I simply can not believe that the hubs and I have been married for a year, today!  Thats right, today is our very first anniversary.  I used to think time flew, but damn, its almost as if the moment  you get married, time flies twice as fast!  I am a bit gobsmacked to think that right about now, a year ago, I was fussing with my hair, finishing up  my make-up, prepping to dive into my dress, starting our day.

I’ll be perfectly honest with you, and anyone telling you differently is withholding some variation of the truth, while the year indeed did fly,  it has not been without its rough spots.  The hubs & I are both Aries, having similar strong outgoing, always right, stubborn type personalities and as such, well, let’s just say we are priiiiittty good at arguing, lol.  As scary though as that might seem, it is a part of it, the ebb & flow of relationships.  What doesnt break us {nothing is going to do that!} defiantly makes us stronger.  I have grown so much simply because he is a part of my life and helps me to become a better person.  I have considerably calmed down {possibly to the detriment to my dodgeball team, lol} become a much more patient person who is far more apt to take that extra second now and try to see things from another point of view, handling them differently, versus purely reacting.  I knew from  the day I met him, in 2002, that there was always something I can only describe as vibrating.  My entire being knew whom I was near, it simply took both of us living our lives out a bit separately before it was truly our time.  Now it is and I could not be more happy that it is him that I get to spend my life with, I could not be more lucky to have him love me for life, and I him.  I love you Truly. {Hubs name, not saying I love you truly, hehe}

*Top Photograph by Holly Adams, Bottom Photograph by Sarah DiCicco

*PS- I know I know, I have not had my actually wedding images, anywhere….  There are reasons for that, and its not that I dont want to share, as Truly puts it, I am a freaking OVER sharer!  All in due time, and soon I should think.  I’ll leave it at that!

Erin Cooper was recently diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.  Her dream was to be able to walk down the aisle to her love  Matt Rinaldi while she still could.  Together they entered The Bridal Idol contest put on by Inspired Occasions and 104.9 The Cat, a local radio station of Albany, NY.  The contest gave a full wedding to a deserving couple.  This amazing couple won The Bridal Idol contest & were able to have a lakeside wedding of their dreams.  So many amazing vendors came together to create this lovely affair and allow for Eric & Matt’s wishes to come true.  Judging by the gorgeous sunset lighting, Mother Nature was on their side too!

Vendor List

Hair Stylist: Lipstick N Lashes
Event Planner: Inspired Occasions
Floral Designer: Ambiance Florals
Dress Store: Angela’s Bridal
Cake Designer: Coccadotts Cake Shop
DJ: Conway Entertainment
Equipment Rentals: Total Events
Tuxedo and Mens Attire: Choppa & Sons
Event Venue: Old Daley Inn on Crooked Lake
Photographer: Scott Kretschmann Photography

No, not my baby sis, but Shella of Shell de Mar Photography!  Thanks to Twitter, I’ve come to know of & appreciate the UK based photographer & quickly have grown to love her work.  She has an amazing eye for light & any photographer who can really master the art & vixen that is light,  had me at hello.

Last year her sister got engaged and much as I imagine, she was super stoked.  Fast forward a bit, and as Shella notes, her little sister, very smartly so, asked Shella to be their wedding photographer.  What I actually love here, is that Shella politely turned her down in favor of wanting to genuinely be a part of her wedding day as a caring big sister & get the full experience.  I completely respect & really appreciate Shella for her decision.  I imagine this is a tough position & decision for a lot of wedding photographers when it comes to family weddings.   An accord was struct between the sisters and Shella ultimately captured the magic of her sister getting ready for her big day while Julian Beattie (the photographer who actually captured the wedding) covered the groom getting ready.

What I absolutely LOVE about these getting ready photos is to me, there is something a bit different to them, something more, then in the typical photographer-bride photos.  Maybe its just that I happen to know that they are sisters, but if you ask me, there is a level of relaxation & loving eyes going on, something that isnt typically and so easily seen.  I feel that her sister, Julie, genuinely was at ease with her sister there, and each time she looked at Shella, she wasnt seeing a lens, but her big sis.  There is a realness, a sweet tenderness, the ease of laugh that I believe only a sister could truly evoke & capture.

