MELISSA & STEVEN'S WEDDING

April 09, 2004 in Monmouth County, NJ

Steven and I...


This is Steven and I in Savannah.



This is Steven and I in our first week together.



This is my engagement ring with my hand squashed up against the scanner. *Yes I bought a scanner just for this - I know - I*m addicted!


This is my wedding band!! I finally got it (Valentine's Day). This is also Steven's band that he FINALLY picked out.


 

GETTING READY

THE BIG DAY

Our wedding party currently has 15 people in it, so we had to "think big".

(www.fancylimos.com) in NJ.






This is the church that we are getting married in. It is in the Historic Allaire Village, in NJ. It was built in 1830.

My family and I used to go to family picnics in the park. My cousin (and MOH) used to run to the church to watch the bride come out. NOW it will be me!

(www.allairevillage.com)





I wanted to make the Martha Stewart programs but couldn't decide which initial to put on the front. I ended up changing it up a little bit and put a picture of the church on the front. Now begins the task of putting them together!

First page of program.

Page 2 and 3 of the program.

Page 4 and 5 of the program.

Page 6 and 7 of the program.

Page 8 of the program (*Please excuse the scanning job!).

Tissues for the church - courtesy of my BM Jennine. The pink ones are what I made with my cousin. I was going to do more, but as my cousin said, people are just going to blow their noses in them!
UPDATE: I made more - I am now at peace and can move on. :)

If you decide to do this, run the paper through the computer instead of doing the stamp. It comes out nicer and is MUCH easier.


For directions on how to make tissue packets go to: http://www.aweddingday.com/crafts4.html






I ordered this unity candle off of EBAY. Now if I could just think of a very SHORT song to play during the lighting, I'd be happy.


My grandmother (Grammy) and my Aunt Priscilla are going to be readers at the church. This picture was taken as they were waiting for my cousin to come down the aisle! Grammy is also making the cookies for our favors.



GRAMMY'S READING: Let your love be stronger than your hate or anger.
Learn the wisdom of compromise, for it is better to bend a little than to break.
Believe the best rather than the worst.
People have a way of living up or down to your opinion of them.
Remember that true friendship is the basis for any lasting relationship.
The person you choose to marry is deserving of the courtesies and kindnesses you bestow on your friends.
Please hand this down to your children and your children's children.

AUNT PRISCILLA'S READING
Love is just not looking at each other and saying, "You're wonderful".
There are times when we are anything but wonderful. Love is looking out in the same direction.
It is linking our strength to pull a common load.
It is pushing together towards the far horizons, hand in hand.
Love knows that when our strength falters, we can borrow the strength of someone who cares.
Love is a strange awareness that our sorrows will be shared and made lighter by sharing;
that joys will be enriched and multiplied by the joy of another.
Love knows someone else cares that we are not alone in life.

My Aunt Gail (in the dark blue) will be another reader. This is also at my cousin's wedding.



AUNT GAIL'S READING
Today is a day
You will always remember
The greatest in anyone’s life.
You’ll start off the day
Just two people in love
And end it as husband and wife.
It’s a brand new beginning,
The start of a journey,
With moments to cherish and treasure.
And although there’ll be times
When you both disagree,
These will surely be outweighed by pleasure.
You’ll have heard many words of advice in the past,
When the secrets of marriage where spoken,
But now you know that answers lie hidden inside,
Where the bond of true love lies unbroken.
So live happy and forever as lovers and friends,
It’s the dawn of a new life for you,
As you stand there together
With love in your eyes
From the moment you whisper “I do”.
And with luck, all your hopes, and your dreams can be real,
May success find its way to your hearts.
Tomorrow can bring you the greatest of joys,
But today is the day it all starts.

Steven's grandmother will also be a reader. I don't have a picture of her right now, but this is her reading.
JOYCE'S READING
You have known each other from the first glance of acquaintance to this point of commitment.
At some point, you decided to marry. From the moment of yes, to this moment of yes, indeed, you have been making commitments in an informal way.
All of those conversations that were held in a car, or over a meal, or during long walks- all those conversations that began with, ”When we’re married”, and continued with “I will” and “you will” and “we will”- all those late night talks that included “someday” and “somehow” and “maybe”- and all those promises that are unspoken matters of the heart.
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 that 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, dancing partner, even teacher, for you have learned much from one another these past few years. Now you shall say a few words that will take you across a threshold of life, and things between you will quite be the same between you.
For after these vows you shall say to the world-
This-is my husband.
This-is my wife.

