We celebrated our 27th wedding anniversary August 18th~
No grand celebration or jetting away to an exotic locale or favorite destination for the last week of summer~ just enjoying a quiet weekend after a few busy weeks.
Although I did find myself fantasizing about a tropical island getaway. . .
Turks and Caicos, Grand Cayman, St. Maarten. . .
. . .Lake Norman :-)
There are 96 islands on the lake~ providing habitat for a wide variety of wildlife as well as recreational destinations for boaters (some of which can be considered a form of wildlife themselves :-)
Most of the islands are owned by Duke Energy and are open to the public. The lake’s 96 islands cover nearly 300 acres of land with almost 30 miles of shoreline. A few cover more than 20 acres~ while some are no more than piles of rock or shoals.
We boated to a nearby island~ complete with a few fresh water shells and driftwood for a picnic. . .
The modern 27th wedding anniversary gift is sculpture~
I opted for something less permanent for the occasion. . .a Sand Castle sculpted out of brown sugar for our table :-)
Some sparkling Prosecco in a sugared rim glass~
Marinated Shrimp for our Island Getaway~ made a day in advance~ you can find a recipe here.
A little Shell :-) Pasta Salad~ with sun dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, black olives, feta cheese and sundried tomato vinaigrette.
Thank you to Pablo’s Cantina~ for keeping our island getaway clean~
And thanks to my Boat Captain/Husband of 27 years for his patience :-)
Fantasy Island Table details:
Ivory Chargers/ Matceramica- HomeGoods
Salad Plates, Napkins & Glasses / Pottery Barn, last year
Flatware/ World Market
Napkin Rings/ Stein Mart, last year
Beaded Placemats/ Target
Table topper/ Shower Curtain :-) – Kohl’s
i want to go!
Now this is my kind of celebration. What a great idea to put that marinated shrimp into those jars! Congratulations on your anniversary!
Happy Anny Mary! Looks like a great meal, love your tablecloth and the napkin rings are too cute! I’m sure you had a fun day:@)
Just truly divine…A
Happy Anniversary Mary!
What a gorgeous way to celebrate. I love the table and the site.
Happy Anniversary to you both! What a handsome, YOUNG boat captain you’ve got there, too. He is a *hubba-hubby*, for sure.
The sand castle out of brown sugar was brilliant but I’m dying for a sip of your pretty Prosecco and its only 8 am! The entire table actually has me drooling. Beautiful linens & settings & that “shell” pasta…so cute!
Wishing you many, many wonderfully creative years together.
Hugs,
Rett
I’m afraid our island picnics are not quite the same. On a good day, we might have a cloth on the sand/rocks and the lobster rolls could possibly be served on paper plates! Your anniversary is the same date as hubby’s birthday.
BTW, did you weather the storm OK?
Hi Linda~ We were too far inland for Irene to impact with the coast taking the brunt of the storm. The highway to the Outer Banks is gone! You can see here.
Happy Anniversary, Mary! It looks so calm and peaceful, a far cry from what went on here after Irene. We just got our phone and power back, it wasn’t fun, but thank God no floods.
I love the brown sugar castle! Now you can use the sugar to make cookies!
Yes, dh is very patient! I don’t think mine would appreciate me dragging all my tablescape things on his boat!
Just lovely!
Happy Happy Anniversary. Wishing you many more years of bliss! Your setting, table, chairs, shower curtain/table covering and those glasses are to die for! I will be making those shrimp this weekend just for nibbles on Sunday! I love your table! Great plates too. It’s all so perfect! xo marlis
oh, did you hear my heavy groan when i saw your anni table… i mean it really was a low soft guttural moan of pure joy for you… how special…i mean truly…
and you know how i feel about seaside tables to begin with~
the sugar rim is pretty darn fun too :)
i love your menu… its all to adorable for words… and yet i keep stammering!
and who doesn’t want their own portable sand castle~
of that was fun fun FUN! and such a cute shot of your husband. congrats to 27 years, i wish you many many more, i bet he was tickled with your fantasy island, god knows i am!
calling you today, my emails aren’t getting thru even from home now :(
Mary, we celebrated 36 years last night. I’m not as clever as you. We went out for Italian. ;-) So Happy Anniversary!
