"It was Autumn Time in Northern Michigan..."

The lyrics of that song actually say "Summer Time" but this past weekend Aaron and I were in Northern Michigan for a wedding. And it definitely wasn't summer!

We flew on Thursday from London to Chicago to Traverse City, and then rented a car and drove about an hour to Bellaire, Michigan (no Fresh Prince in sight). We arrived pretty late and were both hungry after the 16 hour journey. Naturally, we had American pizza and ice cold craft beers... and it was delicious! Afterwards, we met up with Aaron's friends from college including the bride and the groom. Aaron is fraternity brothers with the groom: he was in our wedding and now Aaron was in his!

Friday we decided to do some exploring. We headed into downtown Bellaire for lunch which is a one street town where everybody knows your name (or I assume so?). We stopped by a disappointing market and then drove to a nearby winery called Torch Lake Cellars. It was beautiful! The tasting room was built by the family that owns the winery and from the second floor you can lookout over the vineyards and nearby lake. They make cherry and raspberry wines, ciders, an amazing Pinot Grigio and a few others.

Afterwards, we drove around exploring. There are lots of lake scattered around the area, so we drove the roads that wrap around them. We ended up in Charlevoix, another town nearby, which was having an apple festival. There were huge barrels filled to the brim with types of apples that I never even knew existed, fresh squeezed cider, apple cider donuts, and vendors selling everything from wood carvings to cheese boards to jewelry and clothing. The town has a small harbor in front so it's really scenic also.

Eventually, we headed back to get ready for the rehearsal dinner which was at a kid's summer camp near the resort we were staying at. The rehearsal was really fun, and it ended up continuing at a bar nearby where we played Pop a Shot and Big Buck Hunter : )

The next morning, we went to a wedding brunch and then Aaron had to go do groomsmen duties. I hung out with two girls who's husband and fiancé were also in the wedding. We went to Glacial Hills which is this beautiful forested area that has tons of trails. We went for a walk and run in the woods, and it was one of the most gorgeous settings I've ever been in. Actually, now is a good time to tell you just how picturesque Northern Michigan was at this time. All the leaves were just starting to change so there were vibrant reds, yellows and purples mixed in with the different shades of greens.

The wedding was at a house that overlooked one of the lakes. The ceremony was on the lawn in front and then the reception took place inside a tent. We had a fantastic night and had so much fun with all of Aaron's fraternity brothers. It's been since our wedding that we've seen all of them so it was fun to catch up and see everyone.

Sunday we flew back to London. It was a quick trip, but well worth the journey!