Look Great, Feel Great

Last fall we had a young lady contact us about doing a portrait of her and her brother to use as a Christmas gift for their Mother. It was a typical session… we took pictures of them together and separately in different poses and locations. Months later we reached out to her about the idea of doing a “glamour” or what we call a “portrait couture” photo session. She had never done anything like this before but it turned out she was interested and we scheduled a 2 hour session. A few days after her session we posted the edited pictures in an online gallery for her to view. She wrote to me to tell me she “loved them“, that she was “very excited” and that “it was a real confidence booster“.

The real touching part for us was when we received a message from her Mother; “…the pictures that I have seen of Karlee are absolutely stunning! You have helped rebuild some of her confidence which has been taken from her, and it’s wonderful to see her smile and feel good about herself again!! Thank you for being so kind, your wife as well, and for showing us all Karlee’s beauty!!”

Karlee has since told us she wants to do another session.

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Self-Perception, It’s Not Always Good

We decided to have a little fun (yeah, we like to have fun) and ran a contest on Facebook and randomly chose a winner for a Free Glamour/Portrait Couture photo session. Well, we cheated. We actually gave away 3 sessions! One of our choices was Amy who wrote “I’ve never had any kind of professional photos taken and being 36 would love to capture my youth before it’s too late.” Why did we choose her? Well, we wanted everyday people… people that had never been guided through an experience like this.. Someone we could (hopefully) WOW!

Arrangements were made for hair & makeup and Amy showed up with a small wardrobe to choose from. We spent 2 hours photographing her and having fun. We posted a few sneak peeks on Facebook and Amy’s comments were; “I don’t even know where to begin to thank you” and “I’m still in shock at what you did” and went on to say “I never thought of myself as beautiful until I saw these!”

We asked Amy if she would write a little note about her experience. Here it is in it’s entirety.

Fear of the unknown.  I believe the older you get, the more uncomfortable you feel in certain situations.   We get so caught up in our everyday routine that we forget to try new things, and to step outside of our comfort zone becomes harder for us.  We forget how to live, to play and have fun, to love ourselves.

I entered a contest on a whim.  It’s not your everyday run of the mill kind of contest, the prize was much bigger than any gift basket you purchase tickets for.  This contest required you to step in front of a camera and show your beauty.  Wow.  I’ve never in my life had professional photos taken, what do I do?  What do I wear?  How do I pose?  I don’t consider myself beautiful in any way so how am I supposed to show it in front of the camera? What was I thinking? But I agreed to do this, and being a woman of my word, met with Rick and Deb Bouthiette for a photo shoot that would ultimately alter the way I perceive myself.

I am comfortable around people and have to say that after speaking to Rick and Deb, it seems like I have known them for years.  They care about and love what they do and it definitely shows in their work.  I was obviously nervous, but was reassured with positive comments and feedback.  I felt somewhat like a doll, being shown how to pose, having my hair played with.  Things I am not used to, and then I was shown the pictures.

At first I didn’t know who or what I was looking at. Was that me? Is this what I really look like? Did they show me someone else who looks similar? Then it hits me…….that is me.  Like I said, I don’t consider myself beautiful, but in these photos I was!  I always found it funny when a beautiful woman would be given a compliment and they wouldn’t believe it and here I was, able to share my pictures with my friends and family and have the compliments pour in and at first not believe them.  I was not expecting to get all this positive feedback and attention from everyone.  The comment that showed up more than once was that this is how everyone sees me, how they’ve always seen me.  But why have I not seen this, ever, until now?  It just needed to be captured and shown to me.

I believe it now.  I believe that we all have this beauty but we need to step outside our comfort zone every once in a while and show it. Take chances, have fun, never be afraid of the unknown, you’ll be amazed at what you will find!

So celebrate your beauty. Pick up the phone. Book a session with a professional photographer. Be nervous. Splurge a little. Pamper yourself. We are all beautiful inside and out in our own special way.

Photography: Rick Bouthiette Photography

Hair + Makeup: Karlee Guzowski

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This week Joey Dion from Main Event Entertainment has some advice on choosing a DJ for your wedding. Joey had been a highly sought after Disc Jockey/Master of Ceremonies since 1993 and shares some good points on the importance of hiring a seasoned professional!

Making it fun and memorable

Planning your Wedding can be as scary as it can be fun. One of the things a bride & groom worry about is  their guests enjoying themselves and having a fun, memorable time at their wedding. Hiring a Profession Disc Jockey and Master of Ceremonies (DJ/MC) ensures your special day will be fun and memorable.

