Andy & Cassandra's Wedding

2010 was the year for weddings.  The third of the year (our second as an engaged couple) was Andy & Cassandra.  The whole crew made it up to Brainerd, MN to celebrate with them.  It was a good time.

The Dress!

The Dress!

After what felt like a never-ending search (I know I looked at no less than 5 bridal shops and hundreds of dresses online) I found "the one" at The Wedding Shoppe in St. Paul, MN - Pronovias "Ideal" from their 2006 collection.

It was everything that I was looking for and more - Cathedral train, Spanish lace, beautiful beading, a pretty and flattering fit-and-flare shape, and yet very light.  It seemed to float around me as a walked.  So what that we were planning a destination wedding in Maui - I still wanted a beautiful dress that I felt beautiful in.

Mark's Surprise 30th Birthday Party

Mark's Surprise 30th Birthday Party

To this day I cannot believe that I was able to pull this off.  I wanted to do something very special for Mark's 30th Birthday.   I thought a surprise party would be very fun.  So for weeks while I was secretly contacting Mark's friends and family and arranging his party details I kept maintaining that the two of us were going our for dinner and then hitting the town.

Despite Mark seeing one of his friends in the restuarant lobby, he STILL had no idea about the party until we happened on the table with all of our guests.  Thank you Hell's Kitchen and everyone who was able to attend (and keep quiet about the whole thing ;)

Father's Day 2010

We celebrated Father's Day with Mark's family.  It has been really wonderful for me that Mark's family is so warm and loving as well as here in the Twin Cities.  It can be very difficult being a transplant with no family in the area.  They have made me feel like a member of the family.

Dan & Jamie's Wedding

Our first wedding as an engaged couple.  That's my father-in-law off to the left.  He seems to approve of the match :)

Our Enagagememt

On June 13, 2013, Mark S got on bended knee in front of Niagara Falls and asked for my hand in marriage.  Ladies....note the size of the ring...there was no way that I was going to say no ;)

Matt & Steph's Wedding

Most of the gang traveled to Ithaca, NY to celebrate Matt & Steph's wedding.  It was a great time.  The next day we continued to trip to nearby Niagara Falls.

This was the first big trip for Mark and I.  We determined that we travel well together :)