 If you have been around here for a while there is one thing you know, I LOVE pups. When Mattie Riley reached out about planning a styled shoot, I knew I wanted to take my love of dogs and mix it with wedding inspiration. I reached out to some local Baltimore blogger babes, especially ones that I knew loved furry friends to see if they would model in the shoot. Ashley of Never Been So, Anna of Lifestyle by Anna Elizabeth and Michelle of Crohnically Blonde (and their beaus) were in! We worked with Furever & Fur Always and some rescue pups from BARCS Animal Shelter to bring it all to life. We set the shoot in Patterson Park near the pagoda. The ladies’ hair and makeup was created by All Things Beautiful by Brooke and Makeup by Farren. Beautiful dresses by TLC Bridal and Suiting from Christopher Schafer. A perfect floral bouquet and floral dog accessories from Fleur De Lis Florist and an invitation suite and calligraphy details from Bare Ink Co. J’adorn Designs' delicate bridal jewelry was the perfect accent for our bridal beauties.
I absolutely loved every minute of this shoot and I hope it inspires some furry friends at upcoming weddings. What could be better than having your best friend involved in the biggest day of your life? Thank you to all of the vendors that made this awesome shoot happen – see listing below!! Shoot featured on: Washingtonian Bride and Cake and Lace Planning and Styling | Social Graces Events Photography | Mattie Riley Photography Florals | Fleur De Lis Florist Hair | All things beautiful by Brooke Makeup | Makeup by Farren Dog Care | Furever & Fur Always Dresses | TLC Bridal Suiting | Christopher Schafer Jewelry | J'Adorn Designs Calligraphy | Bare Ink Co. Models | Ashley of Never Been So, Anna of Lifestyle by Anna Elizabeth and Michelle of Crohnically Blonde
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 I am so excited to introduce you to Catherine and Kyle! I am thrilled to be working with this couple and their family as we prepare for their private estate wedding in May. Y'all, just under 300 people at a perfectly manicured garden ceremony on your family's property with a tented reception to follow and all the personalized antique details you can imagine, these are things dreams are made of! Get to know more about these two below! How did the two of you meet? We met in high school art class! We sat next to each other were always laughing and having good conversation- so good that we signed up for another art class together the next year. After he graduated we didn't really talk. A couple years later I was taking college classes with his sister at the community college. She and I became friends and unexpectedly, she ended up reconnecting us. We owe a lot to her for that one! Catherine, what do you love about Kyle? I love that Kyle is so loving and selfless. He loves so unconditionally and always assures that I am loved, even when I am being absolutely unlovable! HAHA Kyle, what do you love about Catherine? What I love the most about Catherine is that regardless of how difficult of a day I've had, she always has the ability to make me laugh and smile as soon as I see her. What is something special about the two of you? We both come from HUGE families! Lots of aunts, uncles and cousins and TONS of little ones!! We couldn't be any more excited for our wedding where the two families will all be together at once. What do you like to do as a couple in your free time? We love to spend time with family! Whether it's a family cookout, game night or Sunday dinner- we're there! What are a few of your favorite things? We are such foodies! Some of our favorite restaurants are Otani, Nando's Peri Peri and Mamma Angela's. But one of our favorite date nights is going to Wegman's and then going home to cook a meal together. What does your dream wedding look like? Our dream wedding is being surrounded by the love of family and close friends and ultimately getting to marry one another. While we are thrilled about the gorgeous florals and antique china and the wedding cake, we could do without all of that if it meant we get married! Why did you chose to work with Social Graces? We chose to work with Katie to keep us organized for our at home wedding. There are so many little details that go into planning the big day and making sure it runs smoothly. Luckily we have had Katie to help keep us organized and focused along the way and we are confident that she will help make our wedding day flawless! Photography || Katherine Elizabeth Photography  When Madison Short reached out about planning a bachelorette themed styled shoot, I knew it would be an absolute blast. My mind instantly went to an intimate waterfront Bohemian inspired beach day