Don’t Hire Cousin Vinny or Uncle Bob

Most of us have a cousin or uncle that always plays the music at family cookouts and small celebrations, or a friend that was a DJ on a college radio show or at frat parties. This person may have a great personality, always making you laugh and is the center of attention. You may even jokingly call this person DJ so and so… please. The average New England wedding reception is 5 – 6 hours long. There are a lot of formalities the DJ/MC is in charge of… Formal introductions, a blessing or grace, toasts, first dance, bridal party dance, cake cutting, parent dances, garter and bouquet toss & special announcements. When these events are presented and handled by a well trained DJ/MC, you and your guests have fun enjoying each and every minute. A professional DJ/MC also sets up great photo opportunities for your professional photographer. When its time for dancing a pro DJ knows how to get the party started, if the party does not take off as planned a they know how to jump start the celebration without using cheesy gags or embarrassing your guests.

We all have a budget… Some larger, some smaller

If you consider the entertainment an important part of your wedding day, don’t let your budget determine that it be handled by someone that doesn’t really understand wedding traditions or know how to entertain a group of all ages. If you do, your guests may feel uncomfortable and get bored. When that happens, people start to leave early. Don’t let that happen at your wedding reception early. Hire a Professional Disc Jockey & Master of Ceremonies.

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Our goal at Main Event Entertainment is to make your event so memorable you and your guests will always look back and smile. We do this by tailoring each event to the client’s wishes and tastes.

888-833-8293
Website
On Facebook

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This week Loretta from Fratello’s has some advice on choosing your wedding venue. Loretta is the Director of Sales & Wedding Coordinator at Fratello’s and has 17 years of experience!

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Choosing a venue for your celebration

So you are newly engaged and just gushing with love and emotion. It is such a wonderful and exciting time for couples looking forward to their new beginning as they prepare to build their life together.

The Wedding Day is a day to celebrate all that these dreams hold.

Before the planning begins, you must first start asking yourself some very important questions with regard to this magnificent celebration. While there are many decisions to be made for this day, some are bigger than others and should be tackled first.

Style – vision – budget

Let’s elaborate a bit on the choice of venue, as this is one of the most important decisions to be made. Most brides (and some grooms) have thought about this day for a very long time and have a good idea as to the style of wedding reception they are looking to create. It is important that you select venues for consideration to serve as your host that clearly defines your vision, as well as fit your budget. Venues and their offerings can vary drastically. Most venues have pictures on their web site for you to review and this is a great tool to start the selection process. However, you should visit each location that you are considering to get a true feel of the atmosphere and the staff that you will be working with throughout the planning process.

Make an appointment

Be sure to make an appointment rather than dropping in so that time can be reserved to answer all of your questions and give you a complete picture of how the venue runs events such as yours. Visiting the venues is so exciting (and sometimes daunting) and can be a bit overwhelming. It is always best to have a list of questions, general and specific, to each venue that you are visiting. Write your answers down so that you don’t get confused on the details when you are back at home reviewing all of your options.

Some of the important questions to ask might be:

• What is the capacity of the venue
• Is my date available
• What are the hours contracted for wedding receptions
• Will there be another event going on at the same time as my wedding
• What is required for securing the date
• Is there a Room Rental Fee
• Who will I be working with throughout the planning process
• Is this the same person that will be my day of on-site wedding coordinator
• Will the wedding coordinator be with me for the entire wedding reception
• How long has the coordinator been employed at this venue
• What is the server to guest service ratio
• What are the service standards
• What does the wedding package include
• If I offer a choice of more than one entrée to my guests, will I be charged a premium
• Do you offer children’s meals
• Can I use my favorite vendors
• What are the guidelines for choosing vendors
• Can I supply my own wedding cake
• Is there a cake cutting fee
• Can I bring in food and beverage for my guests to enjoy that is not provided by the venue
• What are the guidelines and options for the bar
• Are linens included in the package
• If so, what are the linen options
• Are there any restrictions with centerpieces
• Can I use candles
• Can I have my ceremony on-site
• What are the guidelines for an on-site ceremony
• What is the fee for an on-site ceremony
• Discuss family traditions/rituals/foods
• Can the venue accommodate special requests for specific dietary needs
• Is the venue handicap accessible
• What are any additional fees not mentioned yet
• When are payments due
• Have I missed or overlooked anything that is important in my decision making process

Making your decision

Don’t be afraid or too shy to ask questions. A good and reputable venue and their staff will be more than happy to answer any and all of your questions. It is in everyone’s best interest that you are fully informed to make your best decision.

