When's the big day?

After getting engaged it seems like every person we came in contact with had the same question... " When's the big day?" Ummmm, I just found out I was getting married, how am I supposed to know when! It is still processing. 

A few days later we had a chance to talk about dates, we thought about getting married on September 10, 2011. It was far enough out it would give us plenty of time to sort out which side of the country we would settle down in, and not to mention it was a cute date 09-10-11.  Well, that date came crashing down quickly. " That day doesn't work for me, I can't make it, why does it have to be in September- can't you do it in December?" It's OUR wedding, we will pick our own date. Now, I have always said since I was young I would never allow myself to become a bridezilla once I became engaged. But really... its my day, not yours. 

Moving on, we eventually decided against September 10, 2o11 for us, not for anyone else. Our big day is now September 24,2011. If the day we got engaged the question was "when's the big day?" I can only imagine how soon after the wedding we will be getting "When are you having a baby?" To answer the question now.... we plan on waiting a few years so we can travel and enjoy being newlyweds.

Four months later, he becomes my forever

I flew to Connecticut to see Sam in July of 2010 for a yearly event he helps run, Sailfest. It is a festival of food, music and fun on the pier in New London, CT. It was three days, three very busy days. We woke up early to help set-up and were there late to help shut down. I was just counting down to Saturday night, as Sam really built up my expectations for the firework display that they put on each year. He bragged about how wonderful it was, and he knew how much I LOVE fireworks! 

Saturday Sam had to be down at Sailfest bright and early (6am) and being the gentleman he is, he did not want me to have to wake up that early on my vacation. I knew I loved this man! He told me to sleep in and his mom would pick me up in the morning after I woke up and was ready to go. His mom picked me up, we went to get lunch and a little shopping. She dropped me off Downtown New London  a little after noon and I met up with Sam. He was very busy and seemed extra stressed. I assumed it was because the event was stressing him out, but I later found out it was for other reasons. There was a storm on its way and the fireworks might have to get cancelled if the storm hits. I was crossing my fingers and toes it held off as I was ready to see some fireworks! Saturday night finally gets here, the weather is cooperating, there was a chance of rain. Fireworks are still ago, I am one happy girl. Because he is on the planning committee we are able to have a front row seat for the fireworks, right on the pier. The fireworks are light from barges out in the middle of the river. Being from Las Vegas this is all new to me! I am a desert girl, so fireworks over the water.... heaven!

Sam and I were waiting for the fireworks to begin he is standing behind me resting his chin on my shoulder. In this moment I feel like everything is perfect. I am standing with the man of my dreams, over looking a beautiful river and getting ready for one of the best firework displays in the country. The fireworks begin, Sam was right! I have no words to describe the beauty. It was unlike anything I had ever seen. There were two barges in the middle of the river, each were lighting off fireworks. I am used to seeing fireworks shoot up into the sky, however, it was new to me to see fireworks shoot out to the side. In Las Vegas, that would just mean one nasty desert fire! To say the least, I was memorized!

Sam was talking into my ear, I was trying to listen and pay attention to what he was saying but the fireworks took part of my attention. He kept trying to get me to turn around, but they kept shooting off my favorite fireworks that look like floating glitter and I kept saying "wait, these are my favorites!" He was still standing behind me talking into my ear and say, "life with you has been a fairy tale and I would like to continue this fairytale." He put his hands on my shoulders and turned me around  for what I thought was a kiss, but he dropped to one knee and asked me to marry him. I was in total shock and could not believe what was happening. Of course I said yes, but he did ask "that was a yes, right?" I responded Yes! Yes! 

I felt like I was floating, I was going to have my Mr. Wonderful forever! I was so excited to call my parents and share my news, when I called my dad answered the phone and he said, "I already knew, but I am going to put you on speaker so you can tell your mom"  Sam asked by dads permission, but my dad decided to keep that little bit of information from my mom.  I told my mom I was engaged and all she could say was "WHAT!? OMG Shelby I am so happy for you!" followed by "Robby, You knew and didn't tell me!!" 

Now, I thought that this night couldn't get any better, I was engaged to the man of my dreams and my parents couldn't be happier for me. Life is great! But, my amazing Fiance was thoughtful and wanted to be able to share our excitement with my friends and family back home and had someone film our engagement. I love being able to look back at that moment and I am so happy we have that recorded to share with our loved ones.

