It was a week of Palm trees and tropical breezes, of toes in the sand and drinks in our hands, of naps on the beach and swims in the ocean. It was a week free of to-do lists and errands to run. It was easy and simple and beautiful. It was everything we hoped it would be and everything we needed.

Adventurers at heart it was very difficult for us to decide on a "cookie cutter" honeymoon. It is unlike us to fly all the way to an intriguing new country to stay locked in a very touristy resort the whole time. But that is exactly what we did and ever minute of it was unbelievably fantastic!

My yoga instructor, Heidi, often tells us to "be kind to yourself," which is exactly what we chose to do. After the rush of wedding planning and with the weight of an international move on the horizon we knew we needed a break in between. We found that break in Cancun where we spent four glorious days without a care in the world. There was no where we needed to be and nothing we needed to do. Our biggest concerns were making sure we reapplied our sunscreen often enough (no sunburnt skin here!! Woot woot!!) and choosing which of the five restaurants we should eat at. There were also the hard decisiouns of what we should drink and if we should swim in the pool or ocean : )

In the end it was the echo of our wedding: simply perfect.

We are hoping to add a significant amount of video to the blog so we thought that this would be the ideal time to start, enjoy our honeymoon video below followed by a gallery of photographs!! (PS Being our first official video it took us a while to get it sorted out which is why this post is so late)

Our wedding week finally came and it was everything we hoped it would be. We held the wedding weekend at an off-the-beaten-path location in Jefferson, Maine. The town itself is secluded as is, and as you continue to swerve through it's streets lines with cow specked farms and tangled trees, you will eventually arrive at Broken Acres Farm & Family Resort which is only sighted with the help of a rusted red sign next to a big white barn. Turning on to a dirt drive you are sure that this place is going to be a run-down nothing in the middle of nowhere but shortly you will see a splot of trees towering over the expanse of grass. As you pull around what can only be considered an island in the sea of fields the pavilion begins to form. 

A simple structure, it blends in with its simple surroundings. The pavilion was draped in white fabric which gently wafted in the breeze under the open-air beams. Upcycled clear bottles bundled together, spotted by white candles, topped white linen lined picnic tables. Said tables were spaciously placed on the gravel and cornered by festive spreads. Drinks of home-made sangria, soda pop bottles, and craft beers chilled in tin containers. A guestbook made up of wooden hearts asks to be decorated and then dropped in a shadow-box frame. Connoli are perched precariously on a hand built birch tree stand with the traditional, chocolate ricotta, and limoncello flavors out shadowed by two large Connoli at the peak. The cannoli, which were specially delivered from Mike's Pastry in Boston, were accompanied by toppings in porcelain white dipping dishes; mini M&Ms, coconut, crushed nuts, gram cracker crumbs, mini chocolate chips, rainbow and chocolate sprinkles were eyed by hungry passing guests.

Follow a dirt pathway that weaves around tree trunks in the direction of the hand-painted wooden ceremony sign until you see a clearing with pine benches crafted by Kim and her father, Sonny. A long white stretch of fabric droops easily across an open space between two trees, singling the ceremony area. The strums of Katie's guitar stings fill the air as the painter's strokes fill the canvas with the wedding scene. 

The skies cleared just in time for the ceremony. After walking down the isles with our fathers, Kim's Uncle Johnny began officiating with a warm welcome. Starting with a twist on the traditional hand fasting ceremony as well as a hand blessing, we asked each member of our family to place a ribbon over our united hands as a reminder of the love from each member that has nurtured them through their individual lives, as well as a sign of support in their future marriage together. Nataliee, Kim's good friend, read the following during the hand fasting:

These are the hands of your best friend, young and strong and full of love for you, that are holding yours on you wedding day as you promise to love each other today, tomorrow and forever.
These are the hands that will work along side yours as together you build your future.
These are the hands that will passionately love you, cherish you through the years, and will comfort you like no other.
These are the hands that will push you towards your dreams and will embrace you with joy to celebrate your victories.
These are the hands that will support you and hold you tight as you struggle through difficult times.
These are the hands that will countless times wipe tears from your eyes, tears of sorrow and tears of joy.
These are the hands that will give you strength when you need it the most.
These are the hands that even when wrinkled and aged will still be reaching for yours as you walk through life hand in hand. 
May these hands always reach out with love, tenderness and respect.
May these hands continue to build a loving relationship that lasts a lifetime.  

