They say it's
the same old story, boy meets girl...Well it may be the same story but
it has a new age twist. Forrest and I met on the internet. Yes good ole
Yahoo! scores again. Neither of us we're even looking, for love that
is...but we did have one thing in common, Massage Therapy. I was living
in Jacksonville FL and had just started my search for a Massage Therapy
school in South Carolina. I was sick of Florida. He had recently
graduated from Massage Therapy school and was looking for an answer
while studying for his National Certification...He decided to look on
the net for a LMT who could answer his question. Well Massage Therapy
was listed as an interest in my profile and it just happened to be the
first one to pop up...
The rest as they say, is history!
The rest as they say, is history!
From early on
in our "On line" courtship we both knew where it was heading, it was
just a question of when. Five months after our long distance
relationship I moved to South Carolina. I decided to go to the same
Massage Therapy School Forrest had gone to. Soon thereafter we began
discussing the "ifs & when's". I had really wanted him to get
permission form my dad, and we we're planning a trip to NY for them to
meet. The trip to NY was great, but he never did ask my dad. So we
began planning our next trip, Camp Happy Days & Special times.
Forrest went to this camp himself as a child, it's a camp for children
with terminal illnesses and their siblings. Forrest had Acute
Lymphoblastic Lymphocytic Leukemia 3 times growing up, so volunteering
at this camp meant a great deal to him. He wanted me to come with him,
he said it would be good for me to be around the kids. ( I get nervous
around kids, I always think they don't like me) Now I had warned
Forrest well in advance that I did not want him to propose there, I
wanted to be around people I knew and cared about when that special
moment happened upon me.
The first night at camp was just for counselors and volunteers. one of the things they do is called the pine cone ceremony, sometime during the day you find a pine cone. At the ceremony when it's your turn you throw your pine cone into the fire and you can then choose to tell everyone why you are there or just give a brief introduction of yourself. After Forrest's I simply said I was his girlfriend and I was looking forward to getting to know more people. The whole ceremony took 3 hours, I was in tears several times throughout. After the ceremony I told Forrest how happy I was that he had made me come! That cinched it for me!
The week went along as it normally does I suppose, but with each day Forrest seemed to lose his voice a bit more, then began coughing, then had a temperature. I was really worried about him and kept telling him to see their onsite Dr. He finally agreed and when he did we were basically told that we had to leave. forrest had obviously caught something, and it was not safe for him to be around all the children with weakened immune systems. He knew they were right but he felt horrible about having to leave early. It was already late and he decided to try and get some rest. I brought him back to his cabin then went back to my own to pack. First thing in the morning, 5 am, I started to get our things together. He managed to get some sleep and I didn't want to wake him so a counselor in his room got his stuff for me to pack up into the car. Around 7 I ran into the camp Director, Flash and told her we were getting ready to leave, she wanted to say good-bye to Forrest, she's like a 2nd mom to him. So I went to get him and dropped him off with her, I told them I was gonna run and get some breakfast for us both to take with us. In the Dining hall one of Forrest's friends came to get me saying he was looking for me. So I grabbed my stuff and hurried back. When I got there Flash told me to have a seat on her golf cart, so with 2 plates in hand I began to sit down, I figured she was being nice after me running around for 2 hours. No sooner had I sat down but Forrest was bending down on one knew with my finished ring in hand...He had planned to ask me that evening during their talent show. He had been rehearsing a Lord of the Rings skit all week, but because I insisted he see the Dr. I never got to see it...
The first night at camp was just for counselors and volunteers. one of the things they do is called the pine cone ceremony, sometime during the day you find a pine cone. At the ceremony when it's your turn you throw your pine cone into the fire and you can then choose to tell everyone why you are there or just give a brief introduction of yourself. After Forrest's I simply said I was his girlfriend and I was looking forward to getting to know more people. The whole ceremony took 3 hours, I was in tears several times throughout. After the ceremony I told Forrest how happy I was that he had made me come! That cinched it for me!
