We have a date, church, dress, reception location, and photographer...

So, here's what we have....

- Wedding Dress (actually I have that)
- Church (St. Mary's in Berea)
- Reception Location (Michaud's in Strongsville)
- Date (October 13, 2007 - that's most important, so I should've started with that!)
- Photographer (Rich Pappas from Dreamcatcher Studios -- newly signed today!)

I would say that list is pretty good considering we haven't been engaged a month yet! :-) Now, I'm moving on to Videography, DJs, and Limo service. Fun, fun! I'm still enjoying the planning, and I haven't gotten stressed yet. There's still a lot to do... but, I'm having fun!

I'm not so sure how much fun Bob is having. But, he's been great so far! He was super sweet to drive out to The Bertram Inn in Aurora with me today to meet our photographer at a Bridal Show. We signed the contract and then wandered through the vendors. We picked up some good leads on a few vendors... so the trip was beneficial. Plus, we signed with a great photographer! We both really like him, and we're excited about our wedding photos.

Stay tuned for more details...... AND, we're going to start working on a wedding website. :-)

I bought a dress!

Well, my wedding dress shopping trip with my mom on Monday was a success. I bought a wedding dress!!! Can you believe it??? My first day of dress shopping and I find THE DRESS!

Unfortunately, I can't tell you about it, or post a photo. (My fiance, Bob, reads my blog and my dress is a SECRET from him!!!)

So, you're just going to have to wait until October for wedding photos to see it! (Unless you e-mail me, and I'm nice enough to send you a picture.)

I will say that it's absolutely stunning! :-) I love it, love it, love it!!!! :-)

So, now.... we need to meet with the priest Friday night to confirm a date and then book a reception location. We have a few places in mind, and we're going to visit one on Saturday. So, hopefully within the next week or two, we'll have a location set. Then, it'll be on to photographers, videographers and DJs/Bands.

Fun, fun!!!

I'm getting excited!!!!! Can you tell?!?!?!?!?!

So, I have the ring... and the guy...

Wow! I'm completely exhausted!!!!! As an event planner by day, one would think that planning my wedding would be a piece of cake! (no pun intended)

Well, it's not!! The VOLUMES of information available through the internet and through books is UNBELIEVABLY EXHAUSTING!!!!!!!!!

And, I'm going to let you know right now (for those of you that read this blog) that the majority of the postings over the next few months are more than likely going to be totally focused on the wedding. So, get used to it... or get over it and stop reading! :-) (Hahaha!!)

Bob and I have a meeting with the priest next Friday night. Hopefully, we'll be able to set a date at that time. Since we don't have a date yet, it's incredibly difficult to begin the planning ---- although, I've been doing a ton of research online and I bought a book tonight at Borders which I think is going to be helpful... hopefully.

I'm incredibly excited about getting married!! (Bob will say that I'm more excited about planning the wedding, than the actual part about marrying him... which is NOT true!) I'm totally excited about EVERYTHING!!!!!

I just need to take things one day at a time........ and not stress out and above all not cause Bob to stress out and wish we had just decided to elope in Vegas! LOL!! :-)

Well, I'm off to bed now. Tomorrow, mom, Sarah and I are headed to the IX Center for my first Bridal Show. I can't wait!!!!! I'm sure it'll be very overwhelming, but fun. And, on Monday, mom and I are going dress shopping. That's what I'm most excited about!!! :-)

More details to come.............

Back at home... back to reality...

Bob and I arrived home safely late Saturday night. It was an awesome trip, and we wish it could've gone on forever.

But, back to reality.... and back to share our engagement news with everyone!!!

Bob and I celebrated our engagement with dinner New Year's Day night at PF Chang's in Florida! (YUMMY!!! Brown rice!!!! Love it, love it, love it!!!)

Here's a photo of us from that night...
















On Sunday, Bob's parents hosted an "Engagement Party" for us! Pat cooked a wonderful dinner and baked an awesome pink, heart-shaped cake for us. My parents, grandma, brother, sister-in-law and niece were all there to share in our good news! :-) We received two gifts --- a Precious Moment to commemorate our engagement from my parents (when I was younger I used to collect them and have almost 200) and a beautiful knife and cake server set from his parents.

It was a great night with all our family. His parents actually delayed their trip to Florida in order to celebrate with us! We felt honored.

I'm in full wedding planning mode! We haven't picked a date yet... but, we're looking at this October. I need to confirm a church date and then a reception location and I'll be on my way. The stack of bridal magazines is piling up on the living room floor. (Zelie, my cat, is enjoying laying on them.)

My mom and sister-in-law, Sarah, are going to a Bridal Show with me this Sunday. I'm looking forward to it! And, on Monday since I have the day off, I'm going to my parents to go wedding dress shopping with my mom and grandma. I can't wait!!!!

This is a very exciting time!!!! I can't wait to marry Bob. Every time I look at my ring I think of how much he loves me. :-)

We're Engaged!!!!!!!!!

Bob asked me to marry him last night!!!!

And............ I said YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We're currently vacationing in Florida at his parents' condo. We decided to spend a quiet New Year's Eve at the condo, instead of going out and fighting all the crowds. We took a VERY yummy steak dinner with brown rice and baked potatoes. We had brownies with vanilla ice cream for dessert.

We both managed to stay up until midnight to watch Dick Clark ring in the New Year. At midnight, Bob's mom called to wish us a Happy New Year, and I called my mom. Shortly after I got off the phone with my mom, Bob started acting kind of strange. I asked if he was ok and he said yes. I didn't think much of it because we'd been drinking all night and were both kind of loopy. And, then.... Bob reached into his pocket and pulled out a beautiful shiny box! And said, "Do you know what this is????" I started yelling, "Are you serious????" We both didn't say anything for a minute and then I started yelling again.

I said, "Well, are you going to ask?"

And, Bob said, "Will you marry me?"

I said, "YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Here's my beautiful ring.................



















Bob didn't tell anyone about the ring. He kept it a secret for weeks!!! And, after I accepted and yelled some more.... I asked if I could call my parents. At first, he wanted to wait until the morning, to keep it a secret between us.... but, because I was bouncing off the walls, he said that I could call my parents and then call his parents.

So, I called my mom. And, for those of you that know my mom, she was BEYOND ECSTATIC!!!!! She woke-up my 92-year-old grandma to tell her too. My dad was excited too! I told my mom I'd send photos of the ring... and my dad made her wait up until after 2am checking e-mail to see if I had sent the photos. Then, we called Bob's parents and they were excited too! They couldn't believe he kept it a secret from everyone ----- I can't believe it either!!!!!!!! They're coming to Florida right around the time that we're leaving. Hopefully they make it before we leave so that I can show them my ring!!

Today, Bob and I hung out at the condo. I called lots of friends this morning. He laughed at me. Then, we went for lunch and to play mini-golf. I keep looking at my beautiful ring and Bob keeps asking to see it!

I LOVE the ring!!!! And, I love him even more!!! :-) He's the bestest thing to ever happen to me. He makes me a better person! And, I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with him!!!!!!

Tonight, we're going to celebrate with dinner at PF Chang's!!!

Love,
Stephanie (aka Bride-to-Be and Fiancee)