with a close knit group of girlfriends. We set the shoot at Maria’s Love Point in Stevensville, MD at their perfect waterfront location. With a teepee and a wicker lounge set from A Little Rusty Shop, our ladies were all set for a day of relaxation in the sun. The teepee area was one of my favorite spots, I felt like it truly captured the whole relaxed vibe of the shoot. The ladies’ hair and makeup was created by Behind the Veil Beauty and featured fishtail braids and dewy pink hues, topped off with flower crowns from Keleidoscope Florals. Colorful floral spring outfits by The Boutique at Body Wellness and jewelry from J’Adorn Designs set the tone. Megan of Copper Stone Co. not only handcrafted the awesome calligraphy dream catchers and champagne bottle, but was also a model! One of my favorite parts of the shoot was The Blue Photo Bus because no bachelorette party would be complete without photo documentation of the big event and this might be the most creative photo booth out there. Thank you to all of the vendors that made this awesome shoot happen – see listing below!! Shoot featured on: The Mid-Atlantic Bride and Cake and Lace
Planning and Styling | Social Graces Events Photography | Madison Short Photography Rentals | A Little Rusty Shop Florals | Keleidoscope Custom Florals Hair and Makeup | Behind the Veil Beauty Clothing | The Boutique at Body Wellness Jewelry | J'Adorn Designs Calligraphy | Copper Stone Co. Photo Bus | The Blue Photo Bus Models | Shannon Williams, Alexa De Crispino of All Things Pink and Pretty, Melanie Vielhaber and Megan James  I am so excited to welcome Alexa and RJ to the Social Graces family! I cannot wait for their wedding in April. Get to know a little bit more about these two below!! How did the two of you meet? RJ and I met in Salisbury, MD while attending college at Salisbury University. I had transferred to Salisbury my sophomore year and was introduced to him through our roommates. At the time, he was dating someone. Therefore, he was just that, “really cute guy” every girl talked about. Months later, I heard he was single. He decided to spend the night out with us and that was when he really hit it off. We danced and laughed and before dropping me off that night, cuddled in the back of a friend’s pickup truck. I remember getting that butterfly feeling in my stomach and thinking, “I could really get used to this.” Alexa, what do you love about RJ? I think the number one thing I love about RJ is that he makes me smile. I find myself just randomly smiling at him and feeling so incredibly happy. I love that he makes me laugh and is one of my biggest supporters. He motivates me to chase my dreams and encourages me when I need it. I love that he is sweet and is always willing to lend a helping hand when needed. He is such a selfless human being; always thinking about what’s best for our future together. I love that he loves me for who I am and that I can completely be myself when I’m with him. RJ is an amazing, loving man and I’m so incredibly blessed to have him in my life. RJ, what do you love about Alexa? Alexa is the most kind, caring, and beautiful girl I’ve ever met. From the first time I saw her, I was infatuated; and as soon as I got to know her, I knew that she was the one. We have mutual interests and aspirations and when we’re together, there’s never a dull moment. She makes me laugh, drives me to be better, and more importantly than anything else, and makes life fun. What is something special about the two of you? RJ and I genuinely enjoy each other’s company. The two of us are completely satisfied with just being together….not having to go out to have a good time. We love to sit together and watch a movie and could crack each other up for hours. What do you like to do as a couple in your free time? In our free time, we like to hang out with our 4 year old English Bulldog Cali, watch Netflix movies, take walks around the neighborhood, explore cute towns and take extended weekend trips! What are a few of your favorite things? Olive Garden is our first date and one of our favorite meals Mrs. Doubtfire is our favorite movie Drinking wine OBX Listening to Christmas music around the Holidays He loves to cook, I love to bake Being with family St. Michaels, MD Watching movies, we watch movies almost every night. Country music & country concerts Visiting Salisbury where it all started. Taking drives together, listening to music. Just being by ourselves, just the two of us. What does your dream wedding look like? My dream wedding has a vintage, romantic feel. It leaves everyone feeling the love and in turn feeling loved. It’s one where everyone is mingling and laughing, the food is amazing and people dance all night