Monday, August 30, 2010

Rachel's Wedding

This was the view from our Chicago hotel window where we just spent a long weekend traveling for the wedding of my niece Rachel, in Iowa. We started out here because my parents used to live very near and it's like coming home to return. We spent a couple of days de-stressing from life before going on. The hotel was getting ready for a wedding too.

Larry always finds one of these machines...he's an expert in winning!

-then he was a happy camper!

The best part of the wedding weekend as far as I was concerned was seeing my sister Lynn, the mother of the bride, -so happy! She has been looking forward to this wedding for a long time. (They dated 6 years!)

She was thrilled and looked like Cinderella! The location of the wedding was close to the Mississippi River -in the background.

The flowergirl, Crystal, is the groom's daughter. My sister and her husband Jim are also thrilled that they have a new built-in grandaughter!!

An ususual aspect of the wedding was that Jim is also a Lutheran pastor and helped perform the ceremony, which made it that much more meaningful. Before the service here, with Jon, their son.

Walking Lynn down the aisle...
The wedding party...
Mr & Mrs. Bryan Brogan!!

Lynn spent many hours making Rachel's gown at her request. She said it was "like a hug" for her to wear.

Taking pictures at the reception.

The kiss...

Rachel's new in-laws...

Jim giving a father of the bride toast...

Cutting the cake...and off to an Alaska cruise on their honeymoon.

Sisters...Lynn & me, a beautiful wedding, a beautiful day. (We used to have the same colored hair, I'm thinkin' she has more fun these days...)

On the way home we went to Wisconsin to stop at cousin Joel's farm....

Always a serene, picturesque place to be.

Larry mentioned many times on the way home how much he loved this farm.
Kathy is an amazing cook and in her charming kitchen!
The view from their patio....a stark contrast from the hustle and bustle of Chicago. Such peace here.
And last stop was putting wedding flowers on Mom & Dad's graves in Luther Valley. They would have loved to have been a part of the festivites. It makes you reflect on the circle of life and all that is important, short and fragile about it.
Congrats and happy future, Mr & Mrs Brogan!!!!

3 comments:

yaya said...

Welcome back! The weather sure looked great and the bridal party looked so happy! Lynn looked really pretty and I love her hair. I just can't picture you as a blond though. You looked great too and I'm glad you and Larry had a bit of peace and quiet. That farm looks really cute and I love that church we're your parents are buried. Very lovely.

Wander to the Wayside said...

I'm such a sucker about weddings, would cry even if I didn't know the happy couple because of the sentiment of the whole thing, the knowing the good and bad of what is in store for them. Not to mention a wedding bringing friends and relatives together!

And that kitchen - oh my gosh!

Glad you had such a nice little getaway...and no one would ever doubt that you and your sister are sisters, except for the hair!

Rosaria Williams said...

Donna, thanks for stopping by and spending some time with me. I see from your family's list, we both know yaya! So good to see the rest of the family at such a beautiful setting as a wedding! Congratulations to the new couple, and to the wonderful relatives who made the occasion go off so splendidly.

p.s. your visit was much appreciated!