First Things First...

To start off our very first blog, we should start with all the preparations and events that led us to our special day! From our engagement up to our rehearsal dinner! Bear with us and we share our life changing moments and memories that have marked the best times of our lives...

Brian proposed on a beautiful Saturday evening, April 29, 2006. He recreated our first date (which was February 3, 2001 - wow!) at Zuma Beach. He proposed at sunset, and then took Lauren for a celebration dinner at Paradise Cove with our families waiting there as an extra surprise!







Here are just a few of our amazing engagement pictures! (We had about 600!) Our photographer Jennifer Carrillo was absolutely fantastic!






we got just a little wet!


SAVE THE DATE!


Lauren, the day she found and bought her dress!

trying on the dress after her final fitting!
(with Liz, Jennie and Andrea)


Our cake tasting - yum!!

Some pictures from Lauren's Bridal Showers. (The first was given by her bridesmaids, the second by Andrea (Brian's mom), Sonia (Lauren's grandmother), Fran (Lauren's aunt) and Sandy (Albert's girlfriend). Wonderful!




Lauren's maid of honor, Stephanie, recorded her
gifts on this napkin as a keepsake!



Lauren and her girls had a wonderful bachelorette party in Vegas! Brian went to a Dodger game in a limo with his guys! Here are just a few pictures...




GOT OUR MARRIAGE LICENSE!

Lauren's hair trial...


and make-up trial...


A few preparations for the big day!

Invitation stuffing with our friend Melanie, along with Nick and Andrea


Our beautiful votives created by Lauren, with help from Brian and Melanie

Our seating chart! (How creative are we?)

Lauren's creation of our home-made placecard boards and lovely placecards.
(A little known fact: The fabric covering the boards was the exact fabric of the bridesmaid dresses!)

cutting strips to designate meal choices


Melanie helping Lauren put it all together!



our apartment days before the wedding... what a mess!




We had our rehearsal the night before our wedding at MountainGate,
and then our dinner at the San Gennaro Cafe in Brentwood (we had the whole restaurant!)
A very surreal and exciting experience!

Lauren chatting with our friend and coordinator, Deanna,
and Lydia and Josh, our ring bearer and flower girl

ready to practice!



Steph and Kyle

Kim and Clayton

Jennie and Ryan

Liz and Ethan

Steph and Justin






(Clayton subbing for Jennie the first time around!)



The dinner

bridesmaid table

groomsmen table

The Fam...












Ready for the big day!!