The wedding celebration began back at the beginning of August when my dad and a few other couples threw a very nice couples shower for the Bride and Groom.
Clayton and Kim opened their home, the other couples joined in planning this wonderful quaint shower for Melissa and Chad. It was very nice to see them back in Iowa and to get geared up for their big day which happened just a few short weeks later! They got a very nice group gift, a full set of beautiful China!
They were very excited and shocked at the wonderful gift! It was a very nice evening, lots of great conversation, catching up and laughter! I was very excited to see a few people who made Melissa and I's childhood so memorable. Kathy was once Melissa and Christy's nanny for several years. She is very near and dear to my heart as well as the girls', it was SO great to see her!
My Mom and Dad have known Melissa since we became friends way back when we were just little girls, in 2ND grade. We often called each others fathers 'Dad' when we were growing up, we spent that much time together that each others parents were like parents to each of us! The couples shower was a wonderful celebration and we were very happy to be there!
Labor Day weekend we were off for the big wedding celebration. Brad and I were very excited and anxious to have a few days alone fully knowing that our children were in the best hands possible with my mom. We could not have gone on this trip without her help and leaving the kids miles away at home and not worrying one bit about what was going on with them was truly a gift. Thanks Mom!
The view from the plane was amazing! It had been quite some time since Brad and I had been to see the Ocean blue, WOW, was it truly amazing to see what we had been missing, from thousands of feet above the water.
We arrived, got our rental car and we were off to see Melissa and Chad's home. It was beautiful just like all the pictures I had seen. It was wonderful to see their life in their new home! We spent the afternoon with them and getting our feel around town, doing a little shopping and then we were off to our resort home for the weekend! Sanibel Harbour Resort and Spa, it was beautiful!
We were so anxious to drop our bags at the room, get settled and step out for some hot Florida sun! We stopped at one of the Resort restaurants for a cocktail and appetizer, enjoyed the warm ocean breeze and sunshine!
Thursday evening we were off for our Anniversary dinner. We figured we would celebrate our 8 year wedding anniversary while in Florida since we really didn't have a chance to celebrate at home. While visiting Ft. Myers as a child with Melissa's family, one of our most favorite dinner spots was the Melting Pot. I was very excited to take Brad there for dinner that night. It was his first Melting Pot fondue restaurant experience and he didn't quite know what to expect.
It didn't take long before he was warmed up and ready to stick the skewers in! We got a dinner for two package and this was the first course. We chose some type of smoky beer and cheddar/Swiss cheese, it was perfect and had lots of smoky flavor...yum!
You should have seen the look on Brad's face when they brought out the platter of meat! We had a bit of everything, Lobster tail, Tuna, Shrimp, Fillet, Pork, Chicken, Dumplings, Vegetable Dumplings and 10 different sauces! It was a bit overwhelming, but we soon figured it all out!
Our cooking ingredients we choose were a bit different than the traditional 'oil' that is typically used. We chose a chicken broth base with a burgundy wine/teryiaki cooking base. So much flavor, it was the best choice by far!
And then dessert...oh my goodness! We chose a milky chocolate and peanut butter base for dipping. We had lots of dippers, rice krispy's, brownie's, banana's, strawberries, marsh mellows, pound cake and cheese cake. Oh my goodness, this was sinful, just sinful!!!
We had a wonderful Anniversary dinner and Brad and I really enjoyed the Melting Pot experience. It was better than anything Brad had imagined and that is just what I wanted for him! Friday morning after a very restful night sleep we awoke and headed off to the Spa for our 60 minute couples massage! Just what the doctor ordered :)
The Spa was amazing, no camera's allowed...sorry! We were greeted with fresh warm robes and sandals. We were seated and given fresh flavored citrus water to sip on before heading back to our room. The massages were perfect. It was such a relaxing hour. Brad has been quite sore from work and I had a couple tense spots...by the time we left there, to say we were nice and relaxed would be an understatement!
Friday afternoon we got our suits on and headed off to the Beach! We stopped in Sanibel for a quick lunch at an Island favorite dining spot, Island Cow.
