Bachelor & Bachelorette Parties

So, Dusty and I both had our "last hurrah's" this past weekend - I went to ATL with the girls and Dusty went to Tunica, Mississippi with the boys. Of course, the boys didn't take ONE picture, so we'll just have to be creative and picture them surrounding the black jack table, drinking for free, and spending/losing their money. :) This is where they stayed - http://www.goldstrikemississippi.com/. Dusty's weekend was pretty low key - in fact, he and Herman said to each other at one point (after getting calls from myself and Rebecca, Herman's wife) "This is crazy - the girls are acting like fools and wasted while we're just sitting here in the room hanging out and talking - what's wrong with this?" Dusty went with Herman Van Den Berg (his best man, friend from college), Garret Pair (our usher, friend from college), Steven Wheeler (friend he met through Herman), and Willem Van Den Berg (Herman's brother) - it was a great group and they had a blast!

Now, for the Bachelorette weekend - where the real fun happened. :) We had an AMAZING time. Amy and I drove down to Atlanta on Friday night and got there around 11:30 PM. We then met Chase and Kristin (friends from college) at Front Page News on Crescent Street in Midtown Atlanta. When we got back to the Hyatt that night, my passenger side window would not go up, so the next morning we had to locate a Nissan dealership. When we got to the dealership, we noticed a large nail in the side wall of my back tire - which is not fixable. So, I had to leave my car at the dealership to have a new tire put on, the window fixed, and I threw in an oil change while they were at it!

Kristin and Chase picked Amy and me up there, and they got us to the W JUST in time for our appointments at the Bliss Spa - AHHHHHMAAAZING! I had the Dew Diligence facial (which was half facial/half massage) and Amy had a Double Choc pedicure - a pedicure in a chocolate milk concoction served with a bowl of chocolate ice cream and a brownie - I think we were in Heaven...

Once we were done spa-ing, my friend Katherine had gotten in on her flight from Roanoke - it was so good to see her since she's not going to be able to make it to the wedding (she's starting PA school this year!!).

We then just hung around this amazing hotel - the W Midtown Atlanta - around the pool, lobby, etc. - check it out! http://www.starwoodhotels.com/whotels/property/overview/index.html?propertyID=3131

Once everyone got there, we got ready and went to Shout! A trendy restaurant within walking distance of our hotel. Amy had gotten there early and decorated the table - she had a black runner down the center of the table, three vases of light and dark pink roses, pink and black polka-dotted ribbon around the black napkins, rose petals on the table, and favors for everyone! A hand-decorated wine glass with pink and black polka dots, a black swirl down the stem, and on the bottom she had painted it black and then wrote "Rebecca's Bachelorette Weekend, 8.16.08, ATL, GA" - she did such an amazing job and made this weekend SO SPECIAL for me! Thank you, Amy!!

After I had two watermelon martinis, a shot of some apple liquor, and two glasses of champagne, we headed to Shout's upstairs - an outdoor posh bar. After a few drinks there, we made our way to Opera - a 40,000 square foot dance club/bar. We had a great time there, except it was super hot with all the people in there. We danced and I took pics with several other bachelorettes....the rest of the night is a blur....

All-in-all it was a FABULOUS weekend! And thank you so much to all of you who made the long trip! It is VERY appreciated and wouldn't have been the same without you! I love you all!!

Here are the girls that made it, and where they traveled from:
Amy Simpson (maid of honor, friend from college - came from Columbia, TN)
Chase Buczek (friend from college - came from Greenwich, CT)
Danielle Mercer (friend from Nashville - came from Hendersonville, TN)
Emily Lawman (friend from Nashville - came from Murfreesboro, TN)
Jenni Essary (friend from Nashville - came from Nashville, TN)
Katherine Min (friend from college - came from Roanoke, VA)
Kristin Flora (friend & roommate from college - came from Roanoke, VA)
Rebecca Van Den Berg (Herman's wife, good friend in Nashville - came from Nashville, TN)
Suzanne Morris (friend from Nashville - came from Nashville, TN)

Pictures will be posted later this evening!!

An ode to our parents...

As everyone knows, our wedding day would not be possible without both sets of our parents. We have wonderful families, and we love them very much.

So, to honor our parents, we will have both of their wedding albums displayed at our wedding. And, on a neat note, their albums look almost identical. They are the same design (except Dusty's parents is the slimmer version). It's so funny!! I can't wait for everyone to see how beautiful our parents were on their wedding days.

