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Camp Wedding and Baby

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Welcome to Day 5 of Wandawega Week!

Today I’m going to share a little bit about the friendly folks behind the oh-so-creative camp. David, Tereasa…and a sweet, little cherub-faced girl named Charlie.

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“Boy meets girl. Boy proposes. Boy suggests that they purchase his abandoned childhood summer camp to be wed at. Girl accepts on both counts.”

David and Tereasa’s wedding ceremony was held at Wandawega, atop a hill, and overlooking the lake. Tereasa, carried a bouquet of daisies, and her father, Tom, walked her down the aisle to Elvis’s “Can’t Help Falling in Love,” played on the guitar by Nicholas Barron. They hired a Nashville-based company called Hatchshow Print to create their wooden wedding invitations and silk-screened RSVP and Save-the-Date postcards. The invitation and RSVP cards were packaged inside a brown kraft-paper envelope, along with an old map of the Wandawega resort. The envelopes were secured with a gingham ribbon and fastened with a small embroidered patch.

Upon arrival, wedding guests were greeted by a 1955 Mercury Monterrey. The couple shares a love for vintage cars and motorcycles, so it was only fitting that they park one from their collection on the property. Next to the car, Tereasa placed a “D.H. + T.S.” sign, and surrounded it with pots bursting with bunches of daisies.

Even though the day was rain-filled, Tereasa and David still describe their wedding as being “the color of sunshine“. Partly because of all the yellow rain slickers, rain boots, and the abundance of daisies- but also because they believe that “sunshine is very much a state of mind“. (I whole-heartedly agree!)

Their vanilla wedding cake was decorated with buttercream icing and daisies. And, of course, no camp gathering would be complete without a bonfire, so following the reception, everyone gathered ’round to roast marshmallows, sing campfire songs, and enjoy the starry night in the woods.

*swoon*

Here are all the dreamy wedding deets:

Venue: Camp Wandawega; available for rental through Town and Country Locations
Stationery: Hatch Showprint
Band: Nicholas Barron Quartet
Photography: Chris Strong; Matthew Gore; Robert Jillson; Mitch Gordon; Landis Smithers
Cake & Catering: Rodney Oksuita, besteventscatering.com
Desserts & Brunch: Christine Busby of Busby Bakes
Daisy Wreath and Garlands: Pesche’s Greenhouse
Bride’s Dress: Jenny Lee

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Fast forward to nine months ago. David and Tereasa welcomed daughter, Charlie, to the world…

Tereasa created a woodsy-style nursery for her in their Chicago home…

…and another one at Camp Wandawega…

To create a paint-by-number (PBN) mural like the one above, Tereasa suggests searching eBay to find an old school PBN painting guide you love. Next, give each of the colors on it a number, and then match each number to a paint chip.

Once you’ve decided on your palette, take your paint chips to the paint store and buy ’em up, Buttercup! After that, use a projector to display your PBN guide onto the wall and begin tracing it out with a pencil.

Last but not least, fill in your numbers with the latex paint your purchased using a foam brush.

Tereasa also broke out her brush to brighten up a collection of old cuckoo clocks hanging on the wall in the Charlies Wandawega nursery…

Yesterday, I asked Tereasa about where she draws her inspiration from. She said…

“My inspiration is 3-fold:

1- Our biggest project yet, 9 month old Charliegirl

2- My dear (late) Dad, Tom (Turtle)

3- My freakishly patient husband, David.

Each of them has made me hyper-aware of just how fleeting life is, and that you have to chase down your dreams like a cheetah. My three muses inspire me daily to look at things with a lens of optimism, and quite simply, transforming the homes and spaces around my loved ones makes them happy, which makes me happy.”

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Outgoing and hospitable, David and Tereasa host a constant, rotating stream of visitors at Wandawega.

If you’d like to visit them and their magical camp, leave a comment on this post for a chance to win a 2-night stay for you and a friend, (if you’re parents with kids, the little ones are welcome too!) and we’ll randomly select a winner on Sunday (August 14, 2011) at noon (Central Time). Your getaway will include a welcome gift basket and access to all that wonderful Wandawega has to offer. Think: peace and quiet, boating, fishing, hiking, swimming, etc. David and Tereasa will be in touch with you to see about which dates will work best for you, based on availability. Good luck and may the fun force be with you!

