To A BELOVED HISTORY AND EXCITING FUTURE,

FROM, RAYNA

Ranelle & Daniel's Backyard Wedding - Torch Lake, Michigan

What.. a.. weekend! Easily one of my favorite few days since moving to Michigan. Having booked Ranelle and Daniel's wedding on the week of my husband and my's first wedding anniversary, we decided to make a special trip out of it and stay up north through the weekend. We left for Torch Lake Thursday night, renting out a rustic cabin right on the lake. Mornings were comprised of coffee, sitting on the dock, and fresh chilly air. It was a one off weekend weather wise, colder than normal for the first week of September and staying in the mid 50s. This felt like the best place to welcome fall, though! Friday we ventured to Bellaire and wondered about town, stopping for lunch at Short's Brewing. That evening we explored other lakeside towns and houses before our anniversary celebration back at the cabin. We didn't have a wedding cake at our wedding (I opted for ice cream!), so couldn't save the top layer for the tradition of eating it on your first anniversary. Instead, we picked up a small cake from a local grocer to "fake partake" in the tradition, and ate it by a campfire. The perfect set up!

The next day I spent celebrating Ranelle and Daniel as they hosted their backyard wedding with their closest friends and family right on the shores of Torch Lake. the history of the home is incredible. What used to be a boy scouts summer camp sitting just down the road where the family sent their kids for summer camp, was converted into a place to come back and create memories every summer. The tables and benches pictured were repurposed from the camp, too! Family helped in arranging the wedding florals and setting up the ceremony space. Each part of the day had a hand of love intertwined from the guests, making it so special. It was such a gorgeous space and the bluest waters welcomed the newlyweds.

To cap off the celebration, s'mores were roasted and drinks were shared. I left the lake house feeling like I was part of the family.