My trip to the rainforest for a "doin' it my way" kind of wedding!
Wednesday, September 2, 2009 at 3:36PM A non-traditional wedding in the middle of the Olympic Peninsula surrounded by towering trees and a lush rainforest is just all out inspiring! My very good friend and her now husband did it right. They invited everyone to stay for several days at the Lake Quinault Lodge three hours outside of Seattle located in the Olympic National Park. The location and natural beauty was stunning. The itinerary: hiking through rainforest, bonfires, kids romping around on the lush green lawn, canoeing competition, swimming in the lake if you dared (I did!) and hanging out in good ole' fashion style!
While I was out, I missed quite a few days of The Gratitude Challenge so I'm stepping in on Day 14 where the assignment is to share a photo of a place, thing, person or moment that I'm grateful for. You can check out 26 things I'm grateful for and my post, Unexpected Blessings, that will inspire you to keep your chin up. Grateful I am and digital cameras come to mind right now! I took over 600 pictures on this trip and I plan on creating a photo collage on canvas with the best photos. Here's a few of them for you to enjoy!
Kids (and adults) couldn't get enough of the big lawn.
From our hike through the rainforest.
Creepy, beautiful and huge!
We did yoga on the morning of the wedding. One of my favorite things from the weekend. Ava, my 5 yo, is the last one on the right!
The bride and groom surprise us with their grand entrance, this is when I lost it.
My girls playing on the beach
Sitting by the bonfire during an overcast day was peaceful
When you get sun in this part of the country, you better take it in and love every moment of it!
This place is what I call God's Country. A place on Earth that has been protected from human beings. And President Franklin Roosevelt did just that in 1938 when he designated this area a national park. I had a moment of true understanding or aha! moment as Oprah would say, while reading the history of the lodge and the park. It's not often we appreciate the benefits that come from decisions made by previous generations to protect the environment. It made me realize how powerful and important it is for our generation to pay it forward to future generations!
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Reader Comments (4)
AWESOME!
Would've loved a picture of the bride and groom up close!
Beautiful photos! Looks like a fabulous place to attend a wedding!
You certainly captured the beauty of this location. It is one of my very favorite places to visit and enjoy the beauty of nature. Thanks for sharing this photos, they bring back many happy memories.
@barb Most of us talked about going back! The location was amazing and the rates for the rooms at the lodge were not too bad. Around $115/night.
@cindy: I would have *loved* to post a photo of the bride but I didn't have a chance to ask her if its okay. I try to be careful about this since people are cautious about posting personal photos.
@stephanie: it was a perfect place for a low-key wedding or any kind of family reunion!