After we tied the ribbons into a knot, Johnny read Union by Robert Fulghum:

            “You have known each other from the first glance of acquaintance to this point of commitment. At some point, you decided to marry. From that moment of yes to this moment of yes, indeed, you have been making promises and agreements in an informal way. All those conversations that were held riding in a car or over a meal or during long walks – all those sentences that began with “When we’re married” and continued with “I will and you will and we will” – those late night talks that included “someday and somehow and maybe” – and all those promises that are unspoken matters of the heart. All these common things, and more, are the real process of a wedding. The symbolic vows that you are about to make are a way of saying to one another, “You know all those things we’ve promised and hoped and dreamed – well, I meant it all, every word.” Look at one another and remember this moment in time. Before this moment you have been many things to one another – acquaintance, friend, companion, lover, and even teacher, for you have learned much from one another in these last few years. Now you shall say a few words that take you across a threshold of life, and things will never quite be the same between you. For after these vows, you shall say to the world, this is my wife.”


We wrote our vows together as a conversation between the two of us and the equal promises we made to one another:


A: I take you to be my best friend, my faithful partner, and my one true love

K: I promise to give you the best of myself and not to take you for granted

A: I promise to be authentic with you, to be honest even when it is not easy

K: I promise to love all of you while we grow individually and together in mind and spirit

A: I promise to help you be your best self, encourage you, and laugh with you

K: I promise to challenge you, inspire you, and support you in your dreams

A: I promise to cherish our experiences, to be grateful for all that we have, and what is yet to come

K: I promise to love you through sadness and joy, through all the triumphs of life

A: I promise to love you unconditionally through all of our adventures in life together

K: And I take you to be my best friend, my faithful partner, and my one true love

Johnny followed our vows with another reading, Blessing for a Marriage by James Dillet Freeman

“May your marriage bring you all the exquisite excitements a marriage should bring, and may life grant you also patience, tolerance, and understanding. May you always need one another – not so much to fill your emptiness as to help you to know your fullness. A mountain needs a valley to be complete. The valley does not make the mountain less, but more. And the valley is more a valley because it has a mountain towering over it. So let it be with you and you. May you need one another, but not out of weakness. May you want one another, but not out of lack. May you entice one another, but not compel one another. May you embrace one another, but not out encircle one another. May you succeed in all-important ways with one another, and not fail in the little graces. May you look for things to praise, often say, “I love you!” and take no notice of small faults. If you have quarrels that push you apart, may both of you hope to have good sense enough to take the first step back. May you enter into the mystery that is the awareness of one another’s presence – no more physical than spiritual, warm and near when you are side by side, and warm and near when you are in separate rooms or even distant cities. May you have happiness, and may you find it making one another happy. May you have love, and may you find it loving one another.”


We then exchanged rings while reciting:

With this ring, I give you my heart. I promise from this day forward, you will never walk alone; my heart would be your shelter, and my arms will be your home.


Lastly, Johnny left us with a native American wedding blessing

“Now you feel no rain, for each of you will be shelter to the other.
Now you will feel no cold for each of you will be warmth to the other.
Now there will be no loneliness for you.
Now you are two persons, but there is only one life before you.
Go now into the world to enter into the days of your togetherness.
And may your days be good and long together.”

After our first kiss and being announced we practically bounced down the isle hand-in-hand. We led our guests to a grassy area where we held a picnic hour (in light of a cocktail hour). Each couple snagged their basket and joined the group at a picnic table to meet with friends, new and old. Inside the baskets was a slew of our favorite things accompanied by this note explaining them all:

After the picnic hour we opened the pavilion for our first dance as a married couple. We swayed to Train's Marry Me, a song that we knew we would dance to on our wedding day from the first time we heard it. Then, in one of our favorite traditions, we had dessert before the meal, feeding each other Cannoli - Kim's traditional (plain ricotta) and mine Oreo dipped in Oreo. Shortly after it was time for the main meal. Kim being a chef food is obviously a big part of our lives so we knew when it came to our big day we needed not only something fantastic but also special. Our perfect solution was found in Chef Joseph of El Corazon, a Mexican Food Truck based out of Portland. We knew from the first bite that we didn't want to share any other meal with our friends and family on our wedding day. Of course it was a big hit; with tacos, burritos, taquitos, and Kim's tamale (cilantro & lime mesa filled with green spice pulled chicken). 