Also, we will be using my parents cake topper - a set of ivory wedding bells - on top of our cake. It will be a nice touch!

Pink & Black Party

Thank you again to Suzanne, Jenni, and Kristin who hosted our Pink & Black Party on Saturday evening, July 26th. It was such a blast! They did so many cute things for us!

They had pink flowers, black tablecloths, pink and black baloons, etc. They even made mini pink strawberry iced cupcakes!! (And the other food and drinks were great, too!) Thanks, girls!!

Here are some pics:

Inside with Jarrod peeking through....

All the girlies
The 3 beautiful hosts - Suzanne Morris, Kristin Hopper, Jenni Essary
Mauri, Amy, myself, Kelly
The "guests of honor" :)
Dusty and Garret (our usher)

The boys, pretty in pink and black :)

The cardinal sin...

(Insert sarcasm) Alright, so this is a hard post to make...


By having my wedding on September 19th this year, I am committing the cardinal sin of an alumni of the University of Tennessee - or, a Tennessee Vol, rather.


Saturday, September 20th is the HOME GAME against the Florida Gators - our biggest rival.


So again, thank you to all my UT folks for coming out to the wedding anyway! You'll still be able to watch the game since the wedding is on Friday. :)


GO VOLS!!

Candy Bar

One of the new "trends" at weddings is having a candy bar. So, of course, we're going to do it. Haha. Well, actually we're going to have it displayed at our rehearsal dinner the night before the wedding. My mom is working on putting this together - one of her big wedding projects!

Since my colors are pink and black, most of the candy will probably be pink since black candy is usually licorice - eww, not my favorite. It's going to be fun & delicious!

All the pink candy looks so yummy!

The blogging will continue!

Don't worry my loyal readers! My blogging will continue after the wedding. I have just started a new blog called "Sanders Says..." to update you on our new life together!

Check it out!

http://sanderssays.blogspot.com/

RSVP Surprises!

We're so thrilled that so many people have already RSVP'd for the wedding! We sent out about 50 invitations (a lot for a destination wedding!) and have had pretty good response. Several of our Nashville friends aren't able to make it [which we TOTALLY understand; we're young, and none of us have a ton of money :)], but a lot of our extended family and friends are going to make it!

We are so excited about our big day, and we love that so many people will be there to share it with us. We love you all!

THANKS!

Dusty's ring

It's ordered! I ended up ordering it from J. Yontef who made my wedding band as well. So that's sort of cool - our bands will be made by the same man :)

He's getting a 5mm palladium band. Palladium is an alloy of platinum, but it's actually less expensive than white gold. Weird, I know. It's just a "new thing" so not many people know about it yet. It keeps the color better than white gold and it's stronger and doesn't scratch quite as much. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palladium

So exciting! 58 days and counting...

It's in the stars...

Everyone needs to visit this site! It's really cool.

http://www.brides.com/planning/astrology/matematcher

As I am a Taurus, and Dusty is a Capricorn, this is how we "match up:"

why it works
Your relationship is the epitome of an old-school classic, the stuff of romantic black-and-white films. As fellow earth signs, you're both traditional and family-oriented, and you quickly put down roots together. Your values and politics generally line up, and it's easy to be around this mellow fellow. Like you, the Capricorn man takes it slow and steady. As two of the zodiac's hardest-working signs, you'll clock plenty of office hours. Capricorn wants to build a nest egg for future generations, and you both have the savvy to do it. At the same time, your earth natures make you both sensual and pleasure-loving. You love to dress up for an elegant evening, and Capricorn will gladly oblige.

what you have to work on
Capricorn men can be brooding and melancholy, and you're not big on mood swings. You like things consistent, and when he falls into a funk, it irks you. His sign is ruled by stern, authoritarian Saturn, while Taurus is governed by sensual, romantic Venus. You don't mind him playing daddy as long as there's a little sugar in the mix. Should he become rigid or disapprove of your "extravagance," you'll boil with rage. "Nobody puts Baby in the corner," as the famous Dirty Dancing line goes. At times, this guy can seem distant and unreachable, a Lone Ranger or Marlboro Man type (think Capricorn Kevin Costner). You need attention and affection, so let him know!

how to make it last
It's so easy to be around each other, you can quickly shut the rest of the world out. With your stubborn natures, living in a bubble can be detrimental. As a creature of habit, you easily get stuck in a rut, Taurus. More than you, Capricorn is a workaholic, but too much work makes Jack a dull boy. Insist on sharing date nights, vacations and other pleasures. You may have to drag Cap out the door, but once he's there, he'll be happy as a clam. Your sensuality is a gift to him, so treat your Capricorn to massages and affection. You can be explosive, Taurus, so when you get into raging Bull mode, his wisdom and steady calm can lend you perspective. He loves to be your hero, so ask for his help when you need it.

your song
"At Last" by Etta James

Two month mark!

