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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. Julie C

    I’ve never been in this neck of the woods, thanks for the chance! Looks like a fantastic place, great place to get ideas, and insprired.

  4. Amanda B.

    I think I just died when I saw the PBN mural in the nursery… WOW! I am so in love with that!

    I would loovvveee to take an outdoorsy campy trip with my new husband! What a perfect retreat. 🙂

  5. Elizabeth

    What a wonderful place and story. I have enjoyed reading all week! Thank you for sharing.

  6. Nancy

    That has to be one of the most inspiring places I’ve ever seen! It is absolutely amazing and beautiful! I would love the opportunity to visit.

  9. gina

    I have enjoyed reading all the posts this week over and over again! What an inspiration!! I would love to visit Wandawega in person sometime and to win a getaway there would be a dream come true.

    Again, thanks for sharing.

  10. nicole

    Everything about this places seems like just what the doctor ordered! My husband would be so incredibly thrilled with a surprise like this! Fingers crossed ♥

  11. Janet

    I’m sorry to see the week come to a close … only from the Camp Wandawega perspective! Thanks!

  12. Teresa Sword

    Who needs a couple of nights away with their loving husband of 27 years?? I do! We have decided that vacations are not really affordable for us, so we have opted for day trips or weekends away…..Wandawega is now on the list!!

  13. Ruth Padula

    I love the paint by numbers mural. I’m going to look for an idea now.

    I really, really need a vacation. Their camp looks like just the place.

  14. Darcy Bavery

    What they have done with the camp is beautiful and brings back so many childhood memories! I would love to have the chance to reminisce while visiting such a beautiful and amazingly creative place! 🙂

    Thanks Layla for this series!
    Darcy

  16. Sarah Cook

    How fun! My husband and I would LOVE to take our little one for a little fun in the northern part of the US! We have never traveled as a family farther north than Tennessee.

  17. Laura D.

    We never did go anywhere this year for our anniversary and we have two little ones at home (13 months apart) that keep us very, very busy! What a treat it would be to getaway to their beautiful Wandawega and relax for a change! Thank you for hosting and I so hope we win!

  18. Heidi

    I would love to stay there and absorb all the wonderful vintage-ness(word?) I used to live in Wisconsin and miss it greatly!

  21. Patty

    I so enjoy Teresa’s take on life, running like a cheetah, and her three muses… she’s brilliant! I would love to see the camp in real-life.

  23. Hera

    I loved the post. I first heard about this when Tereasa’s book about the cottage first came out. It’s looks like a great place to get away to.

  26. Lexie

    Wow-that’s a fun giveaway! I have always wanted to go to sleep-away camp-and would absolutely love to visit Wandawega-and even better-it’s only a few hours from home!

  28. Jennifer

    Now you are offering a weekend here?! Gracious, yes!! Forwarding this to a friend planning an outdoor Denver wedding. This is def her style!!! You know, just in case she doesn’t read your blog. Wait! Is there anyone who doesn’t?!

  35. Gay

    Thanks for this week’s worth of postings; what a wonderful place, so full of creative ideas. I would love to visit!

  37. Sara

    I have enjoyed your posts this week! Well, I always enjoy your posts, but W seems like such a step-back-in-time-and-enjoy-the-simple-things place and I love how they have decorated their rooms! Thanks for sharing!

  41. Terri Driggers

    i am so ready for an ole’ fashioned camp out at the lake!!… Who knew places like this even still existed!!!!! I am loving these posts (well.. okay… so I love all of your posts) but this place is so peaceful and laid back and reminds me of days gone by!!!! 🙂 Terri

  42. jenny

    thanks for so many ideas for my little fixer cottage in the woods. i want that tree mansion;) cheers

  45. missy

    so beautiful! makes me want to get married all over again 🙂 love charlie’s nursery. so creative 🙂 thanks for sharing. put a little sunshine in my morning.

    missy~

  47. Alissa

    This trip would be AMAZING!! I live in the suburbs of Chicago, so I’m actually quite close. I grew up in rural IL on Iroquois River and it would be nice to relive some childhood memories out in the woods at Camp Wandawega 🙂 I REALLY hope I win this trip for my husband and I to enjoy spending time together in such a magical place. Thanks for all of your posts on this, they are very inspirational.

  49. Martha Ray

    Ahhh! Continuing to freak OUT every single day you post something new about this fabulous couple behind this fabulous campground! My husband and I have been drooling over how wonderful and “right down our alley” this place looks! Simply perfect. Crossing my fingers for a 2 night stay!!!!! 🙂 Keep up your great work, Layla!

  50. Fran

    Thanks for the chance. Her decorating is amazing. I used to camp in northern Wisconsin when I was a kid, so it would be an amazing thing to revisit.