The best advice I can give to an engaged couple is:

“Take some time to think about the issue/decision at hand. If it will matter to you ten years from now, take the necessary time to think it through until it feels like the right choice/decision for you. If it will not matter to you ten years from now, let it go.”

Take a Deep Breath, Relax and Enjoy!

Best Wishes,

Loretta DeMarco
Director of Sales and Wedding Coordinator
Fratello’s ~ Weddings & Events in the Millyard
155 Dow St. Manchester NH 03013
www.eventsinthemillyard.com 603.641.6776

Loretta has been happily and successfully employed with the McDonough Family Restaurants for seventeen years. (Fratello’s and Homestead Restaurants)

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This week we offer our own advice on choosing your wedding photographer. We’ll talk about choosing your style, budget considerations, communication, albums, digital files, availability, the first look and much more!

He asked, you said yes. Now what?

Congratulations, you’re engaged. Now you’re wondering what the heck do I do now? Well, we covered that in a previous post that you can read HERE. Be sure to pay attention to number 11.

Decide what style you like

Today’s wedding photography like everything else comes in various styles. You have traditional which is more posed, journalistic which is more candid, and then you might have a blend of the two. When it comes to your formal pictures you might like the traditional, posed, look at the camera and smile look,  a glamour/fashion look, or maybe something really artistic and more of a landscape look where the photographer takes in the beautiful surroundings and you are a small part of the pictures. Depending on your venue location, your personal taste and what the end use (album, wall art, etc.) these are all things to consider.

Decide what your needs are

We all have different needs. While one bride might want a nice, leather bound album as a keepsake, another might be a scrap -booker and want just the digital files. You might be more interested in something for your wall like a large gallery wrap or a wall grouping. As for the coverage, is getting ready important to you? Are you doing the First Look? Are pictures of the entire reception important? How about the family pictures? All of these considerations affect the hours of coverage. Allowing ample time to cover all aspects of your photography will mean more in terms of investment, but planning enough time will make your day much more relaxing.

Know your budget

If you followed our suggestions on on Things To Do After Your Engagement you probably have a rough budget. Typically we find that our clients budget for photography is about 12-18% of their total wedding budget. Depending on how important pictures are to them it might be even higher. According to a recent post on Huffington Post,  21% of the brides said they would spend more on photography if they could do their wedding again.

Searching. The web is your friend

Use the web to search for photographers. By looking at websites you can get a feel for the photographer and their style. Think about these things: Do the images move you? Do you like the presentation? Is there consistency? Do you like most, if not all of what you see? Choose a style that you like and if they have pricing or at least price starting points add them to your list. If there is no price listed and you love their work, add them to your list anyway.

How much? Is that really the only question?

So you’ve never planned a wedding before, much less had to choose a wedding photographer. The only thing we know to ask is “How much?” It’s OK to ask for package and pricing information in your initial email but there are a lot of other things to consider when choosing a photographer. We suggest making an appointment to meet and discuss your wedding once you have narrowed your choices down to 4 or 5 photographers. A face to face meeting can reveal a lot of things (both positive and sometimes negative) that can help with your final decision. And remember the old saying, you get what you pay for.

How many pictures?

We’ve heard it all… even that one photographer is going to deliver 3,000 pictures on disk. Really? Do you think that’s a good thing? Who wants to look at 3,000 pictures? It doesn’t take 3,000 pictures to tell the story of your day and you will go crazy sorting through that many pictures.

Websites. Do they tell the truth?

Let’s face it. Photographers puts nothing but their best work on their website. Sure, it’s impressive, but it might be a good idea to see more. When you meet with a photographer ask if you can see a whole wedding. That gives you a pretty good idea what you can expect as far as quality, consistency & overall style. Did they capture the day without gaps? Did they capture the emotion? Did they capture the ambiance of the venue?

Have they worked at your venue? Does it matter?

A lot of people ask and think it makes a difference if a photographer has photographed a wedding at their chosen venue in the past. Does it matter? We don’t think so. We are pretty sure the sun rises and sets the same and that our equipment will perform as well at any venue. It’s about being prepared… Visiting the venue prior to the wedding and planning concepts and an outline for your photos. A professional photographer can take exceptional photos no matter the location.

What do others say?

Ask other people what their experience was with a photographer. Check reputable website like WeddingWire and The Knot for client reviews. Ask your wedding planner or wedding coordinator for their opinion or suggestions.

