through the pictures made me teary. I love your husband's toast to the new couple. You have such a beautiful family, Karen. Congratulations to your son and daughter in law.

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  13. What a beautiful post, and a beautiful day. So much thought and love and care put into making it happen. I like how the focus seemed really to be on the importance of the step that your son and his wife are taking. The beautiful decorations and setting seemed not to take over, but to provide a very tranquil and welcoming backdrop for the celebration. I also enjoyed reading about your reflections on the years passing. Things always change, and yet the most important things (love and family) endure throughout. Your table covering is very impressive indeed! You look very beautiful indeed in your lovely dress. And how nice for me to see the wildflowers in Cle Elum. Perhaps someday I can see them in person, as my mother used to do... Hope you've had a chance to put your feet up now!

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  14. Dear Karen, wow, such a beautiful wedding - congrats to your wonderful family and to being able to honor it all as you do! Many happy years are ahead of you all!

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  15. Hi Karen, Such a wonderful day, Beautiful wedding & photos... Lots of love & happiness sent to the wonderful happy couple many love filled years together...Hugs May x x

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  16. Wedding photography is the most valuable pert our life. I'm Alex I am a newly married , photographer. Lover of Cameras, traveling, fashion, dumplings, ocean and brown leather boots, and last but almost certainly first , That being said, our package includes full day coverage, just tell me when to come and when to leave.
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    Wedding photography ideas

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  17. What a beautiful wedding day for your son and his bride, Karen. The site is stunning as is the wonderful dining room for the reception. Thank you for sharing. Our son was recently married in an outdoor country wedding (I posted it 2 weeks ago) and we had a grand time. I guess we're both happy mums. :) Blessings, Pam

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  18. Congratulations to the beautiful couple. Thank you for sharing their special day with us.

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  19. Congratulations Dustin and Jennifer!!! I hope that your marriage is as wonderful as your wedding day obviously was. Thank you so much for sharing this Karen, it was a beautiful wedding!! xx

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  20. What a beautiful wedding and I love the venue. Congrats to Dustin and Jennifer!

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  21. Aww... Beautiful, just beautiful. Thank you for allowing us to see and share your delight. Congratulations to all of you!
    Sweet Blessings, Debbie

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  22. I felt very emotional reading your words and seeing these very special photographs. Thank you for sharing this incredibly special day with us. They are a beautiful couple. Congratulations to them and to you :)

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  23. Oh Karen
    Thank you for sharing your sons wedding with us!
    It's a lovely post and you've told their story beautifully.
    This post will always be a reminder of this special day.
    My favourite photos is the one of you and your son dancing!
    I'm still waiting for the day when my son gets married too.
    Thank you for sharing your family's memorable day.
    Shane

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  24. What a lovely place for a wedding; all looks perfect.
    Thanks for sharing...congrats!

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  25. What a wonderful day from beginning to end. The setting is gorgeous and the bride and groom are a beautiful couple..Congrats to the happy couple.. I wish them all the best!

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  26. Hello Karen,

    What a beautiful post this is, a wonderful tribute to your son and his new wife and a glorious account of what was obviously a day which you all shall remember for the rest of your lives.

    Every detail was perfectly accounted for and carried out. Such care and attention bodes well for a happy life together. And, all set in such a fabulous landscape. It was, surely, the stuff of which dreams are made.

    We add our wishes for all joy and happiness to the newly married couple!

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  27. A beautiful post by a very proud Mother! The day looks just perfect with such a wonderful family, I love the touch of those who are no longer with you to be marked in some way. My many congratulations and good wishes to the happy couple! xx

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  28. Wow everything was so lovely. You had such a gorgeous setting and day for the wedding. Congrats to the happy couple.

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  29. Your sentimental words about your son were so heartfelt, Karen. Thank you for sharing the special day with us. Congratulations to the bride and groom. May they be as blessed as you and your hubby.

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  30. What a sweet and moving post, Karen. You brought tears to my eyes! So precious, holding your memories dear as you watch your precious son start his new life. And the wedding is GORGEOUS!!!! Everything looks so perfect! I love YOUR dress, too, Karen, as Mother of the Bride. What a sweet, sweet post! I loved every minute of it!

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  31. What a beautiful wedding Karen! The location was beautiful, including that view from your room. Thank you for sharing the special day and all the lovely details. Your dress was lovely too. Congratulations to you all!

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  32. Congratulations to you & your family and the bride and the groom - your wonderful photos witness that you all have had a joyous day and a fabulous fest! The scenery and the locations looks so pretty - and the love is shining from the smiling couple and the people around them :)

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  33. I'm so happy for you and your family, Karen - the wedding was beautiful. I wish your son and his bride a happy, healthy life! xo

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  34. Magical! Your phamily is simply beautiful! You are all so happy on this grand occasion! I am so happy I was able to share these wonderful photos. I wish these newlyweds the very best. Hugs, Anne

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  35. For some reason, I don't get updates by mail anymore and I had missed that post. Suddenly, after reading your comment, I remembered you were supposed to post pictures of the wedding! I'm so glad I found the post!

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Thank you for stopping by! Your comments are important to me and are very much appreciated. xx Karen

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