This restaurant has quite the reputation. It is tucked back on the main drag, Perrywinkle, in Sanibel, but we quickly realized why all of the ranting and raving, this place was amazing!
We ordered what we thought would be a 'light' appetizer...Fried Pickles! When this huge basket FULL of fried pickles arrived we both looked at each other and laughed and laughed. They were SO good, the breading was so light and flaky. Dipping sauce and topped with a hint of fresh Parmesan cheese, yum-o!
By the time our food arrived we were stuffed. Quickly Brad realized he needed to make room for this 'rib sticker' meal, as he call's it. Homemade Shepard's Pie. Check this out!!!
We had a great lunch and were then ready for an afternoon at the beach. We drove to South Sea's, Captiva Island for our afternoon in the sand. There wasn't much of a crowd at all, we quickly found a spot for our beach gear....and we were off, I was SO anxious to get my toes in the sand!
The Ocean was SO warm and calm. Brad went so far out, I was a bit of a chicken to go that far so I just watched him from the waist deep water and quickly waved for him to come back in. He really enjoyed looking out and seeing clear blue ocean water for as far as the eye could see.
There were really nice shells everywhere. It was impossible to not step on them as you walked because there were so many. We almost felt guilty for stepping on them. He found a spot by the water to make our family name trademark in the sand. Nice job honey!
The long bridge over to Sanibel Island!
Late Friday afternoon we headed back to the resort for our evening at the pre-wedding reception hosted by Chad's parents.
Melissa & Chad with Chad's family. We had a fantastic evening poolside with dinner and cocktails. It was a very nice pre-wedding reception. The flowers were just amazing set on all of the tables. Chad's sweet mom, Cheryl, was SO kind to send one of the table center pieces up to our room after the reception for us to enjoy for the rest of our stay.
We headed back up to Charley's restaurant/bar for the evening. We all entertained ourselves and each other. It was great to see so many people from Iowa in Florida for this special occasion!Kathy here with Hunter and the Vogt brothers, Tom and Johnny
As the eveing came to and end the bride and groom said their last goodbye's before they became husband and wife. The next time Chad would see Melissa would be when she was walking down the aisle!
Saturday morning we awoke and Brad headed off with the guys and Dad's to Golf Harbour for a round of golf. I sat poolside and soaked up as much sun as I could ;) Brad arrived back just after lunch and we headed to the local 'Hawks nest' to watch the Season opener of Hawkeye Football!
After a Hawkeye Victory we headed back poolside for some more sun. We were entertained by the Karoke singers. This little guy got up and sang, 'Poke Face' by Lady Gaga. Boy did he get some cheer's, he was amazing!
After a few h0urs in the sun we got ready for the wedding!
The Ceremony room was beautiful. It was octagon shaped and windows on all sides overlooking the ocean. Fresh flowers, greenery and bamboo decorated the rows and arch at the altar. Dolphins could be seen swimming in the water below, it was beautiful!
Chad looking a bit nervous walking down the aisle, and Dr. Tom, the minister.
Andie
Adorable flower girls, Ella and Sophia, Chad's nieces
Bestman, Nathan and Matrom of Honor, Melissa's sister Christy. Adorable Junior Bride, Melissa's niece Adrienne!
The blushing Bride and her Father!
Combining two hearts together as one, the beautiful sand vace.
The new Mr. and Mrs. Chad Reedy! Congratulations Melis & Chad!!!!!
After the ceremony and before the reception, they had cocktail hour with a live steel drum band overlooking the water on the balcony outside the reception room. Beautiful view!
They had a gentleman rolling handmade, fresh cigars. WOW, I was truly amazed. This was really fun to watch! He sat there all night long rolling and rolling. This guy was incredible.
I don't even know what to say, I have never seen anything quite like this! A baker from the Food Network made this Cupcake 'cake' with fresh, handmade flavored chocolates for the base!
All of the flowers were so beautiful! The colors were so vibrtant and the fresh scent was breathtaking. Everything was so tropical and pretty.
