from the weekend

Wedding weekends are exhausting, but this one was definitely one for the books.

I stayed in a hotel in Kenosha a couple blocks away from the reception venue this weekend because my mom is redoing her kitchen. Took myself out for dinner to The Brat Stop for dinner on Friday night after doing a scoop of the frontage roads and driving up and down Hwy 50 trying to figure out where I wanted to eat. Caught a gorgeous sunset from their parking lot after I ate, and happily watched the end of it from my hotel room window. Danced in my underwear to Metro Station and took the hottest shower of my life to end an exhausting travel day. 

Saturday was a work day. 11 hours worth of wedding-ing. This is the first wedding I’ve shot this year where I didn’t know the couple previously, and it was one of the most fun weddings I’ve ever worked. Not knowing a single person there can sometimes be a blessing... I sat with the DJ’s at the reception, got the whole crowd cheering for the bridal party when I made everyone dance at the head table for pictures, and caught so much overwhelming joy. I have 2.6k pictures to go through, and I’m so excited to deliver these when I get them done. 

I took a walk around the hotel Sunday morning, in tradition with my #annalovesmornings series. The blue and yellow flowers, blue skies, and the fallen construction sign kinda made my day. Packed, checked out and drove home. I went to the cemetery after I got into town to talk to my dad and sit in the quiet and pray. I still can’t believe it’s been 2 years since he’s been gone already. I visited with my mom’s neighbors that have known me since childhood. Noelle came over and we went out for coffee. When we walked into the Coffee House, Crazy Lady was sitting at a table inside and she recognized me from when I worked at Adrian’s! After making awkward small talk, we bee-lined for the park behind the library and talked for a few hours. Then it was a quick trip to Adrian’s to pick up a quart of Pistachio Almond and a pit stop out to my mom’s work to see her before I left town. 

All in all, a solid weekend.