Archive for July, 2010
Jamie & Keri ~ September 19, 2009
July 28th, 2010 {No Comments »}
We LOVE Jamie & Keri! They were truly so awesome to work with and we continue to have a great relationship! They came to us from Scott & Trisha whose wedding was in September of 2008! I can clearly remember our first meeting with Keri…we all clicked right away! Keri knew from the get go exactly what look she was wanting for her FABULOUS wedding! We were fortunate enough to help Jamie & Keri plan and coordinate their rehearsal dinner and wedding! They really wanted to make a weekend out of their celebration so they chose the BEAUTIFUL location of Brown County (Nashville, Indiana).
We had a fairly early morning on rehearsal day! While Keri and her girls were getting pampered my mom, aunt Glenda and I were hanging various shades of pink paper balls from the gazebo ceiling at the awesome Hotel Nashville! Even though set up took most of the day the end result was BEAUTIFUL and we had one happy bride so that made it all worth it! The rehearsal dinner looked FABULOUS and the food and staff were AWESOME! It was a great start to the weekend! Wedding day was here and set up at Salt Creek Golf Retreat began at 8:00am! We put on all of the linens and chair covers and tied all of the double sashes on each chair! While we were working hard setting up the wedding Jamie and his guys were having a wonderful time golfing and Keri and her girls were getting pampered with BEAUTIFUL hair and makeup! Jamie and Keri decided to see each other prior to walking down the aisle (which is a FABULOUS idea because it helps take the nerves away and allows all of the couple, wedding party and family photos to be completed ahead of time so that everyone can enjoy the entire wedding day experience). Their photographer ( Jason Lavengood & his wife, Chrissy) had gotten through most of the pictures and were in the middle of taking family photos when we saw an ambulance pull into the resort. We were all concerned but thought it was for another group only to find out that it was Keri’s aunt! She had missed a step and broke her kneecap! So needless to say that put a bit of a damper on the day  But as they say…the show must go on so we got all of the attendants in place and guests began arriving. We were blessed with a truly GORGEOUS day and a BREATHTAKING view overlooking the golf course! Angie Kenley with Bokay Florist did an AWESOME job with the ceremony decor! Guests were greeted with the BEAUTIFUL sounds of the harp played by Jan Aldridge. Once all of the guests were seated it was time for the processional! Keri and her dad, Tim, walked down to “Don’t Want To Miss A Thing” (1st Verse) By Aerosmith played on the harp! Ahh…it was BEAUTIFUL! Jamie and Keri wanted to surprise their guests so as soon as the officiant (Keri’s aunt) said, “Jamie, you may kiss your bride,” Circle City Pyrotechnics set off FIREWORKS! It was perfectly timed and made for a BEAUTIFUL picture! I must admit that it scared the guests at first because it is a loud boom but everyone LOVED the 10 minute fireworks show! Once the fireworks show was over all of the guests lite their sparklers in a grand exit for Jamie & Keri! Once the guests rows were released they made their way into the ballroom for bridal party introductions and dinner! Once dinner was over Jamie & Keri cut the cake and listened to three AWESOME toasts! Keri’s dad’s (Tim) toast was so heart felt and their wasn’t a dry eye! Jamie & Keri shared their first dance to “My One and Only Love” by Louis Armstrong. We switched it up and had Jamie & his mom do their mother/son dance first because Keri & her dad had a huge surprise for everyone! While Jamie & his mom danced Keri’s dad changed his clothes and Keri got out of her wedding dress and changed clothes! Once Jamie & his mom completed their dance Keri’s dad and Keri made their way onto the dance floor! The song “Boom Boom Pow” began and so did their CHOREOGRAPHED dance! Yep…they had a hip hop choreographer choreograph a dance for them! They did so AWESOME! It was so fun to watch them and to see everyone crowd the dance floor! It was AMAZING! And yes, once Keri was done with her dance she changed back into her wedding dress  Towards the end of the evening their photographer set up his laptop and put a ”best of” slideshow together for all of the guests to view! It was a huge hit! Every single guest had a FABULOUS time at this wedding! Everything looked absolutely BEAUTIFUL! We only had one little hiccup (besides Keri’s aunt falling)…Jamie & Keri’s wedding was on the same night that The Little Opry burned down and because of all of the water that was being used to fight that fire we had NO WATER all evening! Other than that everything was AWESOME and we were so very lucky and blessed to have worked with Jamie & Keri!
