January 14, 2016

January 14, 2016

Our Engagement Party
My mom and dad hosted our engagement party on December 12, 2015 at the Newport Yacht Club. We thought it was the prefect spot to host all of our friends and family with a hometown feel. Private Dining and Floral Designing by Peter Quarry in Newport catered the food for the evening, including a pasta station, clam chowder, shrimp towers and lots of passed hors d’oeuvres. It was open bar all night and everyone seemed to have fun and still have time to tell me how great the party was! We both had such an amazing night and were blessed beyond belief to have such amazing people celebrating with us during the holiday season!

Our Engagement Party Theme
We did a “Baby it’s Cold Outside” theme with a focus on love, of course. My family and bridal party were a very big help setting everything up, including birch tree candles, evergreens, gorgeous centerpieces and lots of candlelight to create a romantic feel. The cake was made by Fatulli’s Gourmet Bakery and Deli in Middletown and matched the décor with a very rustic winter chic feel. All of the details were so perfect!

The Evening’s Highlights
Karly, one of my bridesmaids, put together a photo booth with fun props. It was a hit!! People really had a great time with it taking funny photos. Another special touch was a slideshow my sister, Katie, put together that contained photos of Evan and me from when we were babies and up until present day. Lastly, we had an amazing guitarist, Betsy Listenfelt, who took requests and played amazing songs. The whole evening was filled with fun that really made the night our perfect version of how to celebrate our engagement.

Our Holidays
Holidays are always special because both Evan and I cherish our families and time spent with them. This year, as an engaged couple, we decided to enjoy all the family festivities together and with Evan by my side, it was truly the best! With two local families, I know that holidays will always be hectic. We will just make it work and try to not gain 20 pounds after all our stops!

In the Works
We will use one of the gorgeous engagement pictures we took for the Save the Date card and our wedding website on Minted.com. I have not made a final decision on the design, but I plan to go simple and elegant. My sister Katie, my maid of honor, is tech savvy and has helped me immensely getting it all up and going! My plan is to get the Save the Date announcement out within the next month or so.

What’s Next?
The outfits! I’m excited to start looking for my dress and picking out bridesmaids dresses! We are also in the final stages of committing to our florist and videographer! Busy busy busy… stay tuned!

In love by the sea,
Julie