Before I get back to all things Dundee, I wanted to do a quick recap of our weekend spent on Orcas Island celebrating the marriage of our two wonderful friends.

As I mentioned in my last post, we arrived to the Orcas Island on Friday which also happened to be the First Friday of the month! Lucky us, we were treated to all sorts of sales at the local shops in Eastsound. If you plan to visit Orcas Island you really need to make sure you have adequate time to visit all of the shops. The town of Eastsound is straight out of a movie with a quaint downtown perfect for strolling about.

I made my “trip purchases” at Trés Fabu, where I bought two beautiful scarfs at their First Friday Sale!

When I go on vacations I always like to buy a fun piece of clothing, jewelry, or an accessory. Then when you get back to “real life” and you’re having one of those busy overwhelming weeks, you can pull out that beautiful scarf (necklace, earrings, etc.) along with the  memory of relaxing vacation. And let me tell you, I find that those good memories are always just enough to get you through the day.

It’s even better if you happen get a compliment on whatever you bought, and you get to tell the story of where you found it!

While out and about in Eastsound, I also happened to notice these honeybee hives, which made me smile. The hives are quite unique. Support your local beekeepers!

After exploring Eastsound we headed over to the other side of the island near Olga and checked into our weekend rental, The Plum Tree Cottage. We stayed in The Plum Tree Cottage with two other couples and had a blast. The rooms were nice, we had access to the private beach with a view of Mt. Baker, and the property was alive with wildlife including a white baby deer that I tried to take pictures of all weekend!

Friday night we joined other wedding guests at the rehearsal dinner held at Hogstones Wood Oven. It was a welcoming venue space where guest ate locally grown food, caught up over good wine and beer, and laughed and talked into the night.

Saturday morning was kicked-off with a potluck breakfast complete with breakfast burritos and mimosas! The Renaissance Man helped put this whole breakfast together and everyone was appreciative. My favorite part were the scrambled eggs which featured green peppers from our garden!

Our main weekend event was held at the Odd Fellows Hall on Orcas Island. The Hall was beautifully decorated with blues, yellows, and a starry night back drop.

The ceremony itself was one of the most heartfelt unions I think I’ve ever been a part of. So much love for this couple and I loved how the audience was also asked to say “I do.” What I really wanted to say was “heck yeah we’ll be there to support the two of you through this amazing commitment your making to one another!”

For dinner everyone feasted on delicious payaya. The one on the left was overflowing with seafood, while the one the right was full of yummy vegetables. I had a bit of both just to make sure I didn’t miss out on anything!

The night was capped off with a cookie and ice cream bar for dessert, lots of laughter, all sorts of dancing, and a whole lot of general happiness! And before we knew it, we were back on a ferry headed home.

I wish we had thought to spend a few extra days on the island, but knowing that this magical place isn’t more than a ferry ride away is all I need to know. We’ll be back for sure!