Mandala Springs

Wedding Day

Wedding

Reception

I met Anna when I was 22, had just graduated college, and was not looking. When she walked into the training of the NBA XPLOR orientation in St. Louis, there was something that instantly drew me to her. Her energy, her vibe, her Northern California roots, the supreme coolness with which she carried herself mixed with the high energy of someone who knows her place in the world and what she brings to the table. She was different than anyone I had ever met, and I knew she was special. When she was placed 40 minutes from my hometown and I two hours from hers for XPLOR it felt like destiny was laying the groundwork for forever. We used to joke that the universe was not ready for us to be in the same place, that it would throw off the balance of the world. The first four months of our relationship consisted of many skype dates, late phone calls, and a really frustrating two hour time difference, yet as we learned more about one another, about hopes and passions and the we saw the world, it became more clear that this was different than either of us had experienced. I remember very clearly what it felt like to fall in love with Anna Westin, and I have the privilege of getting to feel that again and again as we grow and evolve together. 

Every good story has it’s share of complexity. A season of change made it necessary for us to be apart to grow together. The hardest thing I have ever had to do was watch Anna move to Oklahoma, yet it was in that separation that we were able to do the necessary work to come back together, to get ourselves to this place. It is part of our story, part of the vulnerable transparency with which I want to exist in our relationship, in our future. Space allowed for us to better understand each other, to grow, and to spend the time working on ourselves so we could be two whole people lifting one another up, rather than two halves trying to make a whole. 

It has been four years since that incredible, enthusiastic woman walked through the doors of St. Louis and we are planning our wedding. There is no one I would rather share this life with. There is no one who I would rather do the beautiful, complex, passionate, meaningful work of creating a life with. Anna is my person, my equal, my best friend, the love of my life. I am overjoyed to be in this season, to be starting our journey to marriage, to be existing with the person who calms my soul and lifts me up. I cannot wait to be Melissa Hurley-Westin. It is a name four years, many calls, several hundred skype dates, and several hundred real dates in the making. It is a name that gives me butterflies, and fills my eyes with tears. So, Ms. Westin I will see you June 20, 2020. Say the word and I am already there.

I Choose You

Weather

Summer in Northern California 

The average high for Cobb Mountain during this week in June is about 85 degrees with an average low of 53 degrees at night. So, I would say pack&nbsp; layers, &nbsp;a swimsuit, and definitely &nbsp;the sun screen!

Our Story

Our Wedding

Details

Registry

photos

Wedding Party

Q + A

Mandala Springs is still under construction as of June 2019. There are more lodges being built and extra beds being added here and there. For the most cost effective option for families staying on site,&nbsp;please communicate with one another about who would like to bunk with who.&nbsp;There will be a more detailed floor plan coming as soon as it is available!

Mandala Springs - Wellness Retreat Center

The airport in Sacramento is the closest to our wedding venue and the&nbsp;most convenient option.&nbsp;

Sacramento International Airport

Travel

Mandala Springs is something of a one stop shop!&nbsp;Right on site there will be a variety of fun summer activities including:&nbsp;Volleyball, Swimming, Mini Golf, Yoga, Painting, Hiking and more!

Although our wedding + reception&nbsp;will be substance free, you will be right in the middle of wine country!&nbsp;There are several wineries right on Cobb Mountain within minutes of Mandala Springs and if you're staying for a longer trip you will only be an hour and a half from Napa County.&nbsp;

Wine Tasting

If you're looking for a some more family fun there is a Skate Rink in Lakeport -- about 40 minutes from Mandala Springs!

Paradise Skate Roller Rink & Arcade

Only 40 minutes away&nbsp; from Mandala Springs&nbsp;is beautiful Clear Lake! Disney Water Sports offers a variety of different boat rentals, kayaks&nbsp;and&nbsp;jet skis! So if you'd like to get out of the pool and onto the lake this would be a great option for you!

Mel & Anna

Mel & Anna

photos