long. My dream wedding is one where everyone is smiling and creating a memory that will last forever. Why did you chose to work with Social Graces? I had been looking for event planners for about a month until I stumbled upon Social Graces Instagram. I immediately fell in love with her aesthetic of her page, and felt connected to her right away. I had doubts with some of the other event planners I came across, but with Katie it felt like a natural match. As soon as I contacted her, I could tell she was sweet and knew she genuinely wanted to be a part of our special day. Turns out, I was right, I met Katie and she is the absolute sweetest and compassionate about her amazing work. I cannot wait to work with Social Graces!   Being the coordinator at The Big Fake Wedding in Baltimore in September was an absolutely amazing experience. I was able to collaborate with some of the very best vendors in the business and interact with future Baltimore area brides and grooms all within the amazing space at Main Street Ballroom in Ellicott City. Check out all the beautiful details and vendors below!! Alcohol : Social Sparkling Wine | Airstream Cotton Candy + Coffee : The Cozy Caravan Club | Bar : Oh My Gahs | Bridal Alterations : My’s Bridalterations | Catering : Zeffert and Gold Catering and Event Planning | Day of Coordinator : Social Graces Weddings | DJ : DJ Jimmy T Entertainment | Engraved Favors & Gifts : Lighthouse Lazer | Event Rentals (Farm Tables and Chairs) : Something Vintage Rentals | Event Rentals (Highboys and Linens) : Party Plus Tents + Events | Floral & Event Design (Bouquets, Boutonnieres, Head Table + Table 3,4) : Southern Blooms | Floral & Event Design (Ceremony Backdrop + Table 2,5,6) : Maryland Bay Blossoms | Floral Accessories : Wrenegade Floral Design | Groom’s Cake : The Cake Studio | Hair + Make Up : Silver Immersion | Hotel : 1840s Plaza | Invitations (Black Floral) : Attitude & Gratitude | Invitations (Red Floral) : Bowerbox Press| Invitations (Gold Foil, Purple + Gray) : Silver Orchard Creative | Jewelry : Saxon’s Diamond Centers | Menswear : Blank Label | Photobooth: Lux Amare Weddings | Photography : L.A. Birdie Photography | Photography : Lisa Robin Photography | Photography : Jen Harvey Photography | Picture Keeper : Share Your Photos | Signage : To Put it Eloquently | Switzerland Travel : Derungs Quinter Immobilien | Travel : Time for Travel | Venue : Main Street Ballroom | Wedding Cake : Mimi’s Mocha Treats | Wedding Day Maps : Pluma Palomino | Wedding Dress : Bridals by Elena | Wedding Vow Art : The Standard Canvas             I am so excited to welcome Theresa and Jeremy to the Social Graces family! I am looking forward to their wedding in March!! Learn a little bit more about these two below. How did the two of you meet? We were setup by mutual friends of ours. The husband was friends with Jeremy when they were kids and Theresa met his wife in college. After college, they decided to move down to the DC area and lived with Jeremy's parents for a couple months while they were looking for a place to rent in DC. When they finally found a place in DC, Jeremy helped them move into their apartment and Theresa helped them organize it later that night. She saw a picture of the moving crew and immediately noticed Jeremy because of his red hair (Theresa loves redheads). She asked her friends about it and they worked hard to make sure that Theresa & Jeremy met each other. Jeremy recently found out that Theresa kept rescheduling the date and cancelling. Jeremy had no idea that all of happened until after the final date was chosen. Theresa's friend told her she had to show up and take a chance! They setup a double date with us in Oct. 2015 and we have talked every day since! Theresa, what do you love about Jeremy? Jeremy is a solid and sure person. His confidence is contagious, but he is also so humble in his gifts and intelligence. He is always there for me and one of the most faithful and honest people I've ever met. In all of his seriousness though, he is so silly and continuously makes me laugh with his many faces, his dance moves and his singing and quoting of movie. I also love how important his family is to him and I have no doubt that when we have a family, he will be any different. Jeremy, what do you love about Theresa? Theresa has a way of getting me out of my shell. She instantly brightens my day and goes out of her way to love and support me. I love her enthusiasm, passion and zest for life and I know there will never be a dull moment in our life together. I love that she is a strong and independent but Christ-centered woman. What is something special about the two of you? Our personalities are very different, but as cheesy as