An email started it all...

From the bride....

My handsome husband-to-be and I met on match.com, he sent me an email a few weeks before his family was coming to Las Vegas for vacation. I was very hesitant to even respond to his email since we lived on opposite sides of the country and he was only going to be in Las Vegas for vacation. I had no desire to be a tour guide. I decided to go ahead and respond to his email since he seemed like a nice and normal guy. We exchanged a few emails and then exchanged phone numbers. The first time we talked on the phone we hit it off completely, we were on the phone for close to 3 hours! 

I met him down on Fremont street on March 3, 2010. He and his family had gone to dinner at Margaritaville and he bought me a purple Hawaiian lei. We walked around Fremont Street, played slot machines and talked for hours. Nothing that I would normally do on a Wednesday night! But something about him drew me in. Unfortunately, we were not able to meet up again before he left Las Vegas.

After he left Las Vegas we talked just about every day for hours each day. When we were not talking on the phone, we were texting back and forth. A few weeks after he left we were both saying how much we wanted to see each other again and he said I should go see him in Connecticut. I went to Connecticut to see my handsome husband-to-be April 27th and spent a week with him and it was amazing! I knew before it was even time for me to come back to Las Vegas that I could not picture my life without him. The rest is history!

Now...the Groom's side

My bride-to-be tells our story best, but leaves out certain behind the scenes parts of our fairy tale story. I'll pick-up the story right before our much anticipated first face-to-face encounter. I had just finished dinner with my family at Margaritaville and decided to buy her a fresh flower Hawaiian lei, with the proceeds benefiting Jimmy Buffet's children's charity. My family and I left the restaurant and heading down towards Fremont Street to see the places in the original Strip that started it all , gambling and the world's biggest TV on their mind, intrigue and a beautiful young woman I was dying to meet on mine.

So we started our evening at Binion's but my family couldn't find a spot they felt was lucky, so we bounced around to the different casinos, the whole time trying to coordinate a meet and greet with her via text message. Finally they decided Binion's had a lucky feel to it after all, and my family unleashed a gambling fury on the gaming floor, but the youngest (me) had other pursuits in mind, my now, bride-to-be.

So I finally told her where I had landed and it just happened to be directly across from where she had parked her car, which happened to be the same exact place she parked for work. As I impatiently waited for her arrival or at least a blow off call, I saw in the distance the gorgeous young lady that would steal my heart later that evening walking my and smiling like she felt the exact way I had at that very moment, smitten and intrigued.

As the evening draw to a close, after an hour or two of "Slot Machine Serenades" of "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" and "Marry Had a Little Lamb" and what seemed like a lifetime of stories, we bid each other ado to a promise of breakfast on my last morning in Las Vegas. Text messages were constantly exchanged and leading up to the breakfast date but on my last night in town the texts had abruptly ended. Writing it off as nothing I went about walking around the strip by myself then to bed early in the morning expecting to get up and get breakfast with my now, bride-to-be as if my vacation would never end.

I made myself get out of bed that morning three hours after I actually went to bed and got ready nice and early for the impending breakfast date with my new found love interest only to not have my calls or texts returned.

So I wrote it off as her not being all that into me and reasoned with myself that she was 3,000 miles away and living in Sin City, it never would have amounted to much anyway. So I ate with my family at the best breakfast buffet I have ever had (the Bellagio) and got all my stuff ready to fly home.

At the airport I had the previous nights winnings in my pocket, not the ATM receipts from the prior nights losings, and I decided to treat myself to a treatment of aroma therapy at the airport. As I was sitting the enjoying chamomile and bubble gum scented oxygen I received a curious text from my now, bride-to-be saying she had been at the hospital all night with her friend without cellular service. So I told her I was getting on the plane and would call her when I got home. I did exactly that and I believe we talked for three hours that night, as if we had known each other for years, and that I can honestly say is when I fell head over heals for the love of my life, my incredible bride-to-be…

I've Joined the blogging world

Well--I've finally caved in and started a blog; a place to keep my ideas, projects and everything wedding. I am in a stage of my life that I will only go through once, I feel that it is beneficial to document my experiences. I'm getting married. Wedding planning is in full force. I will try to recap the story of us and fill you in on all the wedding details as they unfold. I hope you enjoy my road to the aisle as much as I am.