So, the wedding is officially two months away from today (because it's on a Friday; technically tomorrow is the 19th...). I have actually gotten a lot done today in honor of the milestone. I have completed writing the wedding programs (I'm doing them myself; trying to pick and choose what to spend money on) and I'm going to try and go to Kinko's this evening; I've made the labels for the rehearsal dinner invitations - which are stuffed and ready to go; and, I've worked on the "wedding day itinerary" - yep, I'm that girl. :)

Baby Pictures!

In lieu of a video or slideshow of our baby pictures, etc., I'm making a photobook on Shutterfly.com. If you've never seen these books, you NEED to check them out. They are amazing! ( http://www.shutterfly.com/) I made one for both sets of our parents for Christmas of our engagement pictures. They're so fun to do, easy, and inexpensive! It can just be a little time-consuming, but what's not?

Here are a few of our baby pictures for you to check out:

Here's Dusty - WHAT A CUTIE!!!

And here I am...

You'll have to wait until the rehearsal dinner to see the finished product from Shutterfly :)

The SHOES!

So, everyone that has seen my shoes so far is obsessed with them, so I must share them on here. Since my dress is white (obviously), I wanted to do something fun and special with my shoes. So, why not have pink and black shoes?? Here they are! I found them on the FABULOUS Web site http://www.endless.com/ - check them out. They have free overnight shipping! So you can wear the shoes literally the next day. Genius!

And these are my awesome wedding-day shoes - all 4 1/4" of them. They are Paris Hilton's brand - hilarious! But I do love the padded heart on the ball of foot!

Something Old, Something New...

This old tradition is so fun! This saying dates back to Victorian times.

Something Old, Something New, Something Borrowed, Something Blue, and a Silver Sixpence in Her Shoe.

Something Old represents the link with the bride’s family and the past.
This one I'm still working on. I'm going to see if we have an old broach or something I can pin to my bouquet. Otherwise, my diamond is old!

Something New represents good fortune and success in the bride’s new life ahead.
This will be my brand-new wedding gown!

Something Borrowed is to remind the bride that friends and family will be there for her when help is needed.
I'm planning to borrow my sister-in-law Karla's right hand diamond ring she wears. It's gorgeous, and we wear the same size ring!

Something Blue is the symbol of faithfulness and loyalty.
(Interesting: In England, before Queen Victoria set the standard for marrying in white, the color blue was in fact the common color for brides to be dressed in. Blue had long symbolized purity even as far back as in biblical times. Blue can therefore also symbolize purity as it did then.)
I will wear the aquamarine and diamond ring my grandma gave me on my 21st birthday. She was going to save it until my wedding day, but she couldn't save it - she was too excited about giving it to me!

A Silver Sixpence in her Shoe is to wish the bride wealth.
Why have I never heard this part before? Where the heck does one get a sixpence??

Our registries

Let's be honest. One of the best perks of getting married is receiving the items to start your new life together. New china, new flatware, new glassses - oh my!

Right now we're using a set of of Corelle - don't judge! - that has a 4-place setting. We also have a 4-place setting of flatware, so you can imagine how difficult it is when we have a few couples over for dinner or a cookout!

My "favorite" of our registries is Crate & Barrel. That is where we are registered for our china, flatware, and glasses. We love the everyday china we registered for (we aren't asking for any formal china; I already have a set of antique French china that my grandma gave us - it's BEAUTIFUL!) - it's called Staccato. It is pure white, but has tiny raised dots around the edges of each piece.

Check everything out!

http://www.crateandbarrel.com/gr/guest/viewRegistry.aspx?grid=3218163

We also have registries at Target and Williams-Sonoma - which are fabulous as well!

The Name Game

So, of course I'm going to take Dusty's last name, Sanders, but I'm going to keep Thews as my middle name and drop my current middle name, Randolph (Randolph has been in my family for 4 generations on my maternal side: my great-grandmother, my grandmother, my mom, and myself). However, Thews has a lot more "meaning" to me than Randolph does, so my new name will be Rebecca Thews Sanders. Rebecca T. Sanders. Hehe, it's so fun to write...