it sounds, we complement each other. We have a respect and understanding of our differences and we learn from each other and support each other when our faults surface. What do you like to do as a couple in your free time? Trying new restaurants (we try to never go to the same restaurant twice), wine tastings, meetingup with friends, watching Fixer Upper (Theresa's fave), dreaming about our future dream home, and cooking together. Mostly, we like to make each other laugh. And we love to travel! What are a few of your favorite things? We love virtue feed and grain. We have different tastes in wine, but both love port. Cookies and tacos! (Both of which we'll have at the wedding) What does your dream wedding look like? Theresa is a dreamer so this is dangerous question, but really we just want a really fun low stress day surrounded by our friends and families with everybody dancing! And Jeremy really wants popcorn there. Why did you chose to work with Social Graces? Theresa is an event planner and one of Jeremy's requests was that we hired a coordinator so that Theresa could enjoy the day and have fun. Meeting Katie, Theresa just had this feeling that she would be the right fit and that she could trust her to work hard to make our day perfect. We're so thankful!   When Morgan and Chris are together you instantly feel this outpouring and evident true love. This feeling oozed out of every part of their wedding day and it warms my heart just thinking about what a fabulous day it was. Morgan was a Phi Mu at Towson and although we didn’t go to school together and had never met before, we instantly felt a connection to each other that is hard to explain. Chris and Morgan are both from Kent Island and they celebrated their wedding day in their hometown. They were married at Safe Harbor Presbyterian Church and held their reception at Maria’s Love Point Bed and Breakfast. The reception was held outside in a tent facing the waterfront views. Light and airy blush tones and succulent plants filled the space. Morgan and her dad opened the dance floor with a hilarious choreographed father daughter dance and the wedding party group made quite an entrance. It was clear early on that this was going to be a fun, dance-filled evening. Morgan has Polish heritage so she did an “apron dance” where family and friends paid to dance to polka music with the bride and groom. The line was long and people were having a spectacular time – plus the newlyweds got to walk away with a little cash!! Instead of a large traditional cake, Morgan and Chris opted for a smaller cake and a huge donut display from their favorite local donut shop. One of my favorite moments of the day was feeding Morgan a donut behind the scenes while she was waiting for the bridal party entrance, so that she did not get anything on herself! The night culminated with a sparkler send off on the water! Chris is a Natural Resources Police Officer and spends a lot of his time on the water – so it was totally fitting that their sendoff was on a police boat!! Thank you to the wonderful vendor team that helped make it all happen! I wish a life of love and happiness to Morgan and Chris and I cannot wait for all the fun things our future will hold together! Ceremony Venue | Safe Harbor Presbyterian Church Reception Venue | Maria’s Love Point Bed and Breakfast Photographer | Erin Meadows Photography Videographer | Wedding Bug DJ | Matt Spence at Steve Moody Entertainment Caterer | Window’s Waterfront Catering Florist | The Country Pettaler Donuts | Sandy Pony Donuts Hair and Makeup | Jackie’s Design Featured on: The Mid-Atlantic Bride and The Annapolis Wedding Blog Here is what Morgan and Chris had to say about their experience with Social Graces: “Social Graces Events provided services beyond my expectations. The master mind behind it all, Katie, is everything I would hope for in a coordinator. She was extremely on top of every little detail while being so friendly and poise through every step. Katie was able to take my vision and create something so beautiful I wasn’t sure it was real life! Katie has an obvious passion and heart for what she does and it is apparent in her hard work and dedication. I am so thankful I was able to work with her for my wedding and HIGHLY recommend her services!”  