A Happy Day...

Yesterday, Linda, Crystal and Becky came to Baltimore to go dress shopping with me. First, we made a stop at Pier 5 Hotel so that Crystal and Linda could see the reception space. Becky had already seen it, but of course she was a good sport and came to check it out too. After a quick lunch at Potbelly's in the Harbor, we headed to Francesca's Bridal in Parkville. I found Francesca's because they are in the same building as our photographer and videographer. We arrived right on time for our appointment and had a few minutes to kill while our salesperson (Jeri) finished up with another customer. We made ourselves comfortable and Becky and I started wandering around the salon to look at dresses. I found a dress that I liked and told Becky that I really wanted to try that one on. We met with Jeri and talked about the kind of dress I was looking for and my budget, and she started pulling dresses off the rack. Off we went to try them on, but the first dress I looked at with Becky was not included in the selections. I could not have been more nervous - it's not every day that I get to play dress-up with bridal gowns. Turns out as I was trying on the first gown, another bride grabbed the one that I liked so much and had it on for quite a long time. I tried on about 4 gowns, and each had aspects that I liked, but I had not found the ONE. As I was taking off the last gown, Becky came back to the dressing room with the gown that I was dying to try on. I tried it on, and it was THE ONE! When I walked out of the dressing room and looked in the mirrors, I knew it was exactly what I wanted. Jeri turned the lights down so there were little lights shining on the dress, and it was absolutely perfect. I was even more convinced that it was perfect when I saw and heard Linda, Crystal and Becky's reactions. Linda told me that the dress had been made for me, and then Becky says "Wendy, it's so beautiful, I want to marry you!" Before we knew it, we all were in tears. So... we bought it!!! I have a wedding dress!!! A big thank you to Linda, Crystal and Becky for giving up their Saturday to come dress shopping with me. I could not have done it without you all - It really meant the world to me to have you all there and I am really very lucky that you are a part of my life!!

If anyone knows someone who is looking for a wedding dress or bridemaid dresses, I highly recommend Francesca's Bridal. Our salesperson, Jeri, was amazing. She was wonderful! She really took the time to get to know me and understand what I liked and didn't like, and never once was she pushy. She also made a point to only show me dresses that fell below my budget. What a great experience!! 307 more days until I get to wear the dress!! I can't wait!!

A Sad Day....

For Wendy. We put our house on the market today. I can't believe we're actually doing it, but here goes. I've already cried a few times about the decision. Ryan, on the other hand, couldn't be more excited. Don't get me wrong... I'm excited about the prospect of a bigger house with a yard and a parking spot where drunk people don't graze my bumper when they try to pull out of their parking spot on the street, but I LOVE this house! It's so cute and it's our very first house together. What can I say, I get emotionally attached. I can't help it! At the very least, having the house on the market will be a true test to see how neat and clean we can keep everything - we even have to make our bed every day!! We have an awesome realtor, but if you know of anyone who wants to buy a cool house in Canton, send them our way!

On the wedding front, we booked the videographer this weekend. We decided to go with Perskie for this - should make the whole process of videos and photos that much smoother (we hope). We also found out that the rooms at the Courtyard Downtown are now available to be booked (since we're less than a year away). If you'd rather book a room online instead of calling Marriott, please let me know and I can send you the link. And.. more exciting news, the date is set for the first round of Dress Shopping -- November 17th! I can't wait!!

On a different note, we'll be doing the 1-mile walk for the Race for the Cure this weekend in honor of my brother-in-law's mother who would have celebrated her 60th birthday on Sunday. If you're interested in donating to the Susan G. Komen fund for our team (Team Betty Boop), click on the following link: https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=229427&lis=1&kntae229427=8BBA81FDA6FD418CB3992F8EACF652BA&supId=188821327

Back from Europe

We made it safely back from Europe, and we are comfortably lounging on the couch watching American football today and trying to get used to Eastern Standard Time again. Europe was pretty amazing but definitely exhausting. We got more exercise over the past 9 days than we have in a long time! It was well worth it though.

Our first stop was Amsterdam for 2 days. The weather was cold, rainy and windy - we definitely were not expecting that. Other than the weather, it was a great city. We went to the Van Gogh Museum, took a bike tour to the countryside and saw a typical Dutch windmill and lots of cheese and clogs, saw the Anne Frank Huis, took a tour of the Heineken Brewery, went to a Dutch street market, and checked out the Red Light District. It is a very American city and easy to navigate using public transportation. It was amazing to see that most people ride a bike instead of driving a car. Click on the picture below for a link to our pictures from Amsterdam.