It’s a long day. Do you “Click”?

You will spend more time with your wedding photographer than anyone else on your big day. That’s another reason we highly recommend you meet face to face. As human beings, our relationships are based on personal taste. We’re all different. While one person might find a photographer to be friendly and personable, you may not. If you don’t “click”, it’s going to be a long day and your uneasiness will show in your pictures.

Still undecided? Read on

Choosing a photographer for your wedding is a big decision. You can go to the venue, walk the grounds, taste the food. You can sample your cake. But what’s it actually like to work with a particular photographer? Want to find out? For a limited time we are offering a “Try Before You Buy” engagement session. That’s right. Make an appointment, we get together and actually do a real engagement session. No cost, no obligation. We’re confident that you’ll not only love your pictures, you might just want to book us for your wedding. Call today to schedule your session –  603.483.5355

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This week Brad from Harrington Flowers gives us some insight on using Pinterest when planning of your wedding.  With over eighteen years in the industry, Brad’s goals are simple… Meet, exceed and work towards your personal style, taste and budget with chic, stylish and extraordinary work and personal attention.

Since introducing  Pinterest to my planning process I have noticed my consultations lately going a lot faster and a lot smoother. When a brides calls for a consult these days one of the first things I ask is if they have a Pintrest board. What a great tool this is for weddings!!

It is a great advantage to start the consultation with all this information and allows us to come together with ideas not only faster but better. I can tell a lot from looking at the different bouquets what the brides taste is, in color and style… Whether she likes a nice balance of textures or something all smooth like a bouquet of all Calla Lillie’s. I am more prepared to offer her flower choices that she will like and are available for her wedding date. This also makes me look smarter (hehehe) and for that I say thank you Pintrest!

My advice is to start an organized wedding board and keep your designs separate. Start a board for each of the following. Floral Ideas for; My Bouquet , The Maid of Honor, The Bridesmaids , Flower Girl , Parents, Groom , Groomsmen , Card Table , Centerpieces , Ceremony, Flowers I like.

Help your floral designer help you and make your wedding even more GORGEOUS!

Website: Harrington Flowers

Harrington Flowers on Facebook

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This week Laurie from Everyday Details gives us some insight on the planning of your wedding .  Everyday Details helps design and produce a one of a kind event while creating lasting memories; specializing in attention to detail and listening to their client’s vision because the details matter.

Planning your once in a lifetime event

Congratulations! You are engaged and have set the date for your once in a lifetime event. You are ready to create a day full of lasting memories. Where do you start? I am sure you have many questions of where to begin with the wedding planning process. Start by picking a style or theme that fits you and your fiancé. Let your personality guide you as personalized weddings are always a big hit.

There are many options available and decisions to make when creating the perfect day full of memorable moments. The key is to have fun with the whole process of designing your big day. Planning a wedding is very different than planning a birthday party. You have many choices to consider when designing just the right tablescape to reflect your personality, choosing the chairs, linens, favors, menu and of course finding the right venue and vendors to create the ambience you are looking for to add special touches to your big day.

Consider hiring a wedding planner to help with all the details. Wedding planners are a wonderful resource in many aspects of the planning process; they are the encyclopedia of weddings. They help to develop and create the design you envision along with introducing several professional and reliable vendor resources for all of the services you plan to have at your ceremony and reception. They have developed wonderful relationships over years of planning with photographers, videographers, cake designers, florists, seamstresses and many more unique services offered by vendors. Wedding planners specialize in designing and creating memorable keepsakes, wedding etiquette, developing a detailed day of timeline for the entire vendor team to follow along with helping save you time and money. They are there to listen to your feelings and advocate on your behalf ensuring your day goes your way.

How do you select a wedding planner? Personality is a key point to look for when interviewing a wedding planner along with their experience. Most planners offer complimentary consultations to learn about the services they provide which is a great way to get to know their spirit. They are the person you are able to lean on with any questions, concerns and exciting moments during the planning process. Planners are wonderful to brainstorm with and love to help couples create a day with unique alternatives that tells their love story to their loved ones along with creating memories to treasure and cherish throughout their lifetime.

