{"id":52952,"date":"2019-09-30T15:20:02","date_gmt":"2019-09-30T19:20:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.themainemag.com\/?p=52952"},"modified":"2022-02-03T11:51:38","modified_gmt":"2022-02-03T16:51:38","slug":"jess-and-chris","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.themainemag.com\/jess-and-chris\/","title":{"rendered":"A Stunning Wedding Celebration at a Family’s Lakefront Retreat in Northern Maine"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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A Stunning Wedding Celebration at a Family’s Lakefront Retreat in Northern Maine<\/h1>\n\n\n\n

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The ceremony at Chris’ great-grandparents\u2019 camp on Lake Onawa near the 100-Mile Wilderness incorporated tradition’s from Jess’ hometown in Yorkshire, England.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Photography by Jamie Mercurio Photography<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

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Jess and Chris first locked eyes on a London dance floor in 2013. \u201cWe knew pretty quickly that we were a great match\u2014we both value our independence but have awesome adventures together, and we love spending time outdoors,\u201d says Jess. Chris, who was working in Houston, Texas, at the time, would fly home to London every month for date night.
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\u201cWe wanted there to be plenty of delicious food and free-flowing drinks, and for everyone to leave with amazing memories of having fun on the lake that is so special to us.\u201d <\/p>CHRIS<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

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Ever since they started dating, Chris and Jess would visit his great-grandparents\u2019 place on Lake Onawa. Usually, the pair spends the first few days of the trip re-exploring their old haunts, swimming to a nearby island, checking on the beaver dam upstream, and hiking up Borestone Mountain. During their trip in 2017, the first few days were cool and foggy\u2014perfect for hiking\u2014and Jess couldn\u2019t understand why Chris wanted to spend so much time inside, playing Scrabble. On the third day the clouds finally broke, and the couple set out for a hike. When they reached the top of the mountain, Chris proposed with a ring that was \u201cvery precariously\u201d zipped into a pocket in his running shorts. After Jess said yes, they spent the rest of the day celebrating in their old row boat with a bottle of Champagne. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur guests ate wood-fired lobster and danced under old family canoes, one of which was first used by Chris\u2019 great-grandparents on their honeymoon.\u201d <\/p>jess<\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n