Courtney and Jesse were not only one of the sweetest couples I ever worked with but one of the most hilarious, you do not want to miss this fun reception! Their wedding was at the Annapolis Maritime Museum, which was an old oyster shucking factory and the nautical feel of this venue was perfect for them. The ceremony was held outside on a waterfront tented deck, totally picturesque! Oyster shell details (including placecards created and handlettered by Social Graces) and nautical themed pink and navy colors pulled the whole wedding theme together. The night quickly turned into a spectacular dance party and the guests had an amazing time. Jesse is a Calvert Hall alumni, so all of his high school buddies took a photo with the Cardinal football helmet and built a large human pyramid. One of my favorite moments of the night was watching Jesse and Courtney dance and sing along to Grease with each other, it was like they were in their own little world truly enjoying their day. The night culminated with a sparkler send off! Thank you to the vendor team that helped make it happen! I wish a life of love and happiness to Courtney and Jesse!! Venue | Annapolis Maritime Museum Photographer | Christa Rae Photography DJ | Scott Cash Mitchell Rentals | Absolute Party Rentals Caterer | Adam’s Ribs Florist | Fleur De Lis Florist Here is what Courtney and Jesse had to say about their experience with Social Graces: “Katie is hands down, the sweetest, most thoughtful and genuine person I have ever met. She took so much time to get to know my hubby and I, and really learn and see the vision for our big day and bring it all to life. She took care of every last detail, even things I hadn't thought of. She even surprised us with hand lettered oyster shells for our guests (our venue was an old Oyster Shucking Factory)! She is a true gem and an absolute joy to work with. I honestly didn't think I needed a planner at first, but once she stepped in, I knew I'd made the best decision to work with her! If you're looking for a wedding planner, look no further. Katie will go above and beyond to make your day absolutely perfect!” As we head into the new year, I wanted to start a new monthly tradition! I am creating a wedding venue bucket list. This means that I am listing out dream wedding venues that I would love to plan at, if you get married at any of these wedding venues I will give you a FREE Month of Planning package. If you haven't selected a wedding venue yet.. maybe check out the ones below! I will add a new venue each month, so keep your eyes out for updates! 1. Biltmore Estate - Asheville, North Carolina One of my favorite places that I have ever visited and literally a bridal dream world! Who wants to get married on this front lawn? Answer: Everyone. This mansion, owned by the Vanderbilt family, is a pristine example of the Gilded Age and they have the wedding accommodations to match. Check it out here!  2. The Greenbrier - White Sulphur Springs, WV The epitome of Southern excellence - a white house, with exquisite gardens and over the top Southern Belle designs. Signature columns, patterned curtains, checked flooring and vibrant decor all surrounded by majestic mountain views. Think Kate Spade and Lilly Pultizer mixed with all things Southern. "America's Resort" since 1778 this is a must see venue for your wedding day and dare I even say a must book! Check it out here!  3. The White Sparrow – Quinlan, Texas The first time I saw this all white barn venue I thought I was dreaming. It is literally the perfect blank slate for your wedding ceremony and reception. I have never seen anything like it! The white surroundings are ideal for light and airy wedding photography and the outdoor space is stunning. It is a perfect balance of rustic, southern charm with classic elegance! Check it out here!  The Fine Print: The free wedding planning package will be a Month of Wedding planning package, an upgrade to partial or full planning will require additional payment. Client is responsible for paying for travel and lodging for Katie for one consultation/walk through meeting and Katie and one assistant for the wedding weekend (travel costs not to exceed the value of a Month of Wedding planning package).
We wanted to give you a full recap of our honeymoon trip to Denmark, Sweden and Norway. Hold tight everyone - this is a LONG one, but we wanted to make sure that you got the full break down and photos from our whole trip. We hope you enjoy it and if this area of the world is not on your bucketlist, get out your pen because it will need to be added! Day One – July 13th Travel Day As we began our trip we flew from BWI to Toronto on Air Canada then from Toronto to Copenhagen. The plane we flew overseas was huge with three groups of seating with two aisles! We flew over night! Day Two – July 14th Copenhagen, Demark – Tivoli Hotel We arrived in Denmark around 8:30 am. Our hotel was not ready for us to check-in so we dropped our bags and went on a self-guided tour of the city. We started at the train station to convert money and then proceeded to walk endlessly around the city. We stopped in a small local pizza place for