Here are the FABULOUS vendors who helped us pull this AWESOME wedding together…
 - Save The Date
 Invitations  BEAUTIFUL RING SHOT  The Handsome Groom, Jamie  The STUNNING Bride, Keri
 I LOVE this picture of Jamie  The Groom, Jamie, Anxiously Awaiting For Keri  She's Ready To See Jamie  The Big Reveal
 The Wedding Party ~ They Were All Such Troopers...It Was Hot That Day!  Jamie & The Groomsmen  Keri & The Bridesmaids  The Entire Wedding Party  The Sign In Book & Basket of Sparklers With Personalized Matches  The Aisle  The BEAUTIFUL Circle of Rose Petals  The Ring Bearer & Flower Girl  Keri & Her Dad...I LOVE This Picture!  The Kiss...Notice The Fireworks In The Distance...So ROMANTIC!  Watching The Fireworks Display  The Grand Finale  YAY...They Are Husband & Wife...What A Way To Start Their Marriage With An Aisle Lined With Sparklers...LOVE, LOVE, LOVE This Photo!  Escort Cards  The GORGEOUS Head Table  A Room Shot Looking At The Back Of The Head Table  A Close Up Of The Tables  Another Room Shot  The HEAVENLY Cake  The Cake Up Close  Keri's Dad ~ He Gave A Great Welcome Speech & A Very Touching Toast  The Father~Daughter Dance...It Was An AMAZING Choreographed Hip-Hop Routine  The Father~Daughter Dance In Action  Everyone Having A FABULOUS Time On The Dance Floor  The Happy Couple Sharing A Dance  So AMAZING!  I LOVE This Photo...It Is Just So Sweet!  On The Path To A WONDERFUL Future Together Jamie & Keri ~ It was an honor and a pleasure to get to know and work with both of you and your families! You are both AMAZING people and the love between the two of you is very evident! We wish the two of you nothing but the best as you move forward in this journey together! Keri ~ We miss your daily e-mails and phone calls! You were AWESOME to work with and we have absolutely loved going through the planning process with you! You always knew how to make us laugh Here’s to a lifetime of love, laughter and happiness!
Posted in Weddings |
Emily & Michael’s Engagement Story
July 21st, 2010 {No Comments »}
Emily Sterley & Michael Cragen
Wedding Date: January 22, 2011
How we met
Michael and I met at Lids at the Indianapolis Airport. I was at the airport for work, marketing to the different ticket counters. After I was done working, I had some time to kill, and thought I ’d stop in the Lids store for a Colts jersey. I entered the store, and saw Michael from a distance. My heart literally stopped when I saw him. He was wearing a black shirt with a black Colts hat and khaki shorts, and a grin from ear to ear. Michael approached me, and we stood and talked for 45 minutes. We immediately hit it off! We talked about where we went to church, about our families, where we went to highschool, and the conversation couldn’t have gone any better. I knew after just a few minutes that Michael was different than most men. He was Christ-centered, talked about how the Lord was using him in different areas, about his family and how close they were, and from that moment on, I knew this man was different.
After our conversation and not even buying a Colts jersey, I left the store with Michael on my mind! I left the store looking behind me, hoping he would follow me and ask me for my number. But, being the gentleman that he is, he did not ask for my phone number or even a date. He waited…
I thought about him the entire day and knew we had a special connection. I called my mom and said, “Mom. I met someone today!” She could hear something different in my voice: there was peace. I immediately started praying for Michael, and if we were supposed to meet again, that God would allow us the chance to see one another again.
I got home later that evening and had a facebook message from Michael. He looked me up that evening and heard the friend I was with call me Emily, and he remembered I went to Hope College. Michael looked up “Emily” and “Hope College” and I was the first person to show up on facebook, out of the hundreds of Emily’s at Hope! He then sent me a long message about how great it was meeting me, and that he would love to take me out for coffee someday.
I later replied that I would love to meet him for coffee, 1 week went by, and we had our first date!
How we got engaged
Michael and I took the day off work on Friday, April 16th. We couldn’t wait to spend the whole day together, since most of our time spent together is after a long work day, we were so excited to spend a relaxing day off of work. He came over around 10 AM and made me breakfast, and we spent the afternoon downtown. We had a delicious lunch together outside and Michael took me shopping afterwards. We went to the Starbucks where we had our first date, and walked around the circle. I thought the day couldn’t get any better….but it did!!
Michael told me we had dinner reservations downtown, and that I needed to be dressed up and ready by 6. He told me he needed to run by the airport to pick up his last check that he had been waiting to pick up at Lids, and that it would only take a few minutes. I didn’t think anything of it, hopped in the car, and we headed to the airport. As soon as we got into the store, Michael said he’d be right back. He went to the back room to get his check and in the meantime, my favorite song was playing over the stereo called, “God Gave Me You” by Dave Barnes. Michael started walking towards me, and his hands were shaking. He pulled me in close to him and said, “Emily. Someone very special is here that wants to see you.” I looked behind me, and my Dad walked out from the back room with his camera in his hands! Tears flooded my face as I heard those sweet lyrics that “God gave me you for the ups and downs, God gave me you for the days of doubt, For when I think I’ve lost my way, There are no words left to say, It’s True….God Gave Me You.”
