Hawkins/Mohler Wedding

This has been the fall for weddings up at the camp.  This past weekend, the camp had the pleasure of being the venue for both the wedding and reception of the Hawkins/Mohler wedding party!

The families did a fabulous job in decorating the pavilion.  They really wanted the rustic, outdoorsy look, but also wanted the 'touches' that make it a wedding.  

The candle chandelier was a clever touch!

As was the welcome station.

The bride wanted to save the pavilion space for the reception.  They decorated the mantel . . .

And even had a sweet gift table set up.

And even the table decorations were cute, with burlap-covered mason jar votives, embellished with boots:

But where was the wedding going to take place??

They were really thinking outside the box on this one!  They set up square hay bales in a semi-circle out in front of the pavilion . . . 

Such a clever move and it really looks terrific.  At the end of the 'aisles' they set up end caps of tree trunks. This was a fun way to make Kleenex handy to guests:

And they dressed up the opening in the fence for a very sweet focal point of the wedding, too.

We wish a happy and blessed lifetime for the happy couple!

A very *busy* weekend!

This past weekend was very busy for the camp, with three back-to-back events, each with fifty participants or more!  Luckily the weather was fabulous for all three events, spanning four days.

The first event to kick off the weekend was the Martin/Blair wedding.  They got it started on Thursday, getting the pavilion all set up for the festivities.  The bride wanted a rustic, country look, complete with hay bales!

From the seating, to the table arrangements, the lighting, the gift "table" and even the cake stand, the bride definitely succeeded in pulling off the look she was going for.  

It all made for a lovely and fun Friday evening wedding and reception and even included a post-ceremony hay ride around the camp and hot dog and marshmallow roasting over the bonfire!

We wish Mr. and Mrs. Blair a happy and God-blessed life together!

The next event -- on Saturday -- was a family reunion ... one that's taken place up at the camp every year we've been hosts, and who knows how long before that!  This was the Jack's family reunion and it turns out that this year they had the greatest participation they'd had in a while, with fifty family members showing up!

As always, the food was plentiful and they were gracious enough to share with the camp hosts, so I can say with authority, it was good!

They had a good time and enjoyed each others company into the afternoon.

Finally, Sunday afternoon, the camp hosted the third event of the weekend, Lakewood Baptist Church's annual church picnic!

They had a terrific crowd -- one hundred members turned out to enjoy the food, fun, and festivities!  They even set up a sound system for music and a time of worship/devotion after the meal.

While we ran into quite a few members who had been up here before, there were also a few who were seeing the camp for the first time.  It never fails to impress, especially since our rainy, cool summer and lovely fall temps have really kept the camp looking green and pretty.  Brother Terrell Boyd, Lakewood's pastor, has been a good friend to the camp and we always enjoy hosting their church picnic!

Weekends are thoroughly packed with events through the end of November -- this past weekend was a terrific reminder of how much of a blessing this camp is to so many people, in such a variety of ways!

An August Camp Wedding

We were very excited ... there's not been a wedding up at the camp since we've been the hosts, so when Janet contacted us and wanted to hold her wedding up here, we were thrilled.  

Friday afternoon folks started showing up for the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner.  Will Faulkenberry, from Sherwood Baptist Church (and a friend) was officiating over the service.  Evidently Will's done several weddings up here in the past ... and all were related in some form or fashion to the current bride!

Tables and chairs were arranged to accommodate the bride walking down the aisle.  

Putting the picnic tables on the perimeter of the pavilion not only gave them plenty of room for regular seating on the inside, but gave them additional seating on the benches! 

After the rehearsal, Will's mom manned the grill and they enjoyed a terrific "cook out" feast.  

Saturday morning had the parents of the bride up getting things *just right* pretty early.  White tablecloths, a pretty table for the unity candle, and pillars with ferns up at the head of the pavilion all made for a pretty and rustic setting.

We even got a sneak peek at their lovely cake . . . 

By three o'clock, the pavilion was filling up with guests for the Watson/Burns wedding!  The bride made a quick appearance to check last minute details then zipped back around to the back (out of sight from the groom, who was due to arrive at any minute)!

The ceremony went off without a hitch and the entire party headed out to the playground for a full group shot.

The photographer was ingenious (not to mention a bit brave) -- she got up on top of the slide so she could see the whole group!

Once group photos were done, the party was on in the pavilion.  Putting the chairs away made an instant dance floor ... and the music, food, and cake flowed freely!

We're so happy to have been a part of Janet and Curt's happy day.  Congratulations!