Our First Year: We're Married!

So Allan and I got married 12 days ago and it was great! There were so many things in our favor it was almost scary!

Saturday October 2nd I picked up Mia from JFK airport. She flew in from Texas to be a part of my wedding! The entire week consisted of running around, writing checks, and a visit to the Maury show. (As studio audience members, not guests!)

Friday, Lauren (my maid of honor), Mia and myself all went to get our nails done at Newtown Nail Spa. It was a very much needed afternoon of relaxing!

Mia, myself and Lauren getting pedicures

Lauren and I getting manicures. I had parafin wax on my hands
and found the mittens to be very amusing!

Saturday we checked into Comfort Suites in Southington (with two cars I might add!) and hauled all of our stuff into the suite. I pretty much got the worst sleep the night before the wedding. I'm pretty sure it was the excitement and the hotel bed that woke me up every 2 hours.

We started the wedding day at 8:30am with breakfast followed by the hairdresser's arrival at 9am. During breakfast the forecast was on the TV's and all signs pointed to clear skies and high 60's and I couldn't have been happier! By 11am, my hair and 2 of the bridesmaids had their hair done. The photographer, Molly Feit - www.mefphoto.com, arrived around 12pm and started taking pictures.

Allan's sister Lauren getting her hair done

Elyssa doing my hair

And of course, there was some loopy-ness going on in the hotel room. What's a wedding day without it! This is Mia having WAYY too much fun with her curly hair!

Somewhere between 11am and 12:30pm, a set of silver mylar balloons appeared in the hotel room. When I noticed it, I asked one of my bridesmaids and she told me the hotel staff dropped it off. Apparently, there was a brunch of some kind going on that morning and these balloons were there. Well, during clean up, they noticed the item number on the balloons read "119", which was our room number. They took it as a sign and delivered them to our room.

1:30pm brought Melanie, my maid-of honor's (Lauren's) mother/my boss. She came in with Lauren's boyfriend Dan AND two rather large boxes over their heads. Well, when the boxes were in sight, they held surprise fresh flowers for me, my bridal party, and my groom! Melanie had spoken to a local florist and through some divine intervention, the florist owner decided to donate all of these flowers to us! We were originally going to use silk flowers instead but I am sooooo happy about this intervention.

Surprise!

My Bouquet

After the arrival of the flowers, we starting talking about lunch! Of all of the things we could have ordered, we chose Taco Bell! So Melanie and Dan went over a got lunch for everyone. When they got back, we ate lunch out in the lobby where breakfast was served and my mom came while we were eating.

After lunch it was back to the hotel room to do makeup! Everything from this point started moving rather quickly. I needed to orchestrate with the guys so the photographer could photograph them getting ready and then run back to my room to photograph me getting into my dress. Melanie got me dressed and put my veil in. They the photography borrowed me and we went running around the hotel taking portraits before it was time to head the ceremony. Allan's father and stepmother stopped into the room right before we were leaving to wish me well and make sure I had everything I needed.

hoping into Melanie's car to leave!

Then I hopped into Melanie's car with Allan's sister Lauren and Mia. We drove over to the Lily Lake and discovered we were about 10mins early and no one was outside for the ceremony yet. Well, between the maitre D and my dear husband, everyone was quickly ushered outside to get ready for the ceremony.

Waiting for the ceremony to start

Our maitre D Stephanie was amazing! She was provided by the Lily Lake and I don't know what I would have done without her! She got the ceremony running smoothly and cued everyone at the proper times. It was great! I couldn't have asked for anything more.

Lauren (my Maid of honor) and myself right before the ceremony

After the ceremony we took all of our formal pictures.

Us with Allan's father and stepmother

Us with Allan's sisters

All of the Zabrecky kids with their spouses

Allan with his mother

Then we had our introductions, toasts, then dinner. After dinner we started our party with our first dance, which was a complete surprise! Allan and I choreographed our first dance, which started out slow and then cut into salsa! It was such a fun time and we got quite the reactions!