This is my cousin Tony who will ring the bell in the church after we are pronounced.




This is Uncle Jimmy, our soloist.



My church won*t let us throw rose petals (which is what I really wanted). So that we can still have that "splash" of color in the pictures, we will go with the ribbon wands. I'm going to put them in a tin bucket filled with sand (Jersey Shore, you know) and put the wands in the sand outside of the church.
UPDATE: I bought the supplies to make the wands. I'll post a pic when I get to it.
UPDATE: The wands are finished. They look great. When I get a picture developed I'll post one.
UPDATE:Here they are!

(courtesy of Sporty Bride).

THE RECEPTION

THE MENU

5 Hour Open Bar

COCKTAIL HOUR:

Butler served Hors d*Oeuvres: Bruschetta topped with Fresh Mozzerella & Roasted Red Peppers; Coconut Battered Chicken Medallions;Brie Puffs with Red Pepper Relish; Spinach & Feta Cheese in Phyllo Triangles; Foccacia; Miniature Monte Cristo Canapes; Crispy Feta Cheese; Miniature Crab Cakes; Jumbo Shrimp Tempura; Parmesan Cheese Straws; Lobster and Mango Croustades. Chafing Dish Items: Penne a la Vodka; Fried Calamari; Eggplant Rollatini; Cavatelli & Broccoli.

DINNER:

Champagne Toast
Pineapple boat filled with Fresh Fruit and Coconut
Lobster Bisque
Garden Salad w/ Rasberry Vinegrette
Sit -down dinner choices: Prime Rib (with twice baked potato), Vegetable Lasagne, and Sauteed Norwegian Salmon (with rice)

DESSERT:

Custom Wedding Cake and Trays of confections

These will be our centerpieces with different shades on pink. I think this picture is a little sloppy but it*s the best I could find.


We went for our final decision meeting!! They said the cake could be a cheesecake!! It will look like the second picture with a bottom square layer and two top round layers. It will look more like the third one with flowers to match our colors.






I bought this knife and server off EBAY.


For our favors we will be making donations to the diabetes foundation in honor of my two grandfathers and my grandmother.


The foundation will send as many of these cards for the tables as you request. They fit in a 5x5 frame if you want to jazz it up a bit!


I really like this idea as an additional favor. My grandmother has the best recipe.
I figure we can honor her by using her recipe and honor Steven being a chef at the same time. We will tie the boxes with black raffia and attach the tags. I got the tags from ebay seller "sweetxoxo76" (28 tags for $3.50 in your choice of color.)

DRESSES & ATTIRE

MY HAIR/MAKE-UP TRIAL

Hair trial: I love the way it looked but I think I'm going to ask her to lower it for the wedding so the veil isn't very high.
 

Make-up trial: AHHH!! Get rid of the clown lipstick. When you cover up the lipstick I promise the rest looks nice!!

My veil and tiara were bought off of EBAY. The edging on the veil is similar to the edging on the dress. I'm thinking of having the extra crystals that came with the dress sewn onto the edge of the veil. What do you think?




I refuse to be uncomfortable on the big day. Since Steven is a foot and a half taller than me I WILL be wearing sneakers even though some people think it's tacky. As far as I'm concerned, smile on my face will look better than high heels on my feet.



My cousin (and MOH) ordered this dress in black. This is the same dress she picked for us to wear in her wedding (but in red). *see below*


MOH dress



Although originally I thought I*d have my bridesmaids each wear a black dress of their choice. I really wanted them to be comfortable and in their price range,but apparently that was too difficult so my MOH and I just picked one out! I think it*s beautiful! (From David*s). Of course, undoubtedly - we*ve had complaints!

**NOTE**By the way, all dresses are too big on my cousin but you can get the general idea. It must be so hard being a size 4!!

Maybe I*ll make her wear the black bra for spite!







Steven is also having girls on his side. They chose to wear the dress below. *Again, dress is too big!!






My mom wanted this dress so badly but, although it looked good - we found that the other one looked great! *Ignore the bra and the joyous look on her face*





We finally went and ordered the tux. It's has three buttons down. Steven will wear a white vest and the guys will wear black.

FLOWERS

BRIDAL PARTY GIFTS

MY BRIDAL PARTY

This is my brother, Michael, who will stand up for me.

*NOTE TO ALL* This picture is the best reason I can give you for thinking long and hard about the body shapes of your bridesmaids. This was taken at my cousin*s wedding.


...and my best friend Tom will also be by my side!

MY VENDORS

Monmouth County, NJ

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