Many couples do enjoy designing and creating the details for their wedding day. If you decide to plan your wedding by yourself consider hiring a day of coordinator to help develop a day of timeline and to be on site for the ceremony and reception. Most day of coordinators are usually available for you throughout the planning process to answer any planning questions that occur before your big day. After putting all the details of your big day together you want to enjoy your hard work and have peace of mind. The last thing you want to be worrying about the day of your ceremony and reception is to be setting up tablescapes you designed, answering questions for vendors, breaking down the décor or any other planning logistics before or after your ceremony and reception. The day of coordinator will be your vendor team leader, executing all of the details you planned, ensuring your day runs seamlessly without any stress to you or your guests. Enjoy your special day as the bride and groom with your family and friends.

Find Everyday Details on Facebook

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Laurie Mantegari is the Owner and a Professional Event Planner with Everyday Details. She is a self-motivated entrepreneur who is making a difference with her creative and positive energy as a professional event planner. Mantegari began her career as a special events coordinator in 1990 for a non-profit organization, specializing in fundraising. Mantegari teaches special event planning classes and planning & meeting classes at Great Bay Community College in Portsmouth, NH. After ten years of honing her skills, Mantegari founded Everyday Details, a company dedicated to the finest event planning services for weddings, private parties, corporations and non-profit organizations. Everyday Details is a professional event planning company providing quality customer service throughout all aspects of planning when assisting customers. They help design and produce a one of a kind event while creating lasting memories; specializing in attention to detail and listening to their client’s vision because the details matter. Everyday Details vows to create lasting memories!

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This week Heather from Grace Limousine brings us some insight on the importance of choosing reliable transportation for wedding party and guests.  Grace Limousine is a full service ground transportation provider operating the newest, most diverse fleet in New England. They offer comfortable, dependable Manchester and Logan airport transportation, and specialize in weddings and corporate transportation.

What moves you to provide reliable transportation for your wedding party & guests?

Often an after-thought, transportation is one of the single most important details of your wedding day, and its surrounding festivities.

There are some common misperceptions when it comes to setting up transportation for the wedding day! Often couples will assume that they do not need transportation if their ceremony and reception are being held at the same location, yet there are many other aspects of transportation that need to be considered. For instance, will they need guest shutting from a local hotel? Will they need bachelor/bachelorette party transportation, or honeymoon transportation to and from the airport? They may also want to consider providing safe transportation for the rehearsal dinner. Wedding festivities and drinking often go hand in hand, and couples should consider the importance of safety. Peace of mind is priceless, yet affordable!

Here is an idea of how the guest shuttling might work. To start, I like to get an idea of the potential number of guests that might use the transportation. Next, I want to find out where most of the guests are staying and where the venue is for the wedding. Depending on the number of passengers, we can offer vans, luxury limo coaches, or motor coaches to accommodate groups of any size. Van service starts at around $300, and coach service will vary depending on times and locations. Once I have the basic details, I do some homework and get back to them with a shuttling plan that will fit their budget. If the couple is offering an open bar for guests, they really need to have shuttling so that their guests can be transported safely following the reception.

Why would the guests call Grace Limousine versus a large motor coach company? At Grace Limousine, we have been setting the standard for wedding transportation for the last 23 years. When we partner with another company, for instance a motor coach company, we are putting our name on the service. Over the years, we have used several companies in the area, and we are very aware of which ones provide service to meet our standards. These companies offer us a discounted rate, which allows us to offer very competitive pricing, with the added value of our service guarantee, and of course, you also get Grace’s Events Coordinator!

As mentioned above, there are many aspects of transportation that need to be considered for wedding-related services! One of the most obvious (and popular) needs would be for the bachelor and bachelorette party transportation. Again, safety should be the primary motivating factor here. Everyone wants to be able to let loose and have a good time, and you don’t want to risk added drama. Also, it’s ok for the maid of honor or best man to ask the others to pitch in for this when planning the event. If the couple is hosting a rehearsal dinner, they may want to provide transportation to those that will be a part of the evening. Details for the rehearsal dinner are often overlooked, but it should be treated as a mini-wedding, with the same attention to detail and safety. Post-reception transfers are becoming more popular for the newlyweds. Starting at $125, we can offer the couple a complimentary champagne or sparkling cider toast with red carpet service, giving them a stylish get-away in a beautiful Town Car sedan. This service is extremely affordable and should also be considered for safety purposes. If the couple is going on a honeymoon, they may want to consider booking sedan service to and from the airport. A final thought is to provide sedan service for any senior wedding guests (grandparents, great aunts/uncles) that may not feel comfortable driving themselves to the festivities and back. Again, safety and affordability are two motivating factors to consider with any of the previously mentioned scenarios.