lunch (Hikos). Back at the hotel we met our tour guide, Peter, from Collette for the first time. We checked in to our room and got ready for our welcome dinner. At dinner (Zeleste) we met our 40 other companions for the first time, we were the youngest couple by about 40 years but the crowd was thrilled when our guide announced that I won the trip on Wheel of Fortune. We sat with Max and Mergie, who quickly became some of our favorite people on the trip. After dinner we stayed out in Nyhavn (our favorite area in the city) for some drinks. It stays light out for very long hours in the summer, so although it was after 10:00 pm it still felt like day time. Day Three – July 15th Copenhagen, Denmark – Tivoli Hotel We woke up and had a lovely breakfast in the hotel. Then we headed out on our bus for a motor coach tour of the city, seeing many of the big attractions for the city – The Little Mermaid statue, churches, fountains, the royal palace and quarters, and parliament. The history and beauty of this city was just crazy. The architecture and the colors – we kept calling it the Charleston of Denmark. We then went out of Copenhagen for an excursion to the Castle of Fredericksborg. On the way we stopped for lunch in a coastal village. We were able to taste a lot of the local far including herring (it was a pickled white fish) and Ryan hated it. We sat with our new Texan friends Martin and Linda. We continued up the coast to the castle. This castle was absolutely breathtaking from the outside. Perfectly manicured gardens and just stunning. It previously was a private residence but now serves as a museum of Denmark’s history. Favorite part: the topiary gardens were shaped in the crest/monogram of the current queen from an aerial view (serious life goals). On the way home from the castle we were dropped back off in the city center area for the evening. We went to the Tivoli Beergarten and drank Cooper and Radler beers, which was funny because that is the names of the beer that we drink at OMB in Charlotte. We took a canal tour to see the city by boat. It was an amazing weather day and a Saturday so the city was popping. After the canal tour we ate dinner at The Standard where we ate way too much bread and were served very small portions of food. We were warned that service and dinner was slow in Scandinavia, and they were right. Our dinner took hours but it was very enjoyable. We finished the night off with ice cream on the water. Day Four – July 16th Vaxjo, Sweden – PM &Vanner We woke up early to travel to Sweden by bus. We made a stop at a café/gas station where they had Doritos (I actually gasped). Also the Swedish people have a major sweet tooth and there was candy everywhere and I was in heaven. We saw an IKEA on the drive, which I loved! We made a stop in Kosta to see a glass blowing factory. This place was amazing – everything was handmade – stemware, bowls, everything. Nothing was produced by a machine. We watched a demonstration from a master glass blower. There must not be any safety regulations in Sweden because the master was wearing shorts, no gloves, no eye protection etc. and he used his bare hands and a wet piece of newspaper to shape the molten hot glass. We ate lunch at the café at the glass blowing factory and then back on the road to Vaxjo. Vaxjo is a very quiet local city but we enjoyed it greatly. The hotel was stunning and we had some of the best food so far (Kafe DeLuxe), we wanted to find a place to explore and grab a drink, but everything was closed on Sunday. We luckily found a grocery store and bought some Rose to enjoy – but we got back to our room and realized it was non-alcoholic! **PM+Vanner gave us some homemade cholates to celebrate our honeymoon Day Five – July 17th Travel Day We woke up extra early and had breakfast at the hotel. P+M had the most amazing breakfast prepared including fresh pressed orange and apple juice. We traveled on the bus for 5-6 hours to Stockholm. We stopped at a small roadside café. We people watched a lot of small children and one even exclaimed “HEY” at us which we later learned was “hej” (Swedish for hello). Arriving in Stockholm we traveled to tour the City Hall, which was stunning and featured a full room of mosaic walls – 19 million mosaic pieces and 8 kilos of 24k gold. The City Hall is where the Nobel Peace prize and other Nobel prizes are presented – we became very humbled realizing the spectacular company of people that had once stood in this room. We then took a mini bus tour of the city and landed in Gamlastan (the old town) for a surprise Fika (coffee and dessert). After the Fika we checked-in to our hotel (The Grand Central Scandic) and then headed to dinner (FemSmaHus – which means Five