As the sun lowered onto the horizon the candles began to glow, the conversations continued and fog rolled in. Dances were had, tacos were eaten, drinks were sipped faster, and the laughter grew louder. The late night crew drew to the bonfire to roast s'mores and the night ended sweetly. Those who stayed at the Farm over night joined us in the morning for a brunch and warm conversation.

Our day was truly made by the family and friends that surrounded us the whole weekend. Having all of our favorite people in the same place made us happier than words can say and being able to share our wedding day with those closest to us is something we will treasure forever. The memories of this day are bright in our mind and the emotions that flowed through us will stay with us into our future life together. 

Our fantastic photographer Justine from Justine Johnson Photography captured the beauty of the day and shared all of these teasers with us, more loveliness to come. Alisa's hair and makeup was completed by Sara of Sara Jean's Salon in Auburn. Alisa's astilbe bouquet was put together by Roak the Florist out of Auburn. Alisa's hairpiece, dress, the guestbook as well as both of our rings were found on Etsy. The invitations and other stationary was designed, printed, and painted by Alisa. 

This has been a very strange week of ups and downs. Lots going on as usual and it feels like time is speeding up. 

It was Art Show week at school which is always fantastically chaotic. Almost every year all the art teachers in my district get together at the high school to put up a huge show with artwork from every student in Oxford Hills. I joined the other seven art teachers on Monday to hang up over 3000 pieces of artwork. A few hours and several rolls of duck tape later we had a spectacular exhibit. I then hosted a special family night for Rowe and West Paris Schools on Thursday evening. I love bringing the community together to celebrate youth art. Lastly, on Friday, all 500 of my students took a field trip over to the high school to visit the show. The students loved seeing their artwork on display and viewing the amazing creativity from the others. 

On Tuesday I got to join two of my students along with their families at the State House in Augusta. We attended a recognition ceremony for all of the students whose artwork was selected to hang in a special exhibit throughout the State House and Capital Building. It was all very exciting, especially meeting the First Lady of Maine and wandering through the State House rooms. 

Kim had her first appointment with the Travel Clinic on Wednesday. She got three shots: Rabies, Polio, and Japanese Encephalitis. Due to her recent eczema flare-up on her hands she is currently on antibiotics so they decided not to give her the Typhoid vaccination at this point but will be sure to give it to her before we leave. She is set to get blood work done to see if she has been vaccinated for Hep. B, if not they will administer the Twin Rx which is the Hep. A & B together. All in all it seems to be the same process that I started a couple weeks ago. 

All hands are on deck with wedding tasks. Both big and small we are checking things off the never-ending to-do list daily now. We made the early call to move the ceremony to the reception location because of the high chance of rain. No matter the weather I am certain that we will have a spectacular day! 

Kim and I got to enjoy some bachelorette fun with our friends this weekend. Kim meet up with her close friends at a local pool hall and had a grand time. 

Meanwhile my darling friend Katie threw me a gathering with some of my favorite ladies. We had drinks, treats, facials, nail art, and other girly fun things (including the best waffles ever in the morning!). It was a blast of a night and I am so thankful to have such amazing people in my life to spend these special times with. 

On Sunday we took a break from our wedding prep to spend some time with (my sister) Amanda and her partner, Josh, to help them with their wedding planning. They are married and having their wedding in October in Kennebunk, Maine. We all drove down to their venue, Oceanwoods Resort, for a special wedding open house. We tasted the menu, talked table settings, scoped out the rooms, and visited the beach that they will be having their ceremony on. Kim and I are intending to return for the wedding but in case it doesn't happen we are so glad to be a part of the planning process.