Certified Coordinated Bride Nicole
Journal Entry #1
History in the Making
We have 16 Guest Bride Bloggers for 2017 and today we’re introducing you to our 2nd GBB who is scheduled to tie the knot with her beau Brian on May 6, 2017 in New Jersey! Sit back, grab your coffee and meet Certified Coordinated Bride Nicole! 🙂
How We Met:
Brian and I met at Rutgers University during our Sophomore year. We were both studying History and took many of the same classes together during our time there. After a few years of hanging out just as social friends, Brian and I had to decide what History Seminar we wanted to take during our Senior year. I vividly remember Brian texting me one afternoon telling me that I just HAD to get in the same seminar as him. After a couple savvy emails to our professor, I was enrolled in the same History Seminar as Brian for the following year.
Before the semester started, I was working in Philadelphia at a RedBull Flugtag event. Brian and his great friend, Ryan Bennett, were also in the area and decided to come watch. I did not believe he would actually come to the event but he started to text me asking to come find them shortly after they arrived. To be honest, I chickened out because I was embarrassed of the khaki cargo shorts I was required to wear for the day and told him I was, “too busy”. The following day when I arrived back to Rutgers, Brian asked me to come over and watch the movie “Up” with him. I arrived at his lovely college house which was filled with used lacrosse gear, old pizza boxes and a stale beer stench. This was truly a romantic evening for the both of us (I hope you sense the sarcasm).
Soon after our “first date”, Brian and I began our last Fall semester at Rutgers together. We attended our 4 Hour History Seminar each Wednesday afternoon and continued to spend as much time as we possibly could together. And the rest folks, is History! (See what I did there…)
How He Asked:
Brian and I have been together for 6 amazing years! Brian and I have been living together for the last 3 years and are in the process of looking to purchase our first home together. With all the exciting things happening in our lives, I was not expecting the proposal that weekend in April AT ALL!
I was away in the Hamptons for the entire weekend celebrating my best friend’s Bachelorette Party. After one too many winery trips and a three-hour car ride home, Brian asked me if I would go out to our absolute favorite restaurant with him for dinner that Sunday. To be honest, I was sleep deprived and just wanted to curl up on the couch with a pizza but he told me how he was craving a steak and since we had not been there in so long it would be a nice Sunday evening treat for the two of us. Brian thought I was catching on to what he was doing so he tried multiple times to throw me off his scent. He even offered to just order that pizza I was so desperately craving a few times. Eventually we both got ready and left for our favorite restaurant in town.
As Brian and I were strolling through Morristown, NJ we chatted about some of our previous times at this restaurant and really just caught up on things that happened over the weekend. Looking back, I clearly remember how happy, excited and cheerful he was as we walked over to the restaurant. When we arrived at Roots Steakhouse we were greeted by an overly excited hostess who brought us to this large corner booth in the restaurant. I instantly looked at Brian and laughed because we sat in this exact booth on our annual “Christmas Dinner” a few months earlier where we discussed our future together. Brian and I ordered some cocktails (Dirty Martini, extra Blue Cheese stuffed olives to be exact!) and started to look over the menu which resulted in us ordering way too much food for two people… this seems to be a consistent theme in our relationship.
Shortly after our drinks arrived Brian continued to ask me so many questions about my weekend, the upcoming work week, what I was going to eat, why the sky was blue, etc.. After the interrogation of questions, he looked over to me with the biggest smile ever and said “I actually did have one more really important question to ask you….” My stomach was doing backflips after I realized that was happening. To be honest, I looked around for Ashton Kutcher to pop out and scream that I had been Punk’d because I was in complete shock. Brian so thoughtfully asked me to spend the rest of my life with him and pulled out the most beautiful ring I have ever seen in my entire life. After uncontrollably crying for a few minutes and Brian reminding me to breathe, the waiters brought out champagne, roses, and a card from the entire staff. He had called them earlier in the week to arrange the entire thing *flashback, overly excited hostess smiling ear to ear when we walked in*.
While I thought he was spending the Saturday before golfing, he was actually traveling with my future mother- in-law to pick up my beautiful engagement ring. Afterwards, Brian spent the rest of the day at my house with my entire family and asked them for their approval to marry me. He planned and coordinated the best day I have ever imagined, all without me having a single clue.
I am so grateful and lucky to have this man in my life. He consistently goes above and beyond for me and I could not be more appreciative. I am truly the happiest girl in the world and cannot wait to spend my life with him.
Fast-Forward to Now:
Wedding planning has been great so far! Brian and I knew the exact theme we were looking for and found it at the first venue we visited. Just to be sure, we scheduled a few other appointments but could not stop thinking about the unique estate that is the Shadowbrook at Shrewsbury. We will be getting married on Saturday May 6, 2017 surrounded by 170 of our closest friends and family. The Shadowbrook has old world charm with a certain historic atmosphere that I LOVE! (This is probable due to my dorky History degree). We have been working hard to confirm many of the larger Vendors and have already reserved our Photographer, DJ, Entertainment, Florist, and I found my DREAM dress. My 10 (yes, 10!) Bridesmaids and I went shopping this past weekend and found the most amazing “Cornflower” color bridesmaid’s dresses that will complement our “Garden Chic” wedding theme for our big day. There are still so many other details and items that I need to mark off my checklist, which continues to grow each day, but we are so exicted to continue taking these steps together!
Engagement Photography by Monica Mendoza Photography