It was interesting, though. Dusty's family had not heard of keeping your maiden name as your middle name - his mom and sister dropped their maiden names completely. But in my family, the women have always dropped their middle name. How interesting.

Some history about Thews...
I know that this is a name that originated in Denmark - and originally pronounced "Taves" (weird, huh?). Also, if you look up "thews" in the dictionary, it's definition is:
–noun
1. Usually, thews. muscle or sinew.
2. thews, physical strength.

No wonder my fam is so strong! :)

My new name-to-be is Sanders. I don't know a whole lot about the background of the name, but here's what I found online:
Sanders is derived from the name Sander, which was often used in the Middle Ages as a form of the name Alexander. Alexander is a Latin version of the Greek Alexandros, from alexein, "defend" and aner, "man" or "warrior." So Alexander means something like "defending warrior." From the medieval short form Sander, the patronymics Sanders and Sanderson evolved (an additional name, older than a surname, indicating who your father was.)

How very interesting!! So I go from "physical strength" to "defending warrior" - nice!

The Thews/Sanders' Beach Houses

The Thews' and Sanders are both going to the beach the week before the wedding to have our "beach week" for the summer. Since my sister-in-law Karla just had little baby Sofia on July 10, we were not able to go on a family trip this summer, so we're killing two birds with one stone in September.

Both families have rented homes on the beach in a neighborhood called Duck Landing.

This is the Thews House, and where our rehearsal dinner will be located; 129 Duck Landing Road: http://carolinadesigns.com/cdfinal/asp/includes/oneprop.asp (visit this link for more pics)

The Sanders' House is literally across the street: http://carolinadesigns.com/cdfinal/asp/includes/oneprop.asp (visit this link for more pics)

Each house has a pool, hot tub, 7-8 bedrooms, a tiki bar, beach access, etc. It's going to be SUCH a blast!

Blogging about the bling...

So I blogged about the engagement before, but I've never gotten a chance to write about my rings!

My engagement ring is so perfect for me! It's classic, but has a few little unique touches to it. It's a Scott Kay design, and it has a 1.3 carat miner's cut diamond in a trellis setting. On each side (facing front and back) there are two tiny bezel set diamonds.

Here's a picture of it on some leaves in Central Park in NYC. :)

Since it's such a simple ring, I wanted my band to have a little bling on it while still being a classic style. I've always been attracted to the rings with alternating brilliant diamonds and baguettes.

One day last winter, Dusty and I went to see a custom jeweler in Green Hills (section of Nashville) from whom he had my engagement ring appraised.

His name is Jay Yontef - http://www.jyontef.com/index2.php - and he does some AMAZING stuff! He asked me what I was looking for in my band, and I told him about that particular style that I was drawn to. Now, he only keeps about 8-10 rings in his shop at all times as he makes most things custom for people. However, he happened to have one ring - that he'd had for about 2 years - that was EXACTLY what I was talking about. I tried it on with my engagement ring and it looked so perfect I didn't want to take it off. It was just waiting for me! It was brilliant diamonds, baguettes, platinum, and palladium - an alloy of platinum (I have to have platinum since I'm allergic to white gold, fyi).

A couple of weeks later, on Valentine's Day, Dusty surprised me by "giving" it to me. We still haven't had it sized, because I think I would wear it around! :)

We're still looking for the perfect ring for Dusty. He wants the simplest of simple weddings bands - just plain white gold (or palladium, since it's stronger AND less expensive than white gold).

Rehearsal Dinner food!

As you know, we're having a North Carolina BBQ for our rehearsal dinner on the Thursday before the wedding. It will be at our beach house (the yellow one below), and we'll have amazing BBQ, all the sides, and, of course, beer!


Here's where we're getting the North Carolina BBQ from: http://www.highcottonbbq.com/


Now, BBQ is a very complex food, you see. Is it barbecue or barbeque? Depends on where you are! I'll just stick with BBQ.


Here are some differences between different regions variation on BBQ:

Southerners agree, it's all about the pig

In the southern states, the BBQ is usually pork

Memphis-style: a tomato-based potion containing balanced levels of ingredients and seasonings. (Contrasts the sauces of the Carolinas...)

South Carolina: Hot mustard sauce

North Carolina: Spicy vinegar-based pepper sauce

In Texas, they do everything bigger; hence, this is why they prefer cow to pig - the BBQ is beef!