The next stop was in Paris for 3 days packed full of sightseeing. We had much better weather here. It was still kind of cool, but at least it didn't rain. On the first day, we walked through the Jardins des Tuileries near the Louvre to the Champs d'Elysee which leads up to the Arc de Triomphe. From there, we headed over to the Eiffel Tower. We were able to time it perfectly so that we were at the top of the Eiffel Tower at sunset. It was beautiful! On the second day, Ryan and I took a short train ride out to Verseilles while Dave and Cindy ran 20 miles so that they could continue to train for the Baltimore Marathon. Verseilles is a huge, ridiculously lavish palace that is full of tons of marble, paintings, chandeliers, huge fireplaces and amazingly landscaped gardens. On our way back from Verseilles, Ryan and I went to the Catacombes where 6 million Parisiens are buried under the city. We also took the metro to the Boulevard de Richard Lenoir - we couldn't believe that there is a boulevard with the same name as Ryan's Dad! On our third day there, we went to see the Basilique du Sacre Coeur, the Cathedrale Notre Dame de Paris, and Sainte-Chappelle. From there, I parted ways with Ryan, Dave & Cindy while they went to the Louvre and I hung out in the Jardins des Tuileries to read, write postcards and even nap! It was such a beautiful day - I couldn't pass up the chance to hang out in the park! Click on the picture of the Eiffel Tower below to see our pictures from Paris.

Click on the link of Ryan and me below to see our pictures from the Chateau de Verseilles.

Our next stop was Barcelona for 4 days. We arrived there and were very excited to see that the weather was much warmer. We even thought we were going to get to wear our shorts that we packed! We didn't really do much sightseeing during our first day in Barcelona. We spent some time getting settled in our apartment and exploring the city. The first day we were there was the last day of a festival, so we got to see a parade which was pretty cool. The second day started out fairly warm, and we headed for the double decker bus tour around the city. As the morning progressed, the weather got colder and colder and it started pouring. It was awful! After waiting about an hour in the rain for another bus, we were able to take it back to a stop close to our apartment where we changed into warmer clothes, got some lunch, and waited out the rain. We re-joined the bus tour and saw most of the southern part of the city. This was definitely a great way to see the city! We even got to go into the 1992 Olympic Stadium! On our third day, we took a short train ride out to Sitges (or Sturgis as Ryan liked to call it) to see the beautiful town right on the Mediterranean Sea. It was absolutely gorgeous. When we got there, Ryan and I realized that we hadn't dressed appropriately (i.e. wore shorts or bathing suits) so we took the train back into the city to do some other sightseeing and then ended up going back to Sitges the next day. We spent the afternoon of the third day sightseeing. We took the funicular and then a gondola up to the Montjuic Castle. It was awesome! Then we saw the Barcelona Cathedral and the Santa Maria Cathedral. Later that night we went to a football game for the Football Club of Barcelona. Their stadium is the largest stadium in Europe and it seats over 100,000 people. It was quite an experience. European football fans really get into the game. Instead of booing, they whistle very loudly. They also don't hesitate to call the opposing team members obscene names in Spanish. It was pretty crazy! Our last day in Barcelona was spent relaxing in Sitges at the beach. The weather was absolutely perfect, and I didn't want to leave. Click on the link of Ryan and me to see pictures from Barcelona.

Overall, our trip was pretty amazing. Our only complaints were the weather in Amsterdam and the smell of cigarette smoke everywhere we went. Other than that, we can't complain - we were very lucky to be able to have a vacation in Europe!

By the way, according to the Countdown clock, it's only 356 days until the Big Day! As I was reminded by Aunt Sue, I no longer have to tell people that our date is Sept 20th next year! Woo-hoo!! Can't wait for it to get here!!

Off to Europe

We're packed. Our suitcases weigh less than 45 pounds (according to the bathroom scale), and our paper tickets and passports are in hand. Ryan and I are heading to Europe for the next 10 days to see Amsterdam, Paris, and Barcelona! When we get back, it will be less than a year until the wedding! How exciting! And.. I know I'm going to take a lot of abuse for this, but I just have to... HAIL to the REDSKINS! Hail Victory! Braves on the Warpath! FIGHT for old DC!!! What a game!

Let the Celebrations Begin....

Yesterday, Ryan's parents threw us a party at their house to celebrate our engagement. Despite the hot, sticky weather, the party went off without a hitch. The food was great and the time we spent with friends and family was even better! We cannot even begin to express how grateful we are. We want to thank Ryan's parents for throwing the party and also thank everyone who made the trip to celebrate with us. We really are truly lucky to have such wonderful friends and family, and we are very excited for the wedding day and the time that we'll get to spend with everyone there. Also... A big thanks go to Ryan's brother, who was gracious enough to share the spotlight with us on his 18th birthday! Happy Birthday, Philip!!