Small Houses). This restaurant was originally owned by the first ever female restaurant owner in Stockholm. We had reindeer, salmon and veal for dinner along with some tasty champagne with blue berry liquor. We sat with Max and Mergie and Bob and Mary Ellen. After dinner we chose to walk home through old town on the pedestrian path. We stopped at the Hobo Hotel for a cocktail and then proceeded to an Irish pub (Lemrick). Day Six – July 18th Stockholm, Sweden – The Grand Central Scandic First we went on a mini city tour and ended at the Vasa museum. The Vasa ship was built by the king and sunk 800 meters from its original location on its first voyage. It was meant to travel to Poland to show the King’s strength and power. It was found and raised from the sea around 1950. Because it was in brackish water instead of salt water, 95% of the boat was raised in its original condition. It was crazy that they could pick up the ship from the bottom of the sea mostly intact. The level of detail and the size of the ship was spectacular. Next we headed by bus and ferry on an archipelago tour. We arrived on the island Vaxholm. This island town is basically a vacation home area, think the Hamptons/Nantucket etc. We went on a quick walking garden tour and then had some free time to explore the island. We had the best Swedish meatballs and relaxed in town. We then took a boat cruise tour back to Stockholm. After arriving back in Stockholm we walked the city on our own and ended up in the SoFo neighborhood for an amazing overlook and ice cream. Once we realized how far we had walked from our hotel we figured out how to operate the Metro to get back to our side of the city. We relaxed for some time at the hotel and then went to a local dive bar and had some drinks and American food (which was necessary). It was a great day - very packed! Day Seven – July 19th Oslo, Norway – Hotel Bristol We woke up in Stockholm and headed to the train station. It was about two blocks away from the hotel, but we had to take the motor coach because of the age and walkability of our tour friends. We were very excited to head to Norway because our guide said this was the best part of the trip. We were on the train for six hours through the small towns of Sweden. We caught up on some sleep (Ryan took pictures of me sleeping as usual). We arrived at Hotel Bristol and changed for dinner at Loise on the waterfront at Oslo (Aker Brygge). After dinner we walked around and explored the waterfront. We stopped at a bar right on the water (Lekter’n) and split a bottle of wine. It remained light even later than usual. Day Eight – July 20th Oslo, Norway – Hotel Bristol We had breakfast at the hotel. We did a mini city tour of Oslo. During the tour we visited a Viking ship museum and Vigeland Park, which was a sculpture garden. The park was filled with statues (over 200) all by the same artist. All the people were depicted in the nude so that they were timeless and the most pure in form. The park was immaculately manicured with stunning lawns and roses. It took 13.5 years to complete the park. We arrived back at the hotel and then headed out to the town. We did some shopping first and then grabbed some lunch. In typical fashion, I started with an order of ice cream, Coke, and salt and vinegar chips while Ryan had a beer. We walked around the historic fortress with stunning views of the city and then toured the Resistance museum. Then we walked to the Royal Palace. It was the crown prince’s birthday so the castle had his crest flag hanging. In the evening we went on a three hour fjord cruise that included a prawn buffet. We met a fun couple from Sweden and a group of older women from Australia. It was our last night in Oslo and we loved this city. Day Nine – July 21st Flam, Norway – Fretheim Hotel We had breakfast at the hotel then departed on the bus for Flam. We drove through the beautiful country side and began to understand why this was going to be the best part of the trip. During the ride we stopped off in some small towns/cafes. We had Chinese food, because we were craving it. We went through the longest road tunnel in the world (24.5 km). We stopped at a historic Stave church, an all wooden church dating back to the 1100’s when Christianity was forced on the Vikings. Almost all of the original wood was intact due to the fact that it was built on stone and covered in tar paint. We arrived in Flam and settled into the most beautiful hotel. We rode the Flamsbana train up and down the mountain. The views and water falls were absolutely incredible – pictures will never do it justice, we can only try to explain it. We had dinner at the hotel with the group and did some shopping. The hotel was directly on