The week went along as it normally does I suppose, but with each day Forrest seemed to lose his voice a bit more, then began coughing, then had a temperature. I was really worried about him and kept telling him to see their onsite Dr. He finally agreed and when he did we were basically told that we had to leave. forrest had obviously caught something, and it was not safe for him to be around all the children with weakened immune systems. He knew they were right but he felt horrible about having to leave early. It was already late and he decided to try and get some rest. I brought him back to his cabin then went back to my own to pack. First thing in the morning, 5 am, I started to get our things together. He managed to get some sleep and I didn't want to wake him so a counselor in his room got his stuff for me to pack up into the car. Around 7 I ran into the camp Director, Flash and told her we were getting ready to leave, she wanted to say good-bye to Forrest, she's like a 2nd mom to him. So I went to get him and dropped him off with her, I told them I was gonna run and get some breakfast for us both to take with us. In the Dining hall one of Forrest's friends came to get me saying he was looking for me. So I grabbed my stuff and hurried back. When I got there Flash told me to have a seat on her golf cart, so with 2 plates in hand I began to sit down, I figured she was being nice after me running around for 2 hours. No sooner had I sat down but Forrest was bending down on one knew with my finished ring in hand...He had planned to ask me that evening during their talent show. He had been rehearsing a Lord of the Rings skit all week, but because I insisted he see the Dr. I never got to see it...
As Forrest
would say, "I had to be difficult". I've been engaged once before, I
got the diamond, several actually, and they never were all that great
to me. That ex had a thing for showing you worth, he insisted I wear
yellow gold and diamonds to show that he could afford it. Well this
man, Forrest, the man I love knows me better. He asked me what I wanted
in a ring. "White gold & a White Sapphire" I told him, "but not
just any cut, I want a trillion" Could I have made it any more
difficult? So we began looking and this is what we found...
This is my
ring except I have a trillion white sapphire!
This is my e-ring!!!
These are the Save the Dates that I made, my friends lovingly refer to them as "the Travel Brochure" I love it!
These pictures are kind of big so that you can see the full detail.
Front
First inside flap: left hand side is a letter to the guests telling them that we wanted to make everything easy for them. Under that is an itinerary of the weekends scheduled events. On the right it reads: It's written in the stars that they were meant to be...so write it on your calendar there's going to be a party! Save the date for......
(Click the picture for a supersized version)
Inside left flap same as above, Center Hotel information including types of rooms, amenities, special rate and special requests. Right flap has travel arrangements 3 airports including airlines serviced, car rental info, driving time and phone numbers. At the bottom are other airports not as close with their phone numbers and driving time from them.
(Click the picture for a supersized version)
Back "We hope to see you there"
I did all the invites myself as well! What fun! Again big picture to attempt to show detail!
(Click the picture for a supersized version)
This is my Tiara & Veil I won off eBay!
This is my e-ring!!!
These are the Save the Dates that I made, my friends lovingly refer to them as "the Travel Brochure" I love it!
These pictures are kind of big so that you can see the full detail.
Front
First inside flap: left hand side is a letter to the guests telling them that we wanted to make everything easy for them. Under that is an itinerary of the weekends scheduled events. On the right it reads: It's written in the stars that they were meant to be...so write it on your calendar there's going to be a party! Save the date for......
(Click the picture for a supersized version)
Inside left flap same as above, Center Hotel information including types of rooms, amenities, special rate and special requests. Right flap has travel arrangements 3 airports including airlines serviced, car rental info, driving time and phone numbers. At the bottom are other airports not as close with their phone numbers and driving time from them.
(Click the picture for a supersized version)
Back "We hope to see you there"
I did all the invites myself as well! What fun! Again big picture to attempt to show detail!
(Click the picture for a supersized version)
This was the
first time trying the dress on. I don't have on any of the right
undergarments, and I hope that will make a big difference. I did my
hair myself here, it took an hour to curl it all. I'm not sure if this
is how I want to wear it though...
This is my Tiara & Veil I won off eBay!
Choice #1 Choice #2 Choice #3
These are all shots taken at Hopeland Garden & Rye Patch. It's a park that was donated to the city and residents of Aiken South Carolina, it has several pond with huge Koi, as well as tons of cute little turtles. There is a small "doll" house in the garden where the city of Aiken's Gardening club meets. Also the Thoroughbred hall of fame resides here. It's the perfect place for our wedding just for the simplicity of it's natural beauty!
These are some pictures I took on August 22, 2003. the first two are where the cermony will be, the 3rd is behind where I was standing to take the pictures. In the second picture you can see that just beyond the first set of stairs is where two walk ways meet, I will be comeing form the left and my dad form the right and we will meet in the center to walk down the path. I really want saome rose petals for this, but they are not allowed.
This is the entrance to Rye Patch, an older carriage house where the reception will take place.
First thing you see when coming in the door!
