a{MINNE}weekend

Mr. + Mrs. Harper

Nick + I travelled North to the Twin Cities this past weekend for the wedding of Mike + Katie - the now Mr. + Mrs. Harper!  


FRIDAY:

Nessie a.ka. Minne

Cari.Nessie.Nick.Kaleigh

The weekend started out at my sisters on Friday afternoon!  Side note:  she moved to MSP a few months back from DSM.  It was Nick's first time seeing her apt by Lake Calhoun, so she took us around Lake Calhoun and the Lake of the Isles.  As soon as she pulled up to Lake of the Isles we had to pull over because we found Nessie: the Loch Ness Monster!  Ok you're right - we're in the States, not Scotland, but Cari told me she had been looking for Nessie all summer -- however Minnesota calls her Minne.  What a cool idea!  A little background on why we had Cari slam on the brakes + pull over:  this is Nick's favorite story from childhood - he liked to read books on the mystery of Nessie + of course did a project/book report over the subject -- we just had to get a picture with Nessie/Minne!

K+N @ Rehearsal Dinner

MiniBoot

Nick was an usher in the McQuillan/Harper wedding and so Friday night we attended the wedding rehearsal + dinner for Mike + Katie.  Rehearsal dinner was at Jake O'Connors near Lake Minnetonka -- it was a perfect setup!  Mike's parents hosted + rented the entire basement/bar space for the party.  The meal was amazing + Mike's dad, Jim, gave a great speech about his son and daughter-in-law + there was an awesome slide show put together by the bride + groom.  As part of the wedding party, Nick received a gift -- a mini boot + one of his favorite beers to go along with it!  How perfect is a mini boot!?  Thanks Mike + Katie!  
SATURDAY:

navy nails :)

Lunch with Cari

On Saturday morning Cari + I took Nick, Dave O, Dave W, + Dusty to a bowling alley in St. Louis Park to meet up with the rest of the wedding party to do some bowling + start the filming of the wedding video by oceanwide studios!  Side Note: same company that did our wedding videos a couple years ago: check out the engagement shoot + wedding same day edit!  A few of our other friends have done it since then -- worth the $$$!  The video they put together this past weekend for Mike + Katie was FANTASTIC so watch for it to show up on their site!

cupcakes @ yum!

After we dropped the boys off, Cari + I got our nails done.  My dress was a navy with some gold + black so I chose navy for my nails.  It's been one of my favorite colors to wear for the past year or so . . . I always tease if I was getting married this year it'd be the color because two years ago brown was my navy + that's what our wedding was - BROWN!  Then we went to eat some lunch at a fantastic place called yum!  My mom + sister have been there multiple times now + have been raving about it - I would have to agree, it was pretty tasty.  We both got grilled cheeses + shared some amazing fries!  A couple months ago, my mom even brought some cupcakes back for Nick + I - they were tasty!  I didn't get a cupcake this time around, but next time maybe -- they are decorated so perfect + pretty!

bling!

Nick with the ICB

After lunch I had to head back to Cari's apt to get ready for the wedding + then head to the hotel to meet up with our friends, Blake + Dani, to go to the ceremony together.  I already told you my dress was a navy + gold -- well, I had been excited for a while to wear the ring in the pic to the left -- just had to take a picture of it!  It's the wishing well ring from lia sophia!  Just love it!  We then went to the ceremony + I joined the wedding party on the trolley afterward - the {mc}Harpers were kind enough to include everyone's significant others on the trolley!  The trolley took us to the proposal spot of the two - they had more photos + we enjoyed some champagne + beer.  Many also took Irish Car Bombs - YIKES - I definitely passed on that!  We also stopped at a bar before heading back to Bearpath for the reception. 

N+K

Once we got to the reception we hung out with some friends that we don't get to see very much - so that was really fun seeing them all!  One little friend came all the way from Ontario, Canada!  His name is Easton + he made my night!  His mom + dad are Ash + Dewey -- they moved back to Canada from Owatonna before we moved back to Iowa.  Dewey was an usher in our wedding a couple years ago!  The reason he made my night is because he wanted to sit by me during dinner + hang out with Nick + I. He is 3 years old + just the cutest little thing!  Tonight he was using his parent's phone with the "heytell" app on it + we were sending voice messages back + forth - I think he really likes Nick more than me, but he hung out with me for quite sometime Saturday night!  

Here are a few more pics of some friends: 

Dani.Kaleigh.Courtney

Courtney with her FUR!

SUNDAY:

When we got home to our house in Ankeny I checked our mail + found my new necklace from the Silpada party I attended a couple weeks ago!  It's a sideways cross - I've seen this style on a few different girls + really liked it, then I attended this party + saw it in their magazine - had to get it!  Thanks for having the party, Mer!  

For dinner tonight we used a Groupon at Mandarin Grill + Sushi Bar!  We ordered so much food: shrimp tempura rolls, kung pow beef, soup for each of us + lettuce wraps!  We felt like little oinkers, but in the end we only owed a little less than 6$ - ok so I originally paid 15$ for the 30$ groupon, but that's not bad!!  It was so good + we were pretty stuffed on our way out!