Love every detail about this seaside table. You know how to pull it all together even down on the beach. And the shots! You are truly an artist!!!
Glad that you were safe from Irene. Sad to think about all the destruction and pain that so many are dealing with.
Happy to see Kathleen’s note above that she is fine and has power once again.
All the best ~ Sarah
OMGoodness, I think you HAVE topped yourself and I never thought that was possible!!!!! This is magnificent and I am SOOOO impressed that your (HANDSOME) hubby didn’t throw a FIT about taking a table and chairs, dishes, flatware, chargers etc., etc, and the food!!!!! He is a KEEPER for sure!!!! We have 43 years and I know my hubby would have MOANED and GROANED about it all. The Prosecco looks SO good in the sugared glasses, and the menu is perfect!!! Oh how I wish we were neighbors, we could have a BLAST!!!!! HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO YOU BOTH!!!!!!! XO, Pinky
Hi Mary, happy anniversary to your and your handsome husband! That sand castle is amazing, there’s that word again, I went from using “wow” to :”amazing”, I am putting it on Pinterest! Your shell salad is delicious, and you ladies in Blogland make mason jars look better than Waterford crystal!! xo
WOW…… I know to always expect the unexpected from you, Mary….but this is over the top! Everything is so beautifully coordinated….and I agree with all the comments above about your handsome husband….if mine had been half as patient with my ‘locuras’ we would probably have lasted much longer than we did….He looks like he was enjoying the outing as much as you did!
Happy, happy, happy anniversary!!! Twenty-seven years is a LONG time! Heck…by Hollywood’s standards you guys are relics! You’re Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward! You’re Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson! You’re….hmmmm….can’t think of any other longtime marrieds in Tinsel Town! But you get my drift! Speaking of drift (great segue, huh? :-)) this seaside setting is gorgeous. The surroundings are astoundingly beautiful and the table you set up is fabulous! The castle out of brown sugar is so sweet!!! (Pun intended!) It’s perfect!!! I LOVE those champagne glasses!!! The charger and dish combination you chose is perfect with the great tablecloth, too. Everything looks fantastic. And your husband is very handsome. Please let him know that your blogger friends think he is a cutie pie! :-) Once again, Happy Anniversary! I wish you 27 x infinity more of wedded bliss!!!
HAPPY HAPPY ANNIVERSARY! WE JUST HAD 31 AFTER DATING FIVE YEARS TOO! WHAT A BEAUTIFUL CELEBRATION! LOTS OF LOVE TO YOU BOTH!
Hey there – this is a good one – I remember you scouting island locations last time I came to visit – Great pic of David…such a Good Sport – Have a fun Labor Day weekend! Love, Ll
Isn’t it just great to be married to a good sport? LOL Mine is a great sport too. Do you ever wonder what they are thinking when we do the things we do? Happy Anniversary! I love the brown sugar castle!
Awww Happy Anniversary! What a great setting and table. You did a wonderful job decorating. And you sound like you have a great guy you are married to! Yay!
Blessings,
Debbie
What’s not to love? Yours is one of the first I click on every Wednesday evening. Besides the fabulous setting, I love the brown sugar sand castle, plates, napkins and napkin rings. How clever to use a shower curtain. I’m a big fan of using fabric from different sources for use as a table topper. There is an endless variety to choose from if you think outside the box like you did. I look forward to your posts every week!
Very Neat! Love your setting.And Happy Anniversary!
That may not be a tropical island getaway but it’s still very beautiful and romantic :) I’m quite impressed with the brown sugar castle too! Happy anniversary!
OH goodness, I LOVE this! I would love to set up a romantic table by the beach, and by the look on the face, your husband loved it too. I can’t believe how pretty it is, and I love the brown sugar castle. Happy Anniversary!