Shots from the main room, all the existing furniture will be moved to the wall side. I think I will try and set up some tables near the fireplace. The round table you see in the 2nd picture is supposed to be the "cake" table but I think it will be our sweetheart table instead! Where i'm standing in the 3rd pic is where the DJ will be. The french doors open up to one of the patios where more tables will be. Come see!
First patio that french doors open up to.
The second patio is around the corner, a little quieter here. I wil probably set up a couple tables here and possibly the bartender.
The one we are aiming for I can't find a picture of, but it's by Wilton Weddings and it's called harvest of happiness, it has sugard berries on the top of each layer. I love Raspberries so hopefully we'll be able to get some decent ones in October!
Cookies my mom made for our shower in New York, they are my favorites from childhood and reflect my italian heritage. She's going to be making these for the wedding also!
I don't have too many pictures for this as my new computer does not have them saved to it...
Josh, my MAN of Honor, and his Beautiful new bride Jill June 23, 2003
Shellie, my Matron of Honor from New York, and my best friend since we were 12. My gram is hemming her dress for her!
My brother Rich, one of the Groomsmen, and his beautiful girlfriend Erin. this picture was taken in New York at our Shower.
The Fabulous Mother of the Bride! Love ya Mom!
And this Beautiful Chica, is my lil knottie sis, Jenni-Marie, she's not in my wedding but she's in my heart! Take care lil sis!
I made all these flowers myself, using some amazingly lifelike silks I found at Michaels!
This is my bouquet Red rose buds surrounded by white roses, hand tied with white ribbon, and pearl pins. There is also a varrying pink organza ribbon for color. I think it came out ok, but I don't particularly like the white roses, I would have prefered the blush roses I used for the BM's, but Forrest wanted "WHITE" white...
My bouquet cost only about $20.00 to make!
........:::::::::>>>>>>UPDATE<<<<<:::::::::.......
I really didn't like the bouquet shown above for me so I took apart and put some more red roses into it, as well as some crystal and pearl embelishments. These are the new and improved pictures. I'm still not completely satisfied though so I'm shipping it off to my mom who has a friend who will spruce it up a bit!
These are for the ladies who stand at my side, the center roses are what I call blush roses, I don't know the real name for them, but they are a creamy white with what looks like blush on them! I hand tied these with white ribbon and pearl pins as well.
These cost around $12.00 to make
This bouquet is for Sissy, Forrest's Best Woman. The groomsmen will have red rose bud bout's so I matched her flowers to them, Red roses in the center with smaller blush roses around them. Also hand tied with white ribbon and pearl pins.
This cost around $15.00 to make
#1
#2
#1
Number 1 & 2 are both wrist
corsages, I'm not sure who they are for yet, so I made one of each
color. #3 is a pin on corsage, also not sure who it is for. I just
wanted to be prepared with whatever each of the mothers may need, and
if I have extra it's ok too, as I have a step mom, a grandmother and my
dads girlfriend, lol.
These only cost me around $4.00 to make
The red one is for the groomsmen, the Center one is the "WHITE" white Forrest wanted, and the last one though hard to see is the blush colored rose, it's for Josh, my Man of Honor.
These only cost me around $2.00 to make!
These only cost me around $4.00 to make
The red one is for the groomsmen, the Center one is the "WHITE" white Forrest wanted, and the last one though hard to see is the blush colored rose, it's for Josh, my Man of Honor.
These only cost me around $2.00 to make!
My computer died recently so I lost the ability to use my web cam, it's not compatible with Windows XP so I'll have new pictures hopefully soon. I've also been working on all the favors, and out of town guest gifts. Anything for the wedding that is printed I have done myself, Save the Dates, Invites, RSVP's, signs, you name it I did it. We plan to go back to the gardens this weekend to shoot some more pictures to use on the undersheet of the invite. I want to do them in black and white since the save the dates were in color. I think it will give it a little more of a formal touch! Also my dad is making all the jewelry for the ladies of the group, and Forrest and his mom are working on making them sundresses also. My mom got a whole roll of fabric for $15.00, we have used it for so many things...Table cloths on 6 tables at my New York shower, she also used it to cover the counters that were about 30ft in length. Those table cloths are here now for the rehersal dinner, and his mom also made a duvet cover for my king size comforter while he was at camp this year as a surprise, I re-did our whole bedroom with an oriental theme it came out amazing...
This is a picture from the shower in New York, and an idea of just how much fabric she got and how beautiful it is!
