Anniversary ABCs

Well, I am no longer a newlywed.  I kinda love that lol  Our trip was fantastic, super relaxing, and exactly what we needed.

I noticed Patty over at Tales of Me and the Husband did something called Anniversary ABCs and it looks like a pretty fun way to take a trip down wedding day memory lane.  So, enjoy!

Attending: We had 130 people attend our wedding.  My mother's side of the family came all the way from Colombia South America and it meant the world to me that they made the trip.  It was stressful trying to "keep the numbers down" but ultimately we were surrounded bythe  family and friends who were a truly important part of our lives.

Bridesmaids: I had 7 bridesmaids.  My sister, Vanessa, was my matron of honor.  She helped me remain calm at the times when I could have freaked out and she helped remind me to keep my focus where it should be, on God.  4 of my bridesmaids (Leslie, Laura, Lindsay and Kelly) were friends from elementary/middle/high school.  Two of which I have known since I was 7.  My roommate from college (Lindsay) was also a bridesmaid and then my friend from graduate school (Danielle), a "kindred spirit."

From L to R: Laura, Lindsay, Leslie, Vanessa, Me, Kelly, Lindsay, Danielle

Cake: Our cake was made by a French bakery in Baltimore, Patisserie Poupon.  The owner and my mother have known each other for years.  They did my sister's wedding case as well.  And boy oh boy was this cake delicious.  It was layers of chocolate and hazelnut and then was decorate to look like lace.  The cake topper was loaned to us by Chris' father, and it is a Lladro that he got in Spain.  I loved it and it was so special to have something from his time in the Air Force.

Dress: I absolutely loved my dress.  It was everything I had imagine in my dress.  I knew I had wanted lace and I knew I wanted sleeves and something modest while still be stylish.  I remember watching "Say Yes to the Dress" and mocking the girls who would dry when trying on their dress...so naturally when I tried on my dress both my mother and I cried haha  When my bridesmaids later saw my dress they described it as "so me" which is exactly what you want in your dress.  We added a belt for a bit of sparkle.

Engagement: Chris proposed at the Grotto in Emmitsburg Maryland.  We had just gone to mass and were walking around and I was showing him my favorite spot.  It was all a dream come true.

Flowers: The flowers we chose were simple roses, white for me, pink for the girls with some dusty miller to tie in the gray.  The best part of the flowers were the arrangements in the church and the centerpieces.

Groomsmen: Chris' best man was his best friend Joe.  His brother's Bryan and Time were 2 other groomsmen and finally his friend from college Brian (we all called him Moy)

This picture cracks me up... imitating the photo

Honeymoon: I was still finishing my Master's degree after we got married so we decided to take our honeymoon in August, so it was a combination "Honeymoon, Graduation, and 25th Birthday"  We took a cruise to the Carribean...and it was amazing.  It was my first cruise and I can't wait to take another.

Invitations: Our invitations were beautiful, looked like lace, and to me, seemed in and of themselves a work of art.  

Justice of the Peace: Chris and I were married in a full Catholic mass by the priest from my childhood parish.  He gives the most amazing and inspiring homilies and we were truly blessed to have him witness our marriage.

Keepsakes: Our favors were porcelain flowers...this was sort of my mother's thing and was one of those "pick your battles" moments so I decided not to worry about this battle and let my mother do as she wished. They were beautiful flowers and we wrapped them in gray paper with a pink ribbon with our names and date of marriage.

Ladies Night: My bridesmaids surprised me with a night out in Georgetown.  We went to dinner in a cute little place and then went around to a few different bars in the area.  My favorite part was getting dressed up and spending some quality time with my girls.  

Music: The music during mass was traditional, and absolutely beautiful.  Our first dance was to the song Changed By You by Between the Trees and our DJ was fan. tastic.  He seriously kept everyone on the dancefloor all night and blended songs from all eras, and songs that we had on our must play list, perfectly.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3EBbKNp-OwE

Newlyweds: I guess we're not these any more...and I'm not really sure what to put here...but following suit, I'll post some pictures of us right after we were married

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue:

Old: Chris' mother gave me a hankerchief that had been given to Chris on his baptism.  It was a bonnet for his baptism and came with a poem explaining that it should be used for his bride's "something old."  Talk about something incredibly special

New: my Dress

Borrowed: I borrowed a Vatican rosary from my mom and wrapped it around the stems of the flowers in my bouquet

Blue:  I had my bridesmaids sign the bottom of my shoes with a blue pen

Part 2 Tomorrow!