Happy Anniversary! What a wonderful way to spend the day – so romantic and beautiful! Mary, that sugar castle is so clever! I didn’t have a table this week but had to peek and see what you are up to. I always love your artistry!
A very happy anniversary, Mary! Love your whimsical table…the sandcastle is adorable!
Very lovley and unique-I love everything. You are so creative and I hope you had the best of times. Cheers
That was an amazing post! From the location to the table scape to the food. Great photography and a handsome hubby! Congrats on your 27th.
(In November we will celebrate our 32nd, we go to Disneyland every year.)
<i<~Rainey @ The Project table
Mary,
HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!!!! Isn’t it grand that you & your sweety have these wonderful years & memories!!!! We are going to celebrate 42 years in October! YIKES!!!! Where does the time go? It seems like yesterday that he & I were 16 & 20 (yes, too young) & starting out… Now we’re in our 50’s & 60’s but, I wouldn’t change a thing!!!!
Your table was stunning as always. LOVE the table cover. The shrimp made my tummy growl because that is what we’re having for dinner tonight!!!! Wish we were on our boat/beach to do it. Have a safe holiday weekend. Are you going to the lake? Hubby won’t go on this type of weekend because he says that’s when all the drinkers are out on the water. DARN! I wish he’d give in & let us try it. HUGS!
Charlene
Beautiful table! What a wonderful setting. I love your shells theme and your sandcastle from sugar is amazing. I really like your goblets too. Lovely! Happy Anniversary!
Happy Anniversary Mary!! What a romantic way to celebrate; I’m going to have to get more creative :) I have to set aside a little extra time to look at your posts because they are so full of wonderful details. I have decided that your creativity knows no bounds. I love the brown sugar sand castle with the sea shells topping each tower. And those goblets are just GORGEOUS! Everything about this table is evocative of an island getaway — which is actually what it is. When we drive past Lake Norman on our way to Charlotte, I’m always amazed at the size of it. Such a nice treasure to have in our state, don’t you think? Your photos are first rate as usual, and thanks for sharing. Happy Seasonal Sunday!
Denise
Looks like a perfect celebration. Congratulations. The shrimp looks great and I’m loving those glasses. They were Pottery Barn??? Thanks for being a part of Seasonal Sundays.
– The Tablescaper
Happy Anniversary! You picked a lovely location to celebrate and your brown sugar sand castle is genius! Dianne
Happy Anniversary! What a celebration. The table looks gorgeous. The brown sugar sand castle is awesome. Thanks for sharing.
Hope to see you on my blog:)
Happy Anniversary! That is the sweetest sand castle I’ve ever seen! ;) Shells are one of my favorite things and you’ll always find one or two year round in my house., so you know I’m lovin’ your tablescape. The sugared rim on the Prosecco glass is so pretty. I’m going to try that next time. Thanks for including the recipe for the marinated shrimp. I’m headed to the store to get the fixins. Yum. I had to giggle about the “wildlife” comment. I’m thinking about all the “wildlife” there when the Loch Norman Highland Games arrives. :) Glad you didn’t have damage from Irene.
Hugs,
Babs
Oh my goodness. This is totally unreal. Absolutely stunning. Everyone of your pictures are gorgeous. Your tablescape is soooooooo perfect. That sandcastle is unbelievable. You amaze me with your talent. Such a perfect spot and the menu is lovely also. Thanks so much for sharing on TTT. Hugs, Marty
How beautiful! Happy Anniversary! It looks like you know how to live life to the fullest! What a happy couple you are! ♥
Oh, this is simply fabulous. I still can’t get over the brown sugar castle. Just too cute. Love the whole setting and happy anniversary. Thanks so much for sharing at Wow.
Happy Anniversary. This is a perfectly fabulous getaway. You attention to detail always fascinates me. Who else would think of a brown sugar sand castle? The table setting is gorgeous.
I will be so pleased if you will bring one of your projects or posts to my Potpourri Friday Party this week. Link-up starts on Thursday afternoon. Without a doubt, your participation will help make the party better!