Bruner-Eylands Wedding

Last weekend we had the pleasure of being guests at Brian's best friend, Lance's wedding. Well, Brian was in the wedding as a groomsman. The wedding was held in St. Paul, MN at the Como Park Conservatory which was beautiful.

Como Park Conservatory

Wednesday afternoon we left the Bug at Grandparents Goodman and off Brian, Danny and I were for some pre-wedding mayhem in the big city. (St. Paul and Minneapolis are basically one in the same, although technically they're two different cities). On the way there, we drove through a rainstorm/tornado and spotted a coyote crossing the road. The heat in MSP was STIFLING and Wednesday evening the heat index was at 97. So, for a few days we experienced what you East Coasters have been experiencing all summer.

Wednesday night we ate at Solera, one of our favorite restaurants in Minneapolis. It's a tapas restaurant and lounge. We enjoyed their tasting menu which included white asparagus with romesco sauce and seared rabbit.

Thursday evening was the bachelor party and after a night of bachelor activities the group of 15 were hanging outside a bar when 2 guys started a fight with Brian. Apparently Brian's sharp tongue wasn't enough to keep these boys at bay and he had to defend himself with his hands. Brian ended up having a boxer fracture and knocking a guy out. Who knew that Brian had it in him? So Brian's right hand is in a cast until mid-August.

Mama says knock-you-out

We stayed at the Holiday Inn Downtown St. Paul, which is an excellent location. It's kitty corner to the Xcel Energy Center and The Liffey is adjoining to the hotel. Even better the hotel is just a building down from Cossetta's which is is a great Italian deli/eatery/shop.

enjoying the rooftop bar of The Liffey

Saturday, the day of the wedding, we girls headed out to Mall of America. It's so overwhelming and large. There's a mini-amusement park in the center and it's not that it's a better mall, it's just convenient bc a lot of stores are in one location. Think Tysons Corner plus SOME of Tysons Galleria with Macys, Bloomingdales and Nordstroms for the department stores. I still prefer Tysons and the Galleria to MOA.

The boys (who were all groomsmen) left for wedding pictures and we girls got ready for the wedding. Unfortunately we were running late and arrived at the wedding at 8:40... the wedding was to being at 8:45. On top of being late, we were driving through a horrible rainstorm and the tornado sirens were going off. We sprinted in the pelting rain from the parking lot to the conservatory and made it just in time, although soaking wet.

soaking wet

The wedding began and the attendants processed down the aisle. Just as the bride was about to walk down the aisle, an employee of the conservatory halted the wedding and ushered everyone out because of a tornado. Forty-five minutes later, after all hundred of us were waiting in the restroom area, we were back in the conservatory and the wedding continued with a very romantic dark and stormy night as the backdrop.

On the Lilly front she had a great time at Ron and Dana's and even began saying "Grandma"....sounds more like "am-ma".

Congratulations Lance and Melissa! It's a wedding we will certainly remember!