Mountaintop dancing

This was the spectacular sunset view from BootCamp's wedding reception dinner halfway up Mammoth Mountain, in California's eastern Sierras. Those jagged peaks in the middle are the Minarets, named for their resemblance to the minarets of Moslem mosques, and to the right is Ritter Peak.
All the guests rode the gondolas to the top of Mammoth Mountain for cocktails at the summit. We were lucky to catch a lift with the gorgeous bride herself! Check out the mountains behind her.

I love the orange of the rose in the bouquet, and decorating the ceremony space below. BootCamp's dress was perfection itself - lustrous ivory silk and lace, suiting her perfectly because it was made just for her by a local dressmaker.

I do believe that was the most unique place I've ever had cocktails! I wish I'd taken more pictures... I was so caught up in the incongruity of fancy drinks at 11,000 feet that I neglected my camera. We were all a little spacey at that elevation.

After an hour or two of admiring the incredible 360 degree views of mountains as far as the eye could see - well into Nevada - we road the gondola halfway down the mountain to McCoy Station, the ski lodge at 10,000 feet, for dinner and dancing. Dancing at 10,000 feet is quite an aerobic workout. I felt like I'd sprinted three miles after each song!

The most memorable toast of the evening occurred when the 25 nieces, nephews and younger cousins assembled on the dance floor, and shouted in unison: WE WANT MORE COUSINS! (No pressure there!)

Though they had the traditional elements of first dance, and father/daughter and mother/son dances, they dispensed with the bouquet and garter toss, which I don't think anyone missed. We were all to busy reveling in the beautiful scenery, the wonderful new connections, the open bar and the slammin' DJ.

Had I been more attentive to my camera, I could have shown you how the pine cone/ pine needle design on the invitations matched the decor at the reception - pine cones and branches, interspersed with black and white photos of BootCamp, Mr. BootCamp and their families, displayed on copper wire stands attached a river rocks (an idea I am totally stealing!). The pine motif echoed the stained glass in the entryway at BootCamp's parents' house in Mammoth, and the simple ceremony decor, below.
Both BootCamp and Mr. BootCamp are outdoor fanatics - incredibly fit hiker/biker/ runner/ climber types, so the outdoor setting of the ceremony, in the Forest Chapel at the base of the mountain, and the classy, yet low key, feeling of the weekend suited them perfectly. I'm wishing them many, many adventurous years ahead!