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!
Wow, so inspiring!
My kids would love it! All of your postings regarding this camp have been inspiring! Chances of winning are pretty slim, but worth a shot!!!
Thanks! 🙂
…so I’ve been off on a wedding blog foray, and I returned to Lettered Cottage…to find a fantastic weddng post! sign me up for the giveaway *please*!!
I’d love to see their work in person! Beautiful and so creative.
It all sounds so fabulous! David and Theresa sound somehow super human with all they’ve accomplished. Thanks for the chance to visit such a cool place.
The hubs and I need TOTAL us trip away !!! We also need inspiration for our cabin in the woods — alot of inspiration !!!
Beautiful…just beautiful. Would love to see the camp and feel it’s story! (thanks for the chance!)
Wow, obsessed with Wandawega! Who wouldn’t want to go there!?
I love that paint-by-number mural. What an incredible place!
Would love to win a getaway!!
I have been in absolute awe of this amazing place. It’s made me question what the heck I am doing living in a big city. Wow, such a dream place and yes I’d be all over winning a weekend getaway there! Thanks so much for the chance!
Char
Beautiful – peaceful place!
Oh! I hope I win!! I’m only an hour drive from Chi-town to it!!! I love the Lake Geneva area!!
Florida has been so hot and this place looks nice and cool! Would love to visit!
After reading your posts this week, I would love to win. I can only imagine how this place “feels” in person. Thank you for sharing it all with us!
I can’t believe this little piece of heaven is less than a mile from my house. I would love to live on the lake someday!
I had to come out of lurkdom to comment on how much I’ve enjoyed this week’s posts. I’d love to bring my baby girl to camp!
What a dream come true in the making! So inspirational! I have loved every post about this precious place!
This place is absolutely the best! I can’t even believe all of the work it took to make it look like it does.
Another giveaway! Wow!!!! I’d love to win a getaway… I’ll bring my hubby ;o)
What a great dream come true!!! Thanks for sharing about the camp!! It sounds like a wonderful place for a family to relax!!
This place totally reminds of where I grew up in Maine. I would love to win and visit in person!!!
Please include my request for this wonderful get-a-way.
Thanks
Love Wisconsin! Love the camp!
It would be a dream come true!
wow! the ultimate giveaway – please count me in!!! and thank you 🙂
oh dreamy! never been to camp but dreamed of it. reminds me of Dirty Dancing…”No one leaves Baby in the corner!”
We’re craving some respite from the hustle and bustle of the city! We’d love to visit such a beautiful outdoor retreat. Count our names in!
This is beautiful!
Would I love to win this-Wisconsin is my home state and I graduated from college at UW-Madison. We live in Minnesota, but I miss Wisconsin so much. Can’t tell you how much this reminds me of my summer camp years!
yes, yes, and yes! I’d love to see it in person!!!
Oooh la la, wouldn’t Mr. Mooney and I just love to win a weekend at Wandawega!
Oh what fun! Camp Wandawega here I come! {fingers crossed}
Love the PBN concept!! Just the inspiration I needed for the children’s classroom at church…Thanks so much for sharing
It would be wonderful to visit Wandawega!
really? oh my… what an amazing giveaway – although i’m afraid if i won, i would want to LIVE there. beautiful place…thank you so much for sharing Wandawega Week with us!
I was hoping that a visit to Camp was going to be one of the give aways ;)!
I’m loving these camp Wandawega posts! I was born and raised in Chicago, but now live in New Mexico with my husband and 6 kids! Growing up, we used to drive from Chicago to Wisconsin to “get away”. We would stay at my brothers boss’s lake house and my cousins would go, and also my sister in laws family. It was so fun, and I have so many great memories of that. I only wish my children could experience that. I really do miss those days. Even as an 11 year old, I loved how the lake house was decorated! Each room had it’s own style of decor, but it all tied in to the nautical/coastal feel of the house. I’m hoping to recreat that in my own home. If we win, we’d love to go out there and would truly appreciate it. Thank you!
What a wonderful place, wonderful people, wonderful fun! Who wouldn’t love to spend time there!
This looks like such a gorgeous place to visit. I would love to go up north for a trip with my hubby!
Such an incredible place. What a dream! Would love to stay there:)
I am a Minnesota girl that would love to spend a weekend here! Thanks, Sarah
Would love to see this lovely camp in person!
WOW! A Wandawega Weekend! Wonderful! WINNING!
:raises hand:
We would love to go! Our little guy would have the grandest time exploring.
A weekend there would be magical! My son and soon to be 3 year old soon would be thrilled! 🙂
The camp looks wonderful! Would love to visit.
Oh my…..I’ve not entered all week – this is what I’ve been waiting for………love your site – inspiring in so many ways!
Diane
Holy Toledo! What a place!!!
Would LOVE to visit! It would be just medicine we need after a guest-filled summer.