Miss Adrienne is just a doll. She just celebrated her 1 year Birthday and she is loving taking those independent steps on her own. Such a beautiful princess all dressed up!
Wedding themed Ice Sculptures at the Fresh Seafood table. The dinner was amazing, fresh pasta hand mixed to your liking by the chef, Prime Rib and a yummy soup and salad bar.
Brad enjoyed a fresh cigar, 'or two'!
My Dad and I.
Sunset in Paradise!
Her wedding bouquet was beautiful and so full! It was quite heavy with all of those flowers tucked in tight!
The Band sang 'Happy Birthday' to Kim who celebrated her 40th Birthday the day of the wedding. She was quite surprised and touched to be serenaded!
Grooms speech. He had very nice words for his new wife and her family!
Dancing the night away!
Precious moments the Bride with her Father at the end of the night. The Wedding and Reception were just beautiful and we were very happy to be a part of Melissa and Chad's special day. We wish them a lifetime of love and happiness! The night got a little crazy after the reception....all in good fun! What happens in Florida stays in Florida ;)
Sunday morning we awoke and ventured back to the beach for our last full day in the sun. It was a perfect day and we got lots of sunshine. It was the perfect relaxing day to round out our time in Sanibel. That afternoon we hit the pool for cocktails with the rest of the Iowa gang and Melissa and Chad.
Sunday night the clouds rolled in and we headed back to get cleaned up for our last dinner out! We headed into Fort Myers to Prawnbroker. It was the perfect dinner for us. I was wanting seafood and Brad was wanting seafood and steak, that is just what we got!
On our way from Sanibel to Ft. Myers we got stuck in the storm. It was kinda creepy to be on the long bridge in a storm like this. There is NO way I would want to be there during a hurricane. This boat was almost flipped over, later we learned it was stuck on a sand bar!
Check out the storm clouds in this picture. You can see it didn't look like it was going to last long as the sun was shining on the water in the distance. Crazy!
We got stuck on-top of the bridge in all of this traffic. I had a mild panic attack I think, the thought of being stranded on this bridge with knowhere to go in a bad storm just freaked me out...Brad just laughed!
After dinner we headed back for the Gift opening.
There were gifts from near and far!
And a few video's to recap the weekend's events. We will keep them secret...promised, HA! It was a great time!
Monday we headed back home to relieve my wonderful mom who had braved our crazy life for a few days with the kids. The kids were SO good for her and we are VERY appreciative of her coming miles and miles on a plane just to watch her grandbabies for a few days so we could have a nice trip away....just the two of us!
We definitly had a trip to Paradise and for such a wonderful occasion....my Best Friends wedding! It was so important to me to be there for Melissa, and Brad and I got a bonus trip just the two of us to go along with it! Mom's and Dad's need that time to enjoye each other, although we missed our kids a lot they couldn't have been in any better place than with my Mom. We do not know when/if we will ever get this opportunity again....so THANK YOU MOM! And Congratulations Melissa & Chad. We are excited for you guys and your new life together, we wish you nothing but lots of love and happiness for all the years to come ;-)
As the eveing came to and end the bride and groom said their last goodbye's before they became husband and wife. The next time Chad would see Melissa would be when she was walking down the aisle!
Saturday morning we awoke and Brad headed off with the guys and Dad's to Golf Harbour for a round of golf. I sat poolside and soaked up as much sun as I could ;) Brad arrived back just after lunch and we headed to the local 'Hawks nest' to watch the Season opener of Hawkeye Football!
After a Hawkeye Victory we headed back poolside for some more sun. We were entertained by the Karoke singers. This little guy got up and sang, 'Poke Face' by Lady Gaga. Boy did he get some cheer's, he was amazing!
After a few h0urs in the sun we got ready for the wedding!
The Ceremony room was beautiful. It was octagon shaped and windows on all sides overlooking the ocean. Fresh flowers, greenery and bamboo decorated the rows and arch at the altar. Dolphins could be seen swimming in the water below, it was beautiful!
Chad looking a bit nervous walking down the aisle, and Dr. Tom, the minister.
