You're all invited...

Dear friends and family!

Summer has reached Finland and its sunny sunny sunny! Nature shows its best and Finns have moved to their summer cottages to enjoy the incredible peacefullness of the almost 200 000 lakes we have here. You won't believe it until you see it!!!

The BIG DAY has been set (at least for now, unless any major chances occur) to JULY 21st 2007! That is saturday and the wedding will be held at my family's home town, Ikaalinen. A city surrounded by a lake of course... Why I send you this "unofficial" invitation already now is that there are some bigger arrangements to be made for the guests coming abroad and I sincerely hope that you will be one of them. Therefore I would need to know, whether you are atleast strongly considering giving me, Mikko and my family an honor to host you next July or whether it will be impossible due to work/money/other plans???

Depending on how many would be joining the party abroad, I would start planning a Finland-tour of some sort that would take place after the wedding. I would also make some pre-reservation for accommodation so that the best price-quality ratio accommodation could be offered. The tour would probably start in the beginning of the next week after the celebrations and would last atleast 1 week(can be discussed and wishes considering the tour can be made). It could include everything from visiting Stockholm and Tallinn, to enjoying those beautiful lakeside sceneries and by-the-lake saunas and even blueberry-picking experience with the Finnish bears and wildlife! The tour would first of all allow us to spend time with everyone coming abroad as well as making it possible for you to see as much Finland as possible with a native Finn HEIDI as a guide (and you know, that will be some high-guality guiding...).

I cannot give you any evaluations of the price that this kind of a trip would cost, but the accommodations (on a cruiser, summer cottages etc) would be much cheaper than a normal stay at a hotel and the food could in some parts be prepared by ourselves. For sure we would try to cover as much of the costs as possible, but with the wedding-party to be arranged and without a sudden lottery win the amount might not be very high.

I am already very keen on arranging this kind of a tour, because I know it woud be a great experience for everyone and the possibility to spend time with everyone at the same time is unique in this way. Also the Finnish wedding is a traditional experience itself.

So, with these words I am truly happy to invite you all to Mikko's and my wedding 21st July 2007 starting with the church seremony at 2pm continuing the visit with a tour around Finland. Please let me know as soon as possible what are your chances of making it!!! Everyone is welcomed!

with a wish from the heart to see you next summer,

Heidi and Mikko