the fjord and just stunning; it previously was a private resort for aristocrats. Day Ten – July 22nd Loen, Norway – Alexandra Hotel We had breakfast at the hotel in Flam and then got on the bus to drive to Loen. We stopped at a café at the bottom of a glacier. This was our first look at a glacier and the clear blue water in the lake below. We were stunned. The glacier was on top of the mountain - not coming out of the water. We took a ferry across the water and then continued the drive through the stunning country of Norway onto our next glacier. The views were too stunning, something constantly to be looking at – mountains, waterfalls, fjords. We arrived at Briksdal glacier park. We rode “troll cars” (John Deere gators) to the top of the mountain and took a short walk to the most amazing sight. There were many waterfalls on the ride, one that soaked us a little. We saw a glacier calving (breaking and falling into the waterfall). The water was super cold. We then drove to our hotel (Alexandra) where we had an amazing buffet dinner and a night cap drink – an old fashioned and strawberry daiquiri. A great end to the most beautiful day yet. Day Eleven – July 23rd Loen, Norway – Alexandra Hotel We had breakfast at the hotel and then headed out on the bus to tour the awesome scenery. After an hour we arrived at the ferry in Hellesylt. It was a vehicle and passenger ferry where we rode on the top to look at the views. It was incredibly foggy and hard to see the mountain tops, but apparently this is how the weather typically is in Norway. We have been very lucky with our weather, however, it was very cool to see it this way. On the ferry, we were able to see mountains waterfalls etc. on all sides of us. We got off at Geiranger and took switchback roads up the mountain with amazing views of the town and fjord below. We got to a point where we were finally above the fog and the blue skies were beautiful. We saw a pond (at 3,000 feet above sea level) that was a result of melted snow and ice. We then continued to climb the mountain (Ryan was just a little terrified) and climb more, until we reached Dalsnibba (elevation 1,500 meters above sea level). This overlook was the best view we have ever seen in our lifetime, just absolutely breath taking. Ryan was terrified but finally mustered up the courage to walk to the edge of the glass for a photo. On the way back to the hotel we stopped in Styrn and had pizza for lunch and did a little clothes shopping (Moods of Norway). When we got back to Loen we walked to a little white church up on a hill (I am obsessed with little white churches if you didn’t know!) and passed orchards and strawberry fields. This church had a memorial for two tragic rock falls that had occurred in the town and killed a lot of the people with a giant wave. Hard to believe the same exact tragedy happened in the same town twice, maybe not a place to be looking into real estate. After the church visit, we attempted to rent a pedal boat to ride out on the fjord, but none were available so we ended up with a row boat that had broken oars and probably had not been used for years. The struggle was real. It was relaxing and hilarious but not at all what we originally had in mind. We had buffet dinner at the hotel and enjoyed a few drinks with Peter, our tour guide. Day Twelve – July 24th Bergen, Norway We traveled to Bergen for the majority of the day and arrived there in the evening and had some free time to explore. We walked around the markets in town, bought some reindeer and other novelty meats and then took the Floibanen train to the top of a mountain to see the whole city of Bergen. On the train ride up we met a Thai man with a ukulele who proceeded to sing us a “Happy Wedding to you” song that he wrote specifically for us, it was hilarious. At the top there was a small café where we got some drinks and enjoyed the view. Day Thirteen Bergen, Norway We had breakfast in the hotel and then had an extended walking tour of the city. After the walking tour we continued to explore the city on our own. There were many souvenir shops and Christmas shops that we explored. We also had a Skillingsbolle which is a traditional dessert similar to a cinnamon bun. We got a glass of wine at an old tavern that had completely slanted floors and walls. Many buildings in Bergen were slanted due to an explosion that occurred in the harbor in WWII. We had our farewell dinner with everyone we traveled with. It was sweet to talk about all of our favorite parts of the trip and exchange information to keep in touch in the future. We ended the night by getting dessert on the water and headed back to the hotel since we had a very early flight in the morning back to the US. |
