Engagement party pics

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The Proposal

Her Story
So I pretty much woke up every day thinking, "Maybe it will be today!" On this day, I of course thought the same...especially since we had planned a fun Pre-Napa Warmup day together to spend at Westport Rivers Vineyard in Westport, MA. UNTIL, that is, JC told me he had invited a couple of our friends along and was waiting for a reply. So much for our romantic day o' fun.

We had a great relaxing breakfast together at Zaftig's and then shopped the neighborhood for picnic treats (When Pigs Fly for fresh bread, Publick House Provision Store for meats & cheeses, Trader Joe's for fruit). We drove down to Westport (by that I mean JC drove, I slept) and arrived at the vineyard around 2:45p.

When we got inside, they told us the next tasting was at 3p so JC suggested we "check it out outside." When we walked out towards the vineyard and onto a stone patio behind the winery, I turned to look at JC and he had a funny look on his face. Sort of pale and glassy-eyed with a perma-grin smile. He might have been sweating. I thought, "OH MY GOD IT'S GOING TO BE RIGHT NOW!!"

Apparently he couldn't speak for a minute or two because he just kept kissing me, then pulling away and looking at me with the perma-grin, then would kiss me again. When he started making sounds again, he said, "I've been wanting to do this for a long time..." and then he got down on his knee and asked me to marry him.

I couldn't have imagined a more perfect moment.

His Story

"Holy jeez. this is it. today's the day. it's happening right now.

yeah, I don't have any saliva. that sure would come in handy right now.

I had a bunch of nice things I wanted to say...I think. Of course, my brain isn't working at all. She's just looking at me, and I've just got this huge lump in my throat. I've been rehearsing this in my head on the whole way down here, while she slept away. A load of good its done me know.

Ah, I know where all my saliva went!

I've sweat it all out through my palms.

I need some time. I know! I'll kiss her, she usually likes that.

OK, I've kissed her. now what. brain still no worky. I know! I'll kiss her again. she usually likes that.

OK, I've kissed her. twice. now what. I know! I'll kiss her...NO! you can't do it again.

OK, idiot...say something..."

..."I've been wanting to do this for a long time..."

this is where it happened:

and we toasted with this! a bottle of sparkling stuff, their estate cuvee max (disgorged after 11 years) that I had gotten a while back at westport rivers, hoping to one day open it with my fiance, after just getting engaged. here's a review that tells you a bit more about the wine, from a fella who, apparently, was right in front of me in line the day I bought mine.

hopefully they'll have a current vintage available again soon (they were out when I asked), so we can toast again with it on our wedding day!

Engagement party invites sent out, menu set

First post! so, E and I will be using this blog to accomplish two things...

1. let everyone know about the progress made toward planning for our wedding

2. stay organized

Esther and I made the invites for the

engagement party,

saturday, 22november2008, 6:30PM

featuring our mugs printed on some fancy paper.

oh, and here's the planned menu, hopefully will allow me to not be consumed with cooking the whole night.

bar: homebrew (brown ale, aardsma ale, double IPA, belgian black)

wine, A few mixers, ie. club soda, OJ, cranberry, ginger ale, coke

Apps:6:30-7:30

Couple of cheeseplates w/ fruit, veggies, nuts, italian cured meats

fresh baguettes

Soup:7:30

Butternut squash soup, olive oil, bacon bits, arugula oil

Main, Family style: 7:45/8:00

Mixed greens salad, sliced beets, slivered almonds, pomegranate vinaigrette

Sliced pork tenderloin

with fig, lignonberry, shallot, balsamic chutney or

homemade apple sauce

Chili rubbed tri-tip roast

Chicken tagine

Sides: Roasted small potatoes, onions, carrots, parsnips

Dessert: fresh 'out the oven cookies