February 26, 2012

Getting Inn the Spirit

_DSC7371wI sat in the great room of the Lakeside Inn a few Saturdays ago, making to do lists and jotting down various reminders and decor ideas. My head was full of ideas and questions and getting them put on paper seemed to be the only way I'd be able to sort it all out.

_DSC7355w

This chair sat across from me as I wrote. I kept looking at it and thinking about who'd sit there. Who'd sit around the fireplaces, who'd play the games of checkers and chess and Monopoly lying about the Inn. I kept smiling though because I knew whoever it was, it would be someone I love very much. In 8 months time, that room, this inn, would be filled with people attending my wedding.

_DSC7398w
_DSC7400w
_DSC7396w
_DSC7401w
_DSC7391w

I can't say I'm the type of girl that has dreamed about her wedding day since she was little. It's something I have thought about, but it's never anything I had pre-planned. And once I did get engaged, Mike and I didn't rush into picking a location. Ours will be a 20 month engagement, with 8 of those months wondering where we should get married. I agonized and drove myself crazy trying to figure out which venue would be perfect for us. I considered locations everywhere. And I do mean everywhere - from Key West to New Orleans to California to Mexico to St. John to Chicago and back again. In the end, we settled on this historic 30 room inn on the shores of Lake Michigan just across the border from Indiana in Michigan.

_DSC7408w
_DSC7361w
_DSC7413w
_DSC7387w
_DSC7372w

I tried for months and months and months to figure out which location would be perfect, and in the end, I realized, like all things, that perfection eluded me. There was no option that did not have its downside. And every location had its upside too. So in the end, we went with the place that most seemed right. We didn't actually visit many venues in person, but I can tell you that when I walked into this Inn, I felt it. It seemed to make sense. I pictured our family and friends congregating around the fireplaces. I saw them sitting in the rocking chairs on the expansive front porch. I imagined Mike and his boys playing football on the back lawn. And I imagined myself walking down the aisle on that lawn with my husband for the first time.

_DSC7365w
_DSC7363w
_DSC7409w
_DSC7359w

Mike and I are deep into the planning process now, and the details at times can be overwhelming. The imperfections of this particular location are starting to show. And when they do, I try to take myself back to that moment when I was sitting and jotting notes in the great room. The moment where I imagined it all coming together. It is an amazing feeling to sit in a room and know that in 8 months time it will be filled only with people I love. And when that day comes, I remind myself that it will not be the details, but the memories that will matter. This place is just waiting for some great memories. And so am I.

6 comments:

JHaddad said...

This is by far my favorite blog post of yours! I LOVE the Inn. Love it. Love it. Love it.

Carb-a-Holic said...

Your wedding is going to be perfectly memorable!

I can't wait! If you need help with planning ANYTHING, don't hesitate to put me to work! After all, that's what bridesmaids are for! ; )

AlexisAnne said...

Making me cry...as you tend to do :) Can't wait to sit and swing on those porch swings w/ a drink in my hand and my chicas nearby!

madre said...

Sounds like a few jitters - just give us tasks we will be glad to help! - it is your day, so want it to reflect you and Mike - and sometimes less is more so try not to over think on detail stuff.
love ya

bcj. said...

This looks amazing! Congrats on finding a place.

Anonymous said...

Oh Amy, this place is just beautiful. I'm a little misty eyed just thinking about it. So great :)