I’m sure our wedding day started out like many others, anticipation, excitement, all the feelings you have when you realize you get to spend the rest of your days with your true love.

We got to Cottage Place on Squam lake Sunday, June 23rd. It was 80 degrees and not a cloud in the sky for two full days. We had a beautiful time boating, having picnics, and swimming with the dogs. On Monday night we grilled some burgers and went out on an evening boat ride (one of our favorite things to do.)

I had been checking the weather all day long and it always said the same thing…rain. Who wants rain on their wedding day? Part of me was sure it was going to be a disaster but the other part was also sure it was going to stop raining and that the sun would come out just for us and for our wedding (the optimist.)

Our brilliant photographer, Arielle Thomas, arrived as we were getting ourselves ready.

We had our first look out on the Cottage Place Dock. The rain was just sprinkling a fine mist and it was such a tender, loving moment. I’m so happy we took that extra time to do it because the rain started really coming down right after.

We went back to our cottage across the street to decide what to do next. Our options were to stay and get married in the cottage or ride on the pontoon in the rain to beautiful Chocorua Island, the place we envisioned to be the most perfect wedding place in the whole world.

We all agreed to take a chance and boat out to Chocorua Island and if it was too much rain we could take a few photos then head back to the cottage for the ceremony. We put on our hoodies, climbed aboard the pontoon, and started our trek out to the Island.

It was such an adventure! The rain feels like it’s coming down twice as hard when you’re driving at boat 25 mph into it. We were absolutely, positively soaked by the time we got there. At this point I still believed the rain would stop, the birds would start singing, and our wedding would be sunny and perfect. We all got off the boat and walked towards the chapel section of the island. My favorite spot is overlooking the lake and there’s an enormous cross made out of tree branches.

We took some photos and the rain was still coming down. By then I had lost hope of it stopping. I started wondering if we should go back and Reverend Carol told us it would be best to go back because she had papers to read for the ceremony and it would be impossible to do that in the rain. Ashley said, “We need to do the ceremony on the island because that’s what Juli wants!” and everyone chimed in agreeing. I still get a little weepy when I think of everyone rallying around my vision.

We found a little structure that we could all stand under to protect us from more rain. We called it “The Rooflette” We were all able to squeeze underneath and we started the ceremony.

It was the most beautiful, intimate ceremony. Just Jon, me, our kids, Reverend Carol, and Arielle. Our doggies weren’t allowed on the island so we hired a lovely dog sitter, Bri.

After the ceremony we put back on our soggy hoodies, grabbed our umbrellas, and took the pontoon back to the cottage.

We all changed into our sweats and drove over to The Common Man restaurant in Ashland for our reception.

We all got to our table and someone noticed there was a rainbow outside. There it was! So huge and vibrant.

Genesis 9

9 I am going to make a solemn promise to you and to everyone who will live after you. 10 This includes the birds and the animals that came out of the boat. 11 I promise every living creature that the earth and those living on it will never again be destroyed by a flood.

12-13 The rainbow that I have put in the sky will be my sign to you and to every living creature on earth. It will remind you that I will keep this promise forever. 14 When I send clouds over the earth, and a rainbow appears in the sky, 15 I will remember my promise to you and to all other living creatures. Never again will I let floodwaters destroy all life. 16 When I see the rainbow in the sky, I will always remember the promise that I have made to every living creature. 17 The rainbow will be the sign of that solemn promise.

The rainbow, representing this beautiful promise from God to his people, and to me. I have to tell you that, for a few years, my life felt like it had been washed away by a flood of destruction. Of all things to live through, a divorce is so painful and devastating. Turning that curse around has been so incredibly hard, but I am in awe of the life I have been blessed with. Such an incredible husband, two amazing daughters, two beautiful step kids, sweet dogs, and more music than I could have ever imagined. I have such gratitude that God lifted me up out of the water and planted my feet on such solid ground. And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

Our Perfect Wedding