Texas-style: Brisket, ribs, etc. and different variations on sauces - usually, the spicier, the better

La Musica!

So back in January, my mom and I went to the Outer Banks Wedding Association (who knew weddings were so big there? http://www.outerbanksweddingassoc.org/) to scope some details out for my big day.

I really had my heart set on a band for the reception, but since we're having such a small wedding, it really didn't make sense budget-wise. It was going to be about three times the cost of a DJ. So...I found the best DJ company in town - SoundWavz. http://www.soundwavz.com/) My biggest thing about a DJ is the corniness - I hate the corniness at some weddings. I don't want the DJ talking the whole time, etc. He'll just be there to provide music at the reception. Period.

For the ceremony, I found a wonderful group called Club Violin (http://www.clubviolin.com/). I'm having a duo of a cello and a violin. Still working on my music selections for them...

CAKE!

I don't know about you, but I love wedding cake. There's always something so special about it - it's never any ordinary cake!

Originally, I was going to use the pastry chef at The Sanderling - Kevin Wirt. He's amazing but, unfortunately, he recently got a job at the British Embassy in Washington, D. C. so he won't be able to bake for my wedding....

So, I'm using another fabulous baker, Melinda Gregory of Just Desserts in the Outer Banks. Check out her Web site: http://www.justdessertsobx.com/.

Our cake is going to be pretty much amazing. We're having the first layer vanilla cake with two layers of fresh strawberry mousse filling. The second layer will be rich chocolate cake with one layer of chocolate ganache and one layer of creamy peanut butter filling - Dusty's fave (he's slightly obsessed with Reese's cups, as is my maid of honor, Amy).

I know, I know, you're mouth is watering!

Reception yumminess

I have finally picked out the food and drinks (well, almost) for the reception.

Our dinner is going to be delicious; here's what we're having:

Hors D’oeuvres
Tropical Fruit Skewers with Coconut Yogurt Dip
Petite Wild Mushroom and Monterey Jack Cheese Quiche
Imported Brie and Raspberry Crostini
Crisp Artichoke and Parmesan Cheese Bites
Sanderling Crab Dip with Breadsticks and Crackers

Appetizer
Jumbo Shrimp with Cocktail Sauce and Greens

Salad
Tender Baby Spinach Salad with Port Wine Vinaigrette, Dried Cranberries
and Toasted Walnuts

Entree
(All Entrees of Served with Chef’s selection of Potato and Seasonal Vegetables)
Herb Roasted Breast of Chicken and Lump Crab Cake with Whole Grain Mustard Sauce

Mmmm...doesn't it sound yummy?!

We'll have liquor, beer, and wine but I'm trying to come up with a fun, pink "specialty" cocktail for us. Let me know if you have any fun ideas!

One idea i've seen that's cute is putting a stawberry gumball in every glass of champagne for a unique twist - I love it!

Pink & Black Par-tay

Two of my girlfriends here in Nashville (that aren't able to make the trek to the wedding) are so sweet to throw Dusty and me and party here in Nashville before our big day!

The theme of the party is - what else? - pink and black! Everyone who attends must wear either pink and/or black. I love it!

The party is going to be on Saturday, July 26 at our friend's house in Green Hills.

Thank you so much, Jenni & Suzanne - it's going to be a blast! :)

Invitations!

The invitations are finally going out :) I can't believe the wedding is so close, I'm getting so excited!

Here is our invitation, that you should receive sometime the first week of July.

Yes, of course they're pink& black. Haha. My dad isn't really a big fan - he said, "I thought wedding invitations were supposed to be ecru" - welcome to 2008, Dad. :)

Web site

Make sure to visit our wedding Web site at www.theknot.com/ourwedding/RebeccaThews&DustinSanders

It has all kinds of information including directions, attractions, and accomodations.

And, I think this is the only thing regarding the wedding that's not pink and black... :)

Bachelorette Party!

And while I'm on my Erin Condren kick, I'll tell you about my upcoming bachelorette party!

I'm so excited and can't wait to see all my best girlfriends! This invite, too, is from Erin Condren - love it!

As you can see, we're going to go to Hot-lanta for a weekend and shop, go to Bliss Spa at the W Midtown Atlanta (where we're staying), and go to a fun dinner at ATL's trendy Shout.

I'm so excited, and I hope everyone is able to make it!

