Super long post coming. We just returned from a 4 day vacation in Antigua, Guatemala to celebrate the wedding of Ryan Slie (one of Chris's oldest friends) and Heather Crouse (we've known her for about a year, and she has become one of our dearest friends). We flew through Houston to drop the girls off with Mimi & PopPop, then continued on to Guatemala. Antigua is a gorgeous city in the mountains, with warm weather during the day, and very chilly nights. The town looks like something out of a magazine and just feels magical.
Here are the billion pictures:
After a fun dinner and salsa dancing Thursday night, we woke up early Friday morning and headed to Volcano Pacaya for 3 hour hike. About 90 people came to Guatemala for the wedding, and I think around 40 or so came on the hike that morning. It was so beautiful and our tour guide was great. I can now check "hike an active volcano" off my bucket list. I don't think it was actually on my bucket list, but that's beside the point. :)
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| At the top with a bigger volcano behind me. |
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| Chris and I snuggling. Notice the steam coming out to his right! |
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| Ben and Amanda having a sword fight with their sticks |
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| Picnic lunch at the top |
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| Lots of starving dogs wandering around...here's Chris giving one some water. |
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| Sean, Chris, Slie, and Stover |
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| Me and my boys |
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| The whole group at the top |
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| Enjoying a post-hike beer |
Pics from the rehearsal dinner:
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| Sean, Stovers, Mark, Paceys, Huntleys |
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| Kathleen, me, Amanda |
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| The boys getting ready to toast |
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| One of the street markets in Antigua |
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| This sweet little family was playing so people could dance in the streets. Notice that the little boy is playing turtle shells!! |
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| My Aunt Diane currently lives in Guatemala, about 3 hours away from Antigua. So very happy we got to reconnect after too many years apart. We spent the morning of the wedding eating and wandering around Antigua. Love you, Auntie Dee!! |
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| These are the ruins behind that gorgeous cathedral |
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| The cathedral was built on top of Mayan ruins and some of the Mayan dungeons were converted to sacred altars. Creepy and holy all in one spot!! |
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| Happened to see some of our friends eating at a restaurant that overlooked the ruins we were in! |
And now for the wedding. It took place in GORGEOUS ruins. There was no electrical lighting, just 5000 candles that illuminated the ceremony and reception. Unbelievable...there are no words and pictures barely do it justice.
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A view of the wedding reception from the balcony we were on for cocktail hour |
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| One of my all-time favorite pictures. This is from the pre-wedding cocktail hour. |
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| Stovers, Huntleys, Paceys |
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| Gallo: the local beer. We drank a lot of it over the weekend. :) |
The ceremony
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| Kathleen, Amanda, Chels, and me right before the wedding started |
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| Slie walking Brooklyn (his daughter and flower girl) down the aisle |
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| The beautiful bride and her father |
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| Sean and Mark singing a beautiful song that Slie wrote |
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| The reception |
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| Amanda and I |
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| Paceys, Huntley, Slies, and Stovers. The boys have been friends for over 20 years...and we girls feel like we've been friends that long, too. |
There was an after-party at our hotel after the reception. It was probably our favorite part of the weekend. There were about 30 or 40 people there and everyone relaxed and partied like ROCK STARS. Stayed up dancing and drinking and talking until 3:30 in the morning. SO MUCH FUN!!!
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| Chels and I at the after-party |
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| A dear new friend I made...Amy. She is marrying another of our good friends, Jack, in January |
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| Dancing |
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| More dancing |
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| Slie pretending he doesn't like to dance. |
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| But here we see he is really having a great time on the dance floor. |
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| Mark making a very typical Mark face. |
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| Happy Bride |
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| Crazy Brian, aka BK..he is the life of the party wherever he goes. |
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| Schultz...another life of the party. He is a doctor. Not kidding. |
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| Another new friend..darling Kelly. |
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| Our gorgeous hotel |
We stayed an extra day after the wedding and spent most of it at the spa. :)
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| Spa Madeleine |
It was truly such an incredible weekend and I could go on and on about it. We feel so blessed to have such amazing friends and to be able to spend 4 days pretending to be in college again. It was so refreshing and just what Chris and I needed after our difficult, hectic past year and a half. I love how much we love each other...and I know Ryan & Heather will feel the same way when they've been married 9 years.