Ryan and I are practicing cutting the cake for the big day!

Linda (Ryan's Mom), Sue (Ryan's aunt), and Linda (Wendy's stepmom) (from Left to Right)

4 of the 6 beautiful bridesmaids (left to right): Alexis (Ryan's sister), Crystal (Wendy's sister), Val and Becky (both friends of Wendy)

Happy 18th Birthday, Philip!!

Finally... We Have a Church!

Today, Ryan and I met with Father Rich at Corpus Christi Catholic Church, and we are very excited to announce that we have a place for our ceremony! The meeting with Father Rich went really well. Corpus Christi is located in a beautiful neighborhood in Baltimore called Bolton Hill, and the church is gorgeous! Our ceremony will be at 5:30pm (which I've been told is good luck) and will be performed by Deacon Fritz Bauerschmidt. Ryan was excited to hear that he teaches Theology at Loyola College. It's starting to feel like it's all coming together. Click on the following link for a website for the church. http://www.corpuschristibaltimore.org/

Also, now that we have a church and a place for the reception, we will begin working with Pier 5 to design our personal wedding website within the next few weeks.

Yay for Bridesmaids!

So... It turns out I actually have friends (other than Ryan). I asked all my bridesmaids and believe it or not, they all said yes! :) Asking my girls has actually been one of my favorite things I have done so far. So, to pop the question to the bridesmaids, I had love2bcreative make some bridesmaids "invitations" for me (See the picture to the left). At the top it said "Will you be my bridesmaid?" and then under the dress (yes, you have to lift the dress up to see it - get your mind out of the gutter, Jordan!), they said "Hard to believe that in just a little while, Ryan and I will be walking down the aisle. And nothing would give me such joy and pride Then to have you there by my side!". I also gave them all a framed picture of us together. Although it was fun, asking my bridesmaids was more nerve-wracking than I thought it would be, but it got easier as I went along. I was so nervous when I asked Crystal (she was the first to be officially asked) that I kind of felt like I was proposing. Even though I thought she'd say yes, a part of me still was a little worried... Guess now I understand how Ryan felt when he had to propose. In addition to the "invitation", I gave them all a Bridesmaid's Contract which I have included below. When I decided to ask everyone in the way that I did, I really thought that I'd be able to keep a straight face and give them the contract and make them all sign it (as a joke of course). But... I guess I didn't do a very good job with that, because each time I gave the 'maids the contract, they all just laughed in my face, most of the time while I was trying to hold in my laughter. At the very least, the contract was good for a laugh - I'm glad they know that I'm trying not to take this wedding thing that seriously!!

*Bridesmaid’s Contract*
Let me just say again how happy I am that you are going to be a part of my special day! Below are just a few guidelines for the wedding that I’d like you to review. Please initial by each point and sign at the end. Just want to make sure they’re aren’t any surprises! Thanks so much! Love ya!
-Wendy
______ My hair will remain at the length it is now or longer.

______ I will not change my hair color without first consulting Wendy and providing a sample photo or hair swatch for consideration.

______ I will use Sally Hansen’s “Maximum Growth-Daily Nail Growth program” every day for the 4 months before the wedding day.

______ I will not gain more than 5 lbs from the weight I was when I was asked to be a bridesmaid.

______ I swear to attend all showers, (bridal & bachelorette), to arrive in a timely manner and do everything in my power to support and “be there” for the bride.

______ I will purchase the bridesmaid dress selected by Wendy within 6 months of the date of the wedding (and not complain about the style or the color selected).

______ I will NOT knowingly get pregnant without notifying Wendy at least 4 months prior to the wedding so a suitable alternate can be found. I will also give my purchased bridesmaid dress to the alternate bridesmaid selected.

I do hereby swear that I will adhere to all of the above & other understood bridesmaid duties for the wedding on September 20, 2008
X_________________________
(sign, print and date)

The 'Maids are as follows:

Becky - the MOH (my best friend from middle/high school)

Crystal - my sister (who will keep me in line and not let me make any ugly decisions!) :)

Stacey - my niece (who is all grown up now!!)

Val - my best friend from E&Y (even though she left me)

Alexis - my soon to be sister-in-law

Melissa - my friend since kindergarten

So, to my bridesmaids... I want you all to know how thankful I am that you are a part of mine and Ryan's lives. You mean so much to us, and we are very excited that you will be a part of the big day!!

As for the groomsmen, Ryan is slowly asking - I think he's about halfway through, but he isn't doing anything as fun as I did... Boys will be boys.