Our Story

Todd and I met during our senior year of college in NY.  After graduation he moved back home to Boston and I stayed in my hometown in NY.  We did the long distance thing for a year until I moved to Boston in May 2006.  We we're engaged on January 26, 2007 and the rest is history!  We are planning our wedding for June 28, 2008 - ceremony in Wellesley, MA, his hometown, and reception in Concord, MA.

 

Reception Venue

The Nashawtuc Country Club, Concord, MA
The cocktail hour room


The Ballroom

 

Ceremony

Wellesley Congregational Church

FBIL was married at this church as well.  It is a gorgeous church just filled with light,
I'm so happy to get married here!

Ceremony Readings
These are some of the readings for the ceremony

Blessing of the Hands
Bride & Groom, please gaze now into each others hands, so you may see the gift that they are to you. (or say something to introduce it)
“These are the hands of your best friend, young and strong and full of love for you, that are holding yours on your wedding day, as you promise to love each other today, tomorrow, and forever.
These are the hands that will work alongside yours, as together you build your future.
These are the hands that will passionately love you and cherish you through the years, and with the slightest touch, will comfort you like no other.
These are the hands that will hold you when fear or grief fills your mind. These are the hands that will countless times wipe the tears from your eyes; tears of sorrow, and tears of joy.
These are the hands that will tenderly hold your children.
These are the hands that will help you to hold your family as one.
These are the hands that will give you strength when you need it.
And lastly, these are the hands that even when wrinkled and aged, will still be reaching for yours, still giving you the same unspoken tenderness with just a touch.”
God, bless these hands that you see before you this day. May they always be held by one another. Give them the strength to hold on during the storms of stress and the dark of disillusionment. Keep them tender and gentle as they nurture each other in their wondrous love. Help these hands to continue building a relationship founded in your grace, rich in caring,and devoted in reaching for your perfection. May [Groom] and [Bride] see their four hands as healer, protector, shelter and guide. We ask this in your name, Amen.

 

Irish Blessing

May the road rise to meet you,
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
The rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,
May God hold you in the palm of his hand.
May God be with you and bless you;
May you see your children's children.
May you be poor in misfortune,
Rich in blessings,
May you know nothing but happiness
From this day forward.
May the road rise to meet you
May the wind be always at your back
May the warm rays of sun fall upon your home
And may the hand of a friend always be near.
May green be the grass you walk on,
May blue be the skies above you,
May pure be the joys that surround you,
May true be the hearts that love you.

"Union" by Robert Fulghum
You have known each other for years, through the first glance of acquaintance to this moment of commitment. At some moment, you decided to marry. From that moment of yes to this moment of yes, indeed, you have been making promises and agreements in an informal way. All those conversations that were held riding in a car or over a meal or during long walks - all those sentences that began with "When we’re married" and continued with "I will" and "you will" and "we will" - those late night talks that included "someday" and "somehow" and "maybe" - and all those promises that are unspoken matters of the heart. Just two people working out what they want, what they believe, what they hope for each other. All these common things, and more, are the real process of a wedding. The symbolic vows that you are about to make are a way of saying to one another, "You know all those things we’ve promised and hoped and dreamed - well, I meant it all, every word." Look at one another and remember this moment in time. Before this moment you have been many things to one another - acquaintance, friend, companion, lover, dancing partner, and even teacher, for you have learned much from one another in these last few years. You have learned that good company and friendship count for more than good looks. And you’ve learned that marriage is a maze into which we wander – a maze that is best got through with a great companion. Now you shall say a few words that take you across a threshold of life, and things will never quite be the same between you. For after these vows, you shall say to the world, this - is my husband, this - is my wife.

 

Reception Decor

This is the general look we are going for - chocolate brown, pinks, and champagne

 

We'll have floor length chocolate brown pintuck linens and gold chivari chairs

Toasting Flutes                                                                                       
I managed to get my hands on a pair                                         Bird Cage Card Box 
of the discontinued Lenox Jubilee                                  $11.99 from Saveoncrafts.com!!
toasting flutes with crystals in the stems

Flowers

Centerpieces
The centerpieces will be a combo of high and low arrangements. Half of the tables will be a grouping of three small arrangements.  The other half will be tall arrangements with birch branches for height. All the flowers will be a combination of pink and ivory roses, peony, and hydrangea.

Centerpieces!  My florist did a mock up of the tall arrangements - they are perfect! She's just going to add some more roses to them and they will be in a slightly smaller cylindrical vase

 

Boquets, bouts, and extras
My bouquet will be pink roses and peonies.
BM bouqets will be a mix of and ivory and a bit of light pink roses and peony.

                  Mrs.JuliaGoolia

We'll have a large arrangement like this for the alter and use
it at the reception for the place card table

We'll have pink hydrangea pew cones down the aisle.

 

Cake

Our cake will be four tiers with pink roses and hydrangea in between the tiers. 
Buttercream frosting with a scroll design.

The flavors will be chocolate with chocolate-raspberry mousse and yellow cake with white chocolate mousse.  YUM!

 

Save the Dates

DIY card - all materials from paper source                  

Magnets - I designed the magnet in illustrator, printed on photo paper, cut to size, and put onto
adhesive business card magnets from Staples.

 

Invites

I am taking the plunge and will be DIYing my invtites!
Designed in Illustrator, vector images from istock.com
Bronze pocketfold from www.cardsandpockets.com,
all paper from www.paperandmore.com

All ready to be assembled!