PS- If you missed any of this week’s Wandawega posts- you can find them here: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4!

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Comments

  3. amy

    WOW!!! What a generous giveaway!!! Thank you so much for the chance. This place seems so magical, I would love to enjoy all their hardwork and creativity!

  5. Nikki B. from Ohio

    I have LOVED Wandawega Week! I’ve already been to the website seeing if there was a way my hubby and I could make a trip to stay out there. Looks perfectly serene and relaxing. Thanks for sharing everything, and can’t wait to find out if I WIN!

  7. Kimberly Barker

    Have loved following their story…thank you for sharing! Would love to win a family getaway to their family camp!

  8. Vicki Porter

    I JUST discovered Camp Wandawega and am truly inspired to do something, anything CREATIVE! Choose Me!!

  16. Erin

    Wandawega Week rocked! I’ve been to the website multiple times already to check out availabilities and to see all the beautiful pictures again and again! This place would be a perfect getaway for my husband and I!

  19. melissa

    Would love to see some of these pictures in person. It looks so “picture perfect.”

  21. Heather

    Hi,

    I would love the chance to win a stay at this wonderful camp. I esp liked the piece you wrote on the tree house! Thanks for adding my name to the group.

    All the best, Heather

  22. Kate

    Oh, I’m a Wisconsinite! We live in Chicago and go as often as possible and I feel the stress leave my neck as we drive further North. What a beautiful space they’ve created!

  24. Jena

    I would love a trip to Wandawega!! My husband and I are in much need of a getaway! And our anniversary was yesterday. I hope it brings us good luck!

  25. Lindsey

    I think this would be a great place for me and my husband to go for our anniversary!! I would love to win!! Please put my name in 🙂

  27. Sue

    We are far away in TX, but Wandawega looks like heaven to us right now (especially in our 100 degree heat)!!

  29. Ms. Maxwell

    Although adulthood took me west of the Rockies, I grew up in Wisconsin and spent many summer (and winter) weekends at magical lakeside camps around the state. Your spotlight on Wandawega was a warm and wonderful trip back to my childhood and our own vacation home on a Wisconsin lake that was passed along to a new family a generation ago. I hope the winner of this getaway gets a taste of Wisconsin and chooses to return again and again.

  30. Marsha

    What a delightful week! Have enjoyed reading about such a beautiful place that hosts such fabulous vacations and events. The owners are Soooo CREATIVE and I appreciate their sharing. Would love to see the treehouse.

  31. Natalie

    Oh, how fun!!! Would love a “rustic” getaway for the husband and myself…and maybe our “lil Layla 🙂

  33. Margaret C

    I have thoroughly enjoyed this series. The treehouse is especially inspiring. My kids have already started dreaming of their own treehouse. Thanks for sharing.

  35. Tina Byford

    This place is like a little slice of heaven on earth! Would love to have the chance to visit!!

  36. angie

    omg – it’s almost too good to be true! what a great series of blog posts you’ve done all week! i am crazy in love with the tree house! how incredible! i would love to win a stay there… what a great excuse to visit the midwest!

  38. Calico Child

    wow where do I begin its all so gorgeous what a talented lady loved the wedding the little baby how cute with all the nautical theme & the painting by numbers picture is a treasure thanks for that 🙂

  39. Emily J

    Sign me up! I have fallen in love with this place after reading your posts and I would love to go!

  40. Heidi @ Show Some Decor

    I have looooved these posts, Layla ~ like a little mini-vacation everytime I’ve read one. 🙂 Thanks for sharing this special place and these special people.
    Have a great weekend!

  44. Jody

    Please enter my name! Thanks for the great posts all week and the chance to win the book or stay at the camp!

  47. Dorrie Bell

    This beautiful camp brings back many wonderful memories from when I camped when I was young! I would love to be gifted with an opportunity to visit the camp and relive those wonderful times with my family. They have done an AMAZING job rejuvinating the camp!
    Thank you Lettered Cottage for sharing this amazing camp ground with all of us!

  48. nikki

    I have so enjoyed “Camp”! Reminds me of a place in Wisconsin where I used to go to camp 🙂 I now reside in TX, would love a chance to win!