Shella has featured the getting ready pics on her blog, as well as linking to the photographers post of the wedding, which by the way, is AH-Mazing!  The attention to detail as well as the level of innovative & creative ideas is glorious!  I am not 100% how the Smart Cat come into the picture, but I think I’m in love! The family & friends clearly put a lot of work into this wedding between planning & what sounds like a possibly epic amount of DIY’s, and it really shows!  Head over to Shella’s blog to check out her full post, chalk full of not just getting ready pics  but some pretty glorious reception pics as well.  Dont forget to also check out Julian’s complete gallery of the wedding as well, linked from Shella’s blog post!

Its All About The Love…..  Big Sister Love

Welcome to the new year everyone!  I hope your holiday was fabulously filled with savory cocktails, smooches from loved ones & dancin till the sun came up!  Our holiday across the pond was lovely & we so enjoyed ringing in the new year with our good friends.  As soon as we landed however, the reality of the decisions we made for the first few days of the new year came rushing toward us… full of wet sloppy kisses!  Yes my friends, the great almighty Truffle has arrived!

Not only did we pick Truffle up literally 1 hour after landing back in the states, but we upped the crazy factor for ourselves by moving into a brand new apartment the very next morning!  So needless to say, we are pretty well buried here and what apparently was my pipe dream of bringing everyone one hell of a Trash the Dress photo session, is going to have to wait until Monday.  So sorry to lead you on but I am sure you completely understand!

By the way, if anyone has any house breaking tricks, please Dear God, send them our way!  Haha, not really kidding!  He has now taken to the I see your wee pad and raise you a pee and poo where I feel like it, coupled with when we go outside, there is no potty time!  Sigh…  Puppies…. They are so damn cute though!

It is with the most sincere & heartfelt emotions that I bring to you a very special engagement announcement!  All engagements are special indeed, but its the ones that are close to your family are that much more special to you!

*Photo by Sarah DiCicco

Recently I gained a brother, Hill Hardy.  Truly’s younger brother & master of all things fun, footloose & fancy free.  His speech at our wedding was absolutely amazing!  Literally, one of the BEST best man speeches I have had the pleasure to hear.  There was a moment in his speech, that I learned just last night, was actually not scripted, but an improv moment brought on by the emotion that he was feeling at that time.  As he was going along speaking of love, finding your perfect match, he looked to Christina, paused…took a breath, and smiled at her.  Then simply said, Dont  worry, I got you babe!  Tossed in a finger snap point & not so subtle, but completely adorable wink.  The entire room loved it, & you could feel the love radiating between them.

Little did Christina know, the engagement was well in the works, ring being made, and plans being laid.  That that little moment was indeed pure honesty, full of every bit of love he had for her, & really was, simply telling her the pure truth.  He did have her & she would soon know the reality of that!

In the fashion only befitting Hill, he finally decided he could wait no longer, & literally mid-work day, he left his office, ring in pocket, & headed up to Christina’s place of work.  As life would have it, she of course had a day full of meetings & wasn’t available for a bit.  One not to be deterred once he had latched his mind onto something, he waited out her time in the meeting.  Once she was freed up from the meeting, he asked her to come out onto the street.  When she finally came down, he dropped to one knee (right on Third Avenue in NYC mind you!), professing love & want of a life together.

I love the purity of emotion of their engagement.  He waited as long as he could, & could simply not stand waiting a moment longer.  I love that he was overcome with the feelings, & said to himself, enough with the plans, I am going to do this RIGHT NOW!

Truly & I are super excited, proud, happy, you name it & we so can not wait to celebrate with them all the great things that are in store!  And of course, we will be featuring bits & pieces of their journey here, along the way!

Congratulations Christina & Hill!!!  We love you & are so excited for you both!!