And finally… Don’t let the transportation details stress you out. Just call and let me handle the logistics. If you try and think about everything you need all at once it can be very overwhelming. I am here for you, so use me! Most of all, have fun planning your wedding and enjoy the process!

Heather Campbell MacKay
Events Coordinator
Grace Limousine, LLC
www.GraceLimo.com

Office: (603) 666-0203 / Fax: (603) 666-0306

Providing World-Wide Chauffeured Transportation!

“Family-Owned Business of the Year 2011” US Small Business Administration
“Limousine Company of the Year 2009-2012″ – NH Business Review

“Bride’s Choice Award” 2009-2013 – TheKnot.com

“Best of Bride” 2009-2012 – New Hampshire Magazine

Our first guest brings us the 411 on the latest trends in wedding cakes. Kristen Mader, a very talented designer owns Cakes 5th Avenue in Pelham, NH. Cakes 5th Avenue creates unique cakes and desserts for all your special celebrations! We use only the freshest, finest ingredients, and we craft our our delicious cakes, cupcakes and sweets with care and attention to detail. Cake flavors range from tried-and-true traditional to temptingly unique.

Exciting Trends For Wedding Cakes In 2013

With each year, wedding trends are quite influenced by the fashion world and its chosen color palate and designs. The same style elements you see on the runway or in a magazine will often turn up on wedding cakes soon after. Flouncy sugar ruffles, pastels, romantic draping, and bold colors of tangerine, apple green, and Autumn harvest tones have all had time in the limelight and many are still very popular. And of course, an event as grand as the Royal Wedding has an influence as well. Kate and William’s confection was a gorgeous example of traditional cream and white. So, what’s expected for 2013? Here’s our prediction…and we’re loving it!

This year we’re seeing an interesting move towards Vintage and Art Deco styles for couples who want to step out of the traditional cake box. Brides are looking for more of a romantic and luxurious gesture in their cake. Think beautiful lace that mirrors the lace on a wedding gown, roses in full bloom, pearls and diamonds, feathers and faux fur, a satiny finished fondant ribbon set with a brooch. Sounds glamorous in a vintage Hollywood sort of way, doesn’t it? Aside from the fur, every one of these elements can be hand crafted in sugar for your cake! (Ok, maybe one of the famous Cake Gods can figure out a way to make fur elements from sugar?) Black and white, teal, metallic finishes and clean lines are driven by the Art Deco period. Fabulous!

So, you’re interested but a little hesitant to embrace this trend, maybe thinking “Oh my, that would be too over-the-top for us. We just like simple.” My suggestion is to find an element or two from these gorgeous eye-catching trends and incorporate it into your traditional cake design. What about a wide fondant band that’s set with your grandmother’s pearl and crystal brooch. (Hey, there’s your something old or borrowed!) Shimmery pearls cascading down the sides of a cake have a beautiful luster under the lights of your reception room. And consider having some design elements brushed in an edible metallic luster. Each of these ideas may be just enough to give your cake a wow factor!

Whatever you choose, have fun with it and don’t be afraid to add a little glamour!

Best wishes!

~ Kristen Mader

Owner/Designer of Cakes 5th Avenue

Cakes 5th Avenue

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Planning a wedding is a huge task. We’re going to try to take some of the craziness out of it. Be sure to check back every Monday for helpful information from our guest bloggers about cakes, DJ’s, flowers, venues, planners and more!

They were referred to us by one of our favorite venues, Fratello’s Manchester. We’re excited and looking forward to their ceremony at Blessed Sacrament Church in Manchester followed by their reception at Fratello’s in August 2013.

By the way, the monkey hat was hand made by Renee’s Mom. We’re not sure if we love it more on Corey or Renee.

Candia, NH

Wedding :: August 3, 2013 :: Manchester, NH

Venue :: Fratello’s Manchester

Together :: January 2009

Engaged :: August 23, 2012

Renee :: Graphic Design/Studio Art Major at Keene State College • Hometown :: Manchester, NH

Five words that describe Corey :: Loving/caring. Honest. Beautiful (in a manly sense). Literal. Funny.

Corey :: Quality Assurance Analyst • Hometown :: Manchester, NH

Five words that describe Renee :: Perfect. Glowing. Responsible/mature. Cuddly. Artistic.

How they met :: Renee showed up at Corey’s house to hang out with mutual friends.

The Proposal :: Corey took Renee out to dinner at one of their favorite diners and then went to a park for a walk around the pond. When they got to the spot where they almost had their first kiss several years before, he got down on his knee and proposed!