Lorinda Leigh
- May 25, 2016

Heather + James | Camp Puh'tok

Rain. Pouring rain. You would think that that would be my first thought when it comes to Heather and James' wedding day, but it's not. You would also think that the on-and-off torrential downpour that took over their October weekend would have but a damper on things, but it didn't. Heather and James were getting married. And that's all that mattered to them and their guests as they spent the weekend celebrating.

Heather and James opted to do one of my very favorite things for their wedding, they turned what is usually a 5-7 hour event into an ENTIRE WEEKEND at Camp Puh'tok. Friends and family arrived on Friday to search for their assigned cabins and didn't leave until Sunday. So many guests were excited by the idea of a campground wedding that Heather and James filled every.single.cabin with those who RSVPed. All guests were treated to a welcome dinner on Friday night and activities leading up to the wedding on Saturday! How much fun is that?! Making the weekend even more perfect was the simple fact that Heather and James met while camping.

As much as I loved everything about the weekend, my favorite thing had to be the way that Heather and James' friends and family came together and were willing to pitch in and help out. When I arrived on Friday for the rehearsal, several friends were helping to load in boxes, making sure the area for dinner was ready to go, gathering firewood, etc. It was just so fantastic to see everyone really embracing the rainy camping weekend!

The weather continued to do exactly what it wanted to do as the time arrived for Heather and James to walk down the aisle on Saturday. Deciding not to back down from the outdoor ceremony that they wanted, Heather made her way to the council ring in her rain boots and quickly switched to her shoes at the last minute. Taking a chance on the weather worked out and the rain held to only a sprinkle as Heather and James said their "I dos"! The officiant, a friend of the bride and groom who was there the night the couple met, kept guests laughing as he started with an Apache blessing that mentioned "feeling no rain" and spoke about Heather's inability to fill the Brita and James' inability to keep track of his wallet and keys. The ceremony had so many sweet and personal touches, it was absolutely perfect.

The rest of the night was stunning. Camp Puh'tok's Thunderbird Lodge was all decked out in shades of corals and mint. The food was delicious, the decorations perfect and the band kept guests on the dance floor all night long.