The five days we were there focused primarily around wedding preparations and celebrations, but it was a blast. Literally from the moment we stepped off the plane, we felt like we were home in Wisconsin. The people were incredibly friendly, the weather was freezing {ok I think Canada beats Wisconsin in this one...-20+ without windchill}, snow was abundant, and all of Michelle and Skee's family and friends made us feel like we had known them for years and we were coming back for a regular visit. Here's a few of the highlights from the weekend:
Preparations
I forgot how much there is to do in the few days leading up to the wedding, but we all pitched in and helped Michelle get everything done. From editing music to creating table signs and bouquets (turns out Skee's brother is a pro at this!) Of course, we also took some time for some fun preparations too: manis and pedis for the girls and a wine and cheese night at one of the rental houses for the whole crew!
Wedding
The wedding day was perfect...blue skies and sun, even is it was below zero. After some photos at the rental house {and an adventure getting 4 cars up a snowy, hilly driveway 45 minutes before the wedding}, it was off to the church for the ceremony. Held in Michelle's church built in 1901, the ceremony was a perfect representation of Michelle and Skee's personalities. Meaningful and cozy, yet full of laughter and joy. And of course just a few streams of tears mixed in, especially when Michelle nearly lost it when starting her vows. I'm still not sure how she pulled it together so quickly!
Reception
The dinner and dancing were held at a local restaurant, which used to be the one room schoolhouse in the area. The food was delicious, and the atmosphere chic and cozy. Highlights from the night included Michelle's sister and boyfriend unexpectedly joining friends Lesley and Alan for an incredible, tear-jerking edition of "Home", Michelle's impromptu "Out for a Rip" rap and resulting jam session/karaoke session for anyone who wanted, and of course dancing and laughing.
Toronto
After the wedding festivities, we made the trek to Toronto Saturday for some bowling, dinner, and just enjoying the city. Nick and I walked around a bit Sunday before catching our plane back to Paris, and loved the little brunch and coffee shops, cute stores, and neighborhood feel scattered all around. We didn't have time to do anything super touristy, like go up the CN tower, but I'm sure we will be back at some point in the future.
Canadian Foods
You may be wondering why I mentioned Canadian culture above. Yep, most of it's pretty similar to the US, especially Wisconsin, dontchya know? But there were a surprising number of foods we had never heard of. Butter tarts: delicious like pecan pie without the pecans. Ketchup chips: just what they sound like. Nick was a fan, but he loves ketchup. I was undecided. Poutine: cheese curds on French fries with gravy {why don't we have this in Wisconsin??} Ceaser: Canada's version of a Bloody Mary, but with some weird kind of juice instead of tomato juice. I preferred it to the Bloody Mary {don't worry, mine was non-alcoholic}. Tim Hortons {or Tom Hortons as Nick liked to joke, or what should be renamed after Skee as Skee's mom joked in her wedding speech}: I guess the equivalent of Dunkin Donuts? The donut holes were delicious, but I'm not sure I get the obsession, especially since people wait in line for hours sometimes!
A pretty great 5 day adventure to the Great White North to celebrate some pretty great friends. All of our trips and adventures while living in Paris have been unforgettable, but if we're being honest, I'd say our friendship with these two is definitely the best thing to come out of our time in Paris. :)
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