![\"\"](\"http:\/\/www.appleattic.net\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/894a.jpg\" "\\"894a\\"")
<\/a>Great Salt Lake with Wasatch Mountain backdrop<\/p><\/div>\n
The flights, both ways, were OK but crowded. No delays, no real long layovers, everything was on time. Still, one cannot help but feel like a member of the great\u00a0unwashed masses. Only real problem: My suspenders always set off the security scanner alams and I have to get patted down. I refuse to remove them to go through security. Besides, it gives the TSA agents something to do.<\/p>\n
We stayed at the Carleson Courtyard Inn & Suites, as that was the designated base of operations for the entire wedding party and guests. Nice hotel, and the off-season rates were decent. Better than usual accommodation for us, as we had a suite on the first floor which was quite comfortable and convenient.<\/p>\n
We arrived on Friday night and found Mary, Jeff, and some of the guests gathered in the hotel’s breakfast room enjoying some adult beverages and talk. We joined right in. Pam knew many of the wedding attendees, having grown up with Mary and Jeff’s brothers and sisters\u00a0through elementary and high school. I had met many of them on other occasions, including class reunions and other family functions, so didn’t feel like a stranger.<\/p>\n
One of the common questions asked by people we had not met before was “How are you connected?” to the bride or groom. The use of the word “connected” seemed to be very appropriate. This gathering felt a lot more like a small community of friends and family coming together rather than just an event. Given the hotel’s breakfast room and menu we ended up eating together and talking to more people than we ever had at a wedding. It was very nice!<\/p>\n
Pam had sent some e-mails to her family letting them know we would be in Minneapolis. Her sister Becky and brother Craig were able to make it up for a visit on Saturday morning.\u00a0This gave us a chance to visit for a couple hours and catch up on family news. Here is a photo of the siblings:<\/p>\n
<\/a>Becky, Craig, and Pam<\/p><\/div>\n
The wedding was scheduled for 3:00 PM on Saturday. Temperature was supposed to top out at about 40 degrees, 10 degrees below normal for the day. There was a light breeze blowing from time to time which increased the chill factor. After saying goodbye to Becky and Craig, we\u00a0jumped into our\u00a0rented car\u00a0and took off to find the wedding venue. The directions we had were somewhat vague, but we managed to arrive (just) before the ceremony began.<\/p>\n
The wedding was held at Gale Wood Farms, a farm donated to the State of Minnesota to run both as a park and working farm. The site chosen for the ceremony overlooked a lake, which offered us a quite nice view of the rolling lands of central Minnesota. Many guests had arrived before us. A few men were dressed in suits, myself included, and some of the ladies were in dresses, but most were bundled up in heavy coats and wearing\u00a0gloves. The wind stopped, but it was still a chilly day.<\/p>\n
<\/a>Hanny and Naja’s outdoor ceremony<\/p><\/div>\n
The Episcopalian ceremony went quickly and\u00a0 the new couple were soon on their way to form the reception line. The reception was held in a (heated) barn-like structure near the site of the ceremony. The heat was appreciated, and we set out to talk with other guests until dinner was served.\u00a0A few of the guests were from Mary, Jeff, and Pam’s high school class\u00a0and were good friends. We struck up converations with a few of them:<\/p>\n
<\/a>Jan and Tony Hutchens (left) join up with Tim Turnbull (center) and Pam (right)<\/p><\/div>\n
Mary and Jeff\u00a0 made the rounds to all the tables while dinner was being served:<\/p>\n