Andie
Adorable flower girls, Ella and Sophia, Chad's nieces
Bestman, Nathan and Matrom of Honor, Melissa's sister Christy. Adorable Junior Bride, Melissa's niece Adrienne!
The blushing Bride and her Father!
Combining two hearts together as one, the beautiful sand vace.
The new Mr. and Mrs. Chad Reedy! Congratulations Melis & Chad!!!!!
After the ceremony and before the reception, they had cocktail hour with a live steel drum band overlooking the water on the balcony outside the reception room. Beautiful view!
They had a gentleman rolling handmade, fresh cigars. WOW, I was truly amazed. This was really fun to watch! He sat there all night long rolling and rolling. This guy was incredible.
I don't even know what to say, I have never seen anything quite like this! A baker from the Food Network made this Cupcake 'cake' with fresh, handmade flavored chocolates for the base!
All of the flowers were so beautiful! The colors were so vibrtant and the fresh scent was breathtaking. Everything was so tropical and pretty.
Miss Adrienne is just a doll. She just celebrated her 1 year Birthday and she is loving taking those independent steps on her own. Such a beautiful princess all dressed up!
Wedding themed Ice Sculptures at the Fresh Seafood table. The dinner was amazing, fresh pasta hand mixed to your liking by the chef, Prime Rib and a yummy soup and salad bar.
Brad enjoyed a fresh cigar, 'or two'!
My Dad and I.
Sunset in Paradise!
Her wedding bouquet was beautiful and so full! It was quite heavy with all of those flowers tucked in tight!
The Band sang 'Happy Birthday' to Kim who celebrated her 40th Birthday the day of the wedding. She was quite surprised and touched to be serenaded!
Grooms speech. He had very nice words for his new wife and her family!
Dancing the night away!
Precious moments the Bride with her Father at the end of the night. The Wedding and Reception were just beautiful and we were very happy to be a part of Melissa and Chad's special day. We wish them a lifetime of love and happiness! The night got a little crazy after the reception....all in good fun! What happens in Florida stays in Florida ;)
Sunday morning we awoke and ventured back to the beach for our last full day in the sun. It was a perfect day and we got lots of sunshine. It was the perfect relaxing day to round out our time in Sanibel. That afternoon we hit the pool for cocktails with the rest of the Iowa gang and Melissa and Chad.
Sunday night the clouds rolled in and we headed back to get cleaned up for our last dinner out! We headed into Fort Myers to Prawnbroker. It was the perfect dinner for us. I was wanting seafood and Brad was wanting seafood and steak, that is just what we got!
On our way from Sanibel to Ft. Myers we got stuck in the storm. It was kinda creepy to be on the long bridge in a storm like this. There is NO way I would want to be there during a hurricane. This boat was almost flipped over, later we learned it was stuck on a sand bar!
Check out the storm clouds in this picture. You can see it didn't look like it was going to last long as the sun was shining on the water in the distance. Crazy!
We got stuck on-top of the bridge in all of this traffic. I had a mild panic attack I think, the thought of being stranded on this bridge with knowhere to go in a bad storm just freaked me out...Brad just laughed!
After dinner we headed back for the Gift opening.
There were gifts from near and far!
And a few video's to recap the weekend's events. We will keep them secret...promised, HA! It was a great time!
Monday we headed back home to relieve my wonderful mom who had braved our crazy life for a few days with the kids. The kids were SO good for her and we are VERY appreciative of her coming miles and miles on a plane just to watch her grandbabies for a few days so we could have a nice trip away....just the two of us!
We definitly had a trip to Paradise and for such a wonderful occasion....my Best Friends wedding! It was so important to me to be there for Melissa, and Brad and I got a bonus trip just the two of us to go along with it! Mom's and Dad's need that time to enjoye each other, although we missed our kids a lot they couldn't have been in any better place than with my Mom. We do not know when/if we will ever get this opportunity again....so THANK YOU MOM! And Congratulations Melissa & Chad. We are excited for you guys and your new life together, we wish you nothing but lots of love and happiness for all the years to come ;-)
No comments:
Post a Comment