Wedding Weekend

What a wonderful weekend...my mother found true happiness again at age 68 and her wedding was on Saturday. Travis and I headed to Lake Summerset, Illinois for all the festivities and to meet our new extended family. After arriving at the lake on Friday afternoon, the celebration kicked off at GreenFire Restaurant Bar & Bakery in Rockford, IL where we had an AMAZING meal...this incredible American contemporary farm restaurant and marketplace prepares all their food in wood burning state-of-the-art brick fire ovens! - they have no microwaves, no grill tops, stoves or deep fryers on property....and they use high quality, fresh ingredients. Dinner took place in the "wine room" where we had open views of the kitchen and Travis and I had a chance to meet  the groom's family - he has three sons, all of which are married to wonderful women and have gorgeous children...and we quickly started learning names and enjoying the company and hospitality of his welcoming family. It was a lovely evening with warm conversation and incredible food...and the night just flew by! After dinner, we picked up the catering (done by the same restaurant) and the cake (which was my responsibility to get safely to their house)...and we stopped and picked up my mom's wedding gown (which a seamstress had been altering)...

Lake Summerset when we arrived....you'll understand this photo when you
get to the end of my post...

The Wine Room at Greenfire Market

The bride and groom at the rehearsal dinner...
I love this photo!

A selection on items in the bakery at Greenfire Market...
they also made the wedding cake...

Saturday, Travis and I took care of some final details for the bride and groom...taking fresh flowers (peonies, shipped from Europe) to the florist to have them made into a bridal bouquet, moving furniture for the reception, basic set-up of the reception catering, helping my mom into her gown, et cetera. Then on Saturday afternoon, we chauffeured the happy couple to the Church by the Side of the Road...a Wedding Chapel,  for the ceremony. It was a beautiful wedding and the bride and groom were giddy with happiness...no tears of joy, just huge smiles! It was a small, intimate family affair and everything was perfect. They had a professional photographer documenting every moment (and thank goodness, because the lighting wasn't the best, at least for my photos)...but I managed to snap a few with my smartphone worthy of sharing...

The Church by the Side of the Road...a Wedding Chapel before the ceremony...

The kiss...

The announcement of the happy couple...

Some of my new extended family...I managed to get a shot of all eight children together...
my mom is THRILLED to have eight grandchildren to love...

After the wedding, we headed back to their house at the lake for the reception. It was a true celebration and we had a great time...even with the snow starting to fall outside. The overjoyed newlyweds left for their honeymoon VERY early Sunday morning (a Caribbean cruise)...and Travis and I headed back to snowy, cold Iowa. Here is the last photo I snapped of the lake before we were on the road again...amazing how things can change in just a couple days....

Lake Summerset when we departed...

 I am finally back at home for awhile, and (hopefully) things should start to get back to normal...I have been at my desk playing catch-up for most of the day, but tomorrow will be filled with sewing, quilting, and stitching...as always, my to-do list is long and I feel very blessed to have custom work to do this holiday season. I'll be sharing new projects with you soon!