Finished!! Calligraphy by A Fine Letter (www.afineletter.com)

 

 

 

Reception Stationary, Programs, etc.

Design will be pink and brown like this.  All stationary will be from Smashing Cards.
pic credit - knottie Bcap

 

Programs  - will look almost exactly like this!

Bronze carstock from Anchor Paper and ivory text weight paper from Staples

 Favors
Two chocolate chunk cookies from the Roche Brothers bakery  - they are so yummy!
And only $.49 a piece! They'll be in cello bags ($1.69 for 30 pack at AC Moore) tied
with a pink ribbon with a tag in the same desgin as above

Photo Sharing Cards
 These will go in the favor bags - Free business cards ordered from Vista Print!

I got these parasols from another knottie,
thought they would be cute for our pictures

 

 

Hair

Hair trial with Lynn from Eye4Beauty
She did a great job, I'm just going to have the curls a bit lower in the back

Inspiration pics

I purchased this barrette from ebay seller jewelry3721.  Great prices!

 

Beauty

Makeup trial with Andrea Paulo - her rates are great and she is really sweet!
These pics are came out crappy, but you get the idea....

 

Accesories

I will be wearing a cathedral length drop veil - purchased from this knottie, but I can't
remember her knottie name! Thanks Julie!

Jewlery, shoes, ideas, etc.

Earrings I ordered from Annabellagio.com, love them! But white aisle has them for $20 less :(

Shoes from endless.com - gotta love free overnight shipping! Nine West style Favorly

 

Hot pink clutch from Ebay seller Closet Affair

Eliot Danori bracelet from Macy's

 

 Wedding Rings

FI's wedding band - designer is Diana from Alpha Omega

 

My wedding band, it's a perfect match! I can't wait to wear it!

Bride's Attire

The dress!
I landed an amazing deal on a sample of Reem Acra's "Rich"
I'm in love!
     Me with my head cut off :)

Detail on the train

First Fitting

Unfortunatley my seamstress sucks with a camera :)

I love the bustle!!

 

 

Runway pictures

 

 

RD and Shower dresses 

                                                                             RD dress                                        Shower dress

Gorgeous freshwater pearl cuff for the RD from Etsy seller Nanda

 

Bridal Party

BM dress- Belsioe style #L8010 in Ice Blue chiffon over turquoise lining.
Ordered from RK Bridal - saved $70!

BM dresses are here!!
(the color looks weird on the font shot, the back is more acurate)

4 of my BM's and I at one of their weddings in July '05

Mother of the Bride
Dress from Landa Designs, ordered from Netbride and saved $164!!

Tuxes

The guys will be in a classic two button tux with a black vest. 
I'm going to find ties for the GM to match the BM dresses.

 Bachelorette Party!

My bachelorette party was such a good time!  We started with a pole dancing class at the Gypsy Rose, those pics will not be posted on here :)  It was awesome! We then had dinner at Fire & Ice and went to the drag show at Jacques, which was SO much fun!

Me in my bachelorette glory :)                              Being serenaded at dinner

                 Me getting a big kiss and my BM being buried in the drag queen's bosom

Yes, he/she really did spread my legs like that :) then I was forced by the most gorgeous drag queen
I've ever seen to grab this other bride's boobs, it really was an interesting night

Said gorgeous drag queen....             and scary drag queen

All of us                                         My BM Kelly and I

My BM Shelly and I                            My BM Nicole (left) and MOH Carmelita (right)

 

 

 

Bridal Shower

 My bridesmaids did an amazing job - I had a blast!

My 5 bridesmaids and I

Yes, that says high maintenance,                                                            
my lovely BM's got me some gag gifts :)                                                  

My poor 3 year old cousin (ring bearer)                                          
getting wrapped in a TP wedding dress :)                                         

The aftermath in the kitchen :)

 

 

Engagement Photos

Some of our e-pics from our fabulous photographers- Tirado Photography

Our "other" photo shoot
Our photographers won Best of Boston for 2007, a TV show would be doing a spot on them. They were asked to be filmed while shooting a couple - and they asked us to do it! We had so much fun and can't wait to see the TV show!
Here are some of the pics along with some 'behind the scenes' pics

 

Honeymoon!

We'll be spending 8 days/7 nights at the all-inclusive El Dorado Maroma resort in Riviera Maya, Mexico!
We'll be staying in a swim-up jacuzzi suite! I can't freaking wait!

 

Knottie GTG's

Our trip to Germany & France - May 2007

Germany, the rhine river, the castle we stayed in.

Paris! Eiffel Tower, Lourve, Arc de Triomphe

Normandy, France - Omaha Beach, our B&B

 

Vendors

Reception Venue - The Nashawtuc Country Club, Concord, MA www.nashawtuc.com
Ceremony Location - Wellesley Congregational Church www.wellesleyvillagechurch.org
Photographers - Tirado Photography www.tiradophotography.com
Cake - The Icing on the Cake
DJ - Event Experience Music - DJ Erik Buford
Videographer - David Bettencourt
Stationary - Smashing Cards
Invites - DIY - Designed by me! Pocketfolders from Cards and Pockets, paper
and evelopes from Paper and More
Dresses - BM dresses ordered from RK Bridal

Thanks for visting! Last updated: June 16, 2008