Michael began telling me the most beautiful words I’ve ever heard, and then, he got down on one knee, exactly where we first met and where we first talked. I looked to my left, and my Dad was there, capturing every moment with his camera. Michael then opened the ring box, and the most brilliant, shiny diamond ring was then taken out of the box and placed on my finger.
Michael and I hugged and kissed and cried together, and after we had our few moments, he told me he had one more surprise for me. He said, “Emily. I have to be honest with you. We don’t have dinner reservations downtown. Instead, we have reservations for 10, here in the airport!” He took my hand, and we walked out of Lids together with Dad beside us, and walked towards the Indy Brickyard Grill. I walked into the restaurant, and both of our families were there to surprise me! My mom, brother Grant, sister-in-law Sara, and Michael’s mom, dad, sister Carrie and his brother-in-law Daniel were all there sitting at a table waiting for us!
After we ate dinner together with our families, Michael and I wanted to have some time to ourselves and to call our friends and tell them the good news! We then went to The Cheesecake Factory (my favorite restaurant) and got cheesecakes to celebrate. What better way to end the night than with delicious cheesecake in a cozy booth!
It is unbelievable how Michael planned and organized this entire day. He was so thoughful, so detailed, and could not have been more wonderful about the proposal. I have been praying for a man like Michael my entire life, and my Savior has finally brought him to me. The long wait was so worth it! Michael gave me the proposal of my dreams, with a ring to match!
Posted in Weddings |
Amy & Justin’s Engagement Story
July 19th, 2010 {No Comments »}
Amy Stapleton & Justin Johnson
Wedding Date: September 25, 2010
Justin and Amy met through an internet dating site. They e-mailed back and forth for a while and decided to set up a date for Sunday, October 1, 2006. They met at The Claddagh, which happened to be Amy’s favorite Irish restaurant in downtown Indianapolis. They talked for hours and learned about each other, their families and their interests. Little did they know that this date was to be the beginning of forever. Though Justin was busy with medical school and Amy’s career as an occupational therapist kept her on her toes, they always managed to find time to spend together. Fast forward two and half years later: Justin showed up to Amy’s house with roses and proceeded to take her on a “tour” of several memorable places where they had shared meaningful moments over the years. The evening ended with Justin popping the question in front of the restaurant where they had had their very first date. Without hesitation, Amy said, “Yes!”
Posted in Weddings |
Jennyfer & Justin’s Engagement Story
July 18th, 2010 {No Comments »}
Jennyfer Huaylla & Justin Lingbeck
Wedding Date: September 4, 2010
Justin’s story….
This plan took over 3 months to get together because I wanted it to be perfect in the way that she will never forget any details about that day I took Jennyfer out on the town to Sapparo in Castleton where we ate hibachi food. Then on Sunday I wanted to have 5 things that are sentimental to us as a couple. For you to understand these things/places I picked I will give little stories to explain.
1. Lakeview church (we were baptized here and our love for Jesus has grown tremendously over the time that we have been attending, also we are getting married at that altar!)
2. Feeding the homeless (Jennyfer said the first time we went to feed the homeless she got to see my kind loving heart and feel in love with me)
3. Erika (Jennyfer’s sister passed away in 1995 and we go to her resting place at least once a month to set flowers on her grave and spend some time thinking about her and the influence she has had on Jennyfer)
4. Castleton Square Mall (we met there to talk and started feeling very comfortable, not the most sentimental of places but to us we remember a small fire starting there for our relationship)
5. PORCH SWING (the first time I took Jennyfer home after meeting at the mall I saw her front porch swing and it reminded me of my childhood in Minnesota and she offered for us to go sit on it for awhile and talk a little bit more… it was 10ish? well we talked until 4am in the morning! We have discussed a lot of our relationship on the porch swing over the time we have known each other and have just spent time there thinking about our future together so I knew that would be the perfect place)
These 5 places were amazing but I wanted to go above and BEYOND with something else… FIREWORKS! After I proposed, across the street a friend of mine, Paul set off fireworks that rocked the block! Then I dropped the camera half way through but I did manage to get part of the fireworks 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jRLV5Hql8IE
Posted in Weddings |
Lauren & Casey’s Engagement Story
July 18th, 2010 {No Comments »}
Lauren Howey & Casey Egan
Wedding Date: November 19, 2010
Here are the photos that we used for their save the date card. They were taken at a photo booth in San Diego the day before Casey proposed.
Lauren’s story….
Casey was training at Camp Pendelton with the Marine Corps and preparing to deploy to Iraq. I had gone out to visit for 5 days over the 4th of July long weekend. On the 4th, Casey and I took the ferry from San Diego to Coronado Island and spent the 4th of July on Coronado enjoying the sites and the beach. I knew that Casey was going to ask me to marry him and I spent all day thinking, “Is he going to ask me yet?”. It wasn’t until after the fireworks and we were heading back to our hotel that he pulled out the ring and proposed. We have been together a little over three years and are excited to make our committment to each other official!
Posted in Weddings |
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