I know, I know, this post is long overdue. I guess you can say that ski season caught up to me and I put it on the back burner. Anyway, for those who are interested, this is my short little story of our "1st" wedding.
As a part of Lise's K-1 Fiance visa, we were required to get married upon 90 days of her entering the U.S. With Lise's mom coming out for a conference I proposed the idea of having a ceremony while she was here and inviting my mother to fly out to Denver as well. Everyone seemed to like that idea so I asked my friend Matt from
Dry Bones Denver if he would officiate it for us and then we picked our date: September 22nd.
Picking a location was rather last minute since the flooding around Colorado had just stopped and we had quite a limitation on a lot of the scenic locations we first wanted. Fall in Colorado is one of my favorite times but also very unpredictable when it comes to the weather (75 and sunny one minute and 35 and freezing the next). Unfortunately, we got dealt the latter of those two options. Living in Golden for just a short period of time, I really enjoyed running up
lookout mountain to Buffalo Bill's grave and the scenic overview at the top there. We scouted a few campsite locations, which were all taken, so I suggested driving up to the
Boettcher Mansion at the very top. I knew there was a small gazebo in the back so I thought we could just head back there and have a quaint, private ceremony. Once we arrived, however, we quickly realized there was another wedding reception going on inside the mansion itself and several "no trespassing" signs were posted outside. I was a little reluctant with what to do next but Lise, without hesitation, said she was going to sneak back to the gazebo anyway and with her taking off first, we one by one quietly snuck to the back. Now, how many of you can say you crashed a wedding to have your wedding!?
Matt read a few things he had prepared for us, Lise and I read our vows that we had written to one another, we exchanged rings, I prayed for us all as a new family, I kissed my new bride, and then Matt announced us as husband and wife. The winds were howling as the ceremony went on and Lise even covered up with a blanket while our mothers both toughed it out. I like to think that they were so excited about having their first children getting married that they sort of blocked out the cold. Once we were finished, we all snuck back out to the car and signed the marriage certificate inside to escape the weather.
Thank you to everyone who has supported us so far in our relationship. It has been a little unconventional and difficult as we wait even now for Lise's Green Card and for her to become an official U.S. resident. We are planning a "2nd" destination wedding in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic for Mid-November and hope that some of our family and friends will be able to join us to celebrate.
Enjoy some of the photos below from our day!
The Boettcher Mansion on a good day...
(Photo by Ron and Chris Smith)
Matt Wallace and us during the ceremony
Ring Exchange
"You may now kiss your bride..."
First night in Cancun
We found the seaweed/algae really interesting and oddly beautiful
Waiting for the wedding
Such a beautiful wedding
Fish and turtles at Cenote Grande Azul
Eating with Lise's Aunt Leanne in Playa Del Carmen
Lake Bacalar
Final two nights at the Westin Lagunamar in Cancun
Witness #2