Wedding Date: August 29th 2022

We haven’t had a big Vick family wedding in years, so when I got the call that my cousin Kari was engaged, we blocked off a week and knew we would travel wherever their hearts desired. Kari and Mike are those people in your friend group that are good to the core. They’re always there for others to lend a helping hand or kind word and Kari was even the maid of honor at my sister's wedding. Now it’s their turn to be showered with love, so the Vick’s are headed to Colorado!

Kari relocated back to Colorado a while ago to act as the fierce and unwavering supporter when her sister was diagnosed with MS. She threw herself into the community, fundraising, and being there for everyone around her. It came as no surprise to anyone when she was hired by the MS Society to become a full time champion of the mission to end MS and cheerlead for others affected by this disease. One of her main events is BikeMS which her entire family and friends ride in every single year. This is just scratching the surface of the amazing person that is my cousin Kari. When she met Mike, a big personality baseball coach, we knew she had finally met her match. He brought a big heart, lots of love, similar energy, and two amazing teenage boys to the family. Kari is over the moon that she gets to step into their lives, expanding her heart since she’s always been “aunty Kari” to all her friends' children.

Normally when I arrive at a destination wedding, I will take time to enjoy the scenery, figure out the light, and get to know everyone gradually. This time however, I was staying in a cabin with my wife, two sons, my sister, brother-in-law, niece (who is also a flower girl), and nephew. Boy, that’s a different energy! I woke up to the sound of hairdryers, lots of chatter, and the cousins playing before they had to get into their wedding clothes. I was happy to step out into the crisp Colorado morning air to meet my cousin and get their day started.

When we left the bridal cottage we were surprised by a small herd of elk. This was always one of my favorite things about visiting my aunt and uncle so it felt serendipitous that her day started with elk in the front lawn. I walked with Kari down to the water's edge where Mike was waiting at their ceremony location overlooking the water and mountains off in the distance. She was so excited I thought she might run all the way there, but we did stop to take in the scene a few times to remember this moment. Overjoyed, they laughed and cried together, completely ready to start their celebration.

We went upstream a bit to capture some beautiful scenery and give them some time to take in their day before we went back to meet up with their guests. We found amazing light and I was instantly reminded why I love Colorado so much. Then went back to start family photos which was a bit of a new experience for me because I actually had to be in them too! Luckily my brother-in-law stepped in for a few photos and was therefore dubbed “Adam Kanallakan Photography” for the rest of the day. When we were finished, everyone took their place and the ceremony was ready to begin. The sun shone brightly as everyone walked down the aisle in anticipation of Kari’s big moment. She absolutely glowed as she danced down the aisle behind her many, many flower girls.

As a fun celebration after the ceremony, Mike found some exploding golf balls and requested a mini golf course firing squad with his kids. He may have been slightly regretting the idea just before they teed off, but his big smile of relief says it was totally worth it. We entered the beautiful reception hall filled with friends and family from all walks of life. Our Grandma Helen even sent a video wishing them well since she couldn’t attend in person. My sister, Amy, may have stolen the show a bit when she revealed she arranged for the first cousin slumber party with a sitter so everyone could stay out late. Janelle and I closed down the dancefloor and knew we would pay for it in the morning but didn’t regret a thing. Dancing and singing with all of my family around me made me feel incredibly grateful for this amazing job I get to do every single weekend. Then I looked over at Kari and Mike who were lost in one another's eyes and knew they would never have a boring life with the other by their side. They are each other's travel buddies, cheerleaders, and now family.

Vendors: Evergreen Lake House (venue), Tahnee Penta (wedding planner and florist), Piggi 'N Out (catering), Nothing Bundt Cake (dessert), DJ Maestro (music), New Terrain Brewery (rehearsal dinner)