Rehearsal Dinner

I had to share the adorable invitation I have picked out for our rehearsal dinner - everyone's invited - we're going to have a blast!

The invite is from http://www.erincondren.com/ - I'm slightly OBSESSED with this Web site and want everything on it. Check it out!

Save The Date!

And here's a copy of our Save The Date - we got to actually use our engagement photos for something!

The Honeymoon

Now most importantly, where are we going on our honeymoon?!

On September 24 we'll be leaving for our 10-day honeymoon on the beautiful Dutch colony of Curacao.  This island is in the very southern Caribbean (out of the hurricane belt) between Venezuela and Aruba.  It has a super cute little historic downtown area which we cannot wait to visit.  

Since I am doing most of the wedding planning (OK, all of it, but that's just fine by Dusty!), I wanted Dusty to choose our honeymoon location.  He wanted to go somewhere really different, and I think this island is an amazing choice for us!

Check out the Web site to our resort (www.marriottcuracao.com)

Wedding Day Deets!

The four big things/decisions of planning a wedding: Location, Pictures, Flowers, Dress.

Since I can't show you a picture of my dress (what if Dusty saw it??), I'll give you some insight to the other details of the wedding.

The location is The Sanderling (formerly The Sanderling Inn) in Duck, North Carolina. Duck is a small town in the Outer Banks (a.k.a. OBX). I had been to this resort in 1994 for a dental convention for my dad. (It was actually June 1994 during the OJ Simpson saga; I remember standing in the hotel room watching the white Bronco on TV!) I fell in love with the resort and the area when I was there, and when searching for a place to have my wedding, I came across it again and thought it would be perfect. Below are some more pictures of the hotel and the area.

My photographer is absolutely wonderful! Her name is Mary Basnight and she came very highly recommended from several people. Check out her Web site at http://www.marybasnight.com/.

The flowers will be done by a lovely, spunky lady named Renee Landry. She's with a florist in the OBX named Blooms. They do really unique stuff - here's their Web site. http://www.blooms007.com/.

And finally, the person that will actually be "marrying" us is a wonderful man named Jay Bowman. He was also highly recommended and I can see why. My mom and I fell in love with him when we met him at the OBX Bridal Show in January. Check out his Web site http://www.yourobxwedding.com/.

Bridal Shower in Roanoke

A couple of weeks ago, Gail Price threw me my first bridal shower. Gail is a good friend of my mom and I've known her since I was in the womb. She was so sweet to offer her home and have such a lovely party for me! Brenda (Dusty's mom), Loni (Dusty's baby sister), Amy, and I made the trip from Nashville for the event on 4.19.08 (exactly 5 months before the wedding!). We wanted to have it before the summer because both Gail and my mom are expecting brand-new grandaughters in early July. (Gail's pic is to the left)






Gail did such an amazing job with every little detail of the shower from the delicious drinks (screwdrivers and bloody mary's) to the favors on the table. She had her sister make pale pink rose-shaped soaps individually wrapped - with pink and black ribbon of course! They were PRECIOUS.












Here are my two wonderful sisters-in-law [From L to R: Blake, Brian's wife (mother of the three girls); Karla, Scott's wife (mother of Alex and baby girl)]








And, you can't have a party without cake and presents! One of the higlights of the day is when Gail began cutting the cake and Emory started singing, "Happy Birthday" - she thought, 'cake, presents' - it's got to be someone's birthday!
And finally, it was so wonderful seeing friends from high school and college as well as my ENTIRE family. Here are some more pictures!

Engagement Photos

As most of you know, I absolutely adore New York City. I interned and lived there for a brief stint, and I love to go back whenever possible.

Since Dusty had never been to The Big Apple, I was always pestering him about going on a trip up there. While I was still on cloud nine from our recent engagement, Dusty called me at work a couple of days after the proposal and said, "How about going to New York this weekend?" I said, "Um...YES!" He said that he wanted this to be "his princess' week" so we went all out.

Before we left for our NYC weekend, I thought it'd be a great idea to get our engagement pictures taken there in the beautiful and eclectic scenery. I know a Getty Images photographer, Scott Gries (http://www.scottgries.com/) who is amazing from work, so I gave him a call. He offered to do them at NO COST! (Of course we gave him a gift certificate, though!)

We were so lucky to have such an amazing photographer take these from us - lucky him, right, he got to take a break from shooting Lindsay Lohan and Jessica Alba to shoot us! :) Check them out!