I know "My Best Friend's Wedding" is a movie, but that's where we met. Honest! The night before at her bachelorette party, her Maid of Honor tells me "I know this guy who will be at the wedding. He wasn't supposed to come, but his neice's birthday is cancelled because of the hurricane and you two would be perfect together" "ya right! No Way! I am SO done with dating." and I've never done the "set up" thing before. After we discussed it a while, I gave in and said "okay, if he's interested, I'll try." She said "the thing is, he's shy so you'll have to ask him to dance." okay...

The next day, I'm watching Eric across the room all through the reception and I realize, "He's the same guy I met back in May at the Pawsox game when we all went and He's SO cute!" I finally asked him to dance just as hurricane Irene was blowing in and the night was closing. He walked me to my car, kissed me lightly, and "The rest is history" as they say.

-Eric's story: I wasn't even supposed to be there.. I was supposed to be in Hartford for Kira's third birthday. Hurricane Irene had other ideas. :) The weather kept me home for the weekend, and oh yeah, there was that wedding invite. I hope I can still go.. so I'm the last-minute third wheel, and they want to introduce me to someone, too. Um, okay..

I remember introducing myself just before the ceremony, but spent most of the night being shy. (Sound familiar?) Somewhere before the end of the night, she dragged me out to the dance floor. After kissing her goodnight, I don't remember too much for the next day or so (that hurricane, remember? I had to be at work 3 hours after leaving..), but it was the beginning of something incredible!

So here's the story, starting with a little back story:
We won tickets to Applefest at Wachusett Mountain fall of 2011, and absolutely loved it (if you've seen our engraved rings, that's where they came from), and made the decision that it was going to be an annual event for us, our anniversary of being a couple. We took the ski lift up to the top of the mountain, enjoyed the spectacular scenery (you can see Boston on a clear enough day), and just loved every minute of it.
I'd been mulling over ideas for how and when and where to propose, but I kept coming back to our upcoming return trip to Wachusett and soon, I had my plan set.
Back up the ski lift, to the top of the world.. At the top of Wachusett, there's a communications tower, with a newly built (I don't think it was there before) observation style deck about ten feet off the ground. There were about 25 or so people around the edges, enjoying the view. I brought Raellen out into the middle of the deck (literally under the tower), hugged her, said a few words, then dropped to a knee..
That's about when the realization set in. "You're not really doing this, are you?" "Yes, yes I am!"
As I slid the ring on her finger, I heard a handful of people around us on the platform applauding.
I was on top of the world with the woman who makes me feel like I'm on top of the world!

Our wedding will be a simple event in an open air chapel, next to scenic Narragansett Bay, at BEAUTIFUL Colt State Park. The dress code may be formal, but the festivities will be casual. Family, friends and children are all welcome to come celebrate with us on this joyous occasion! We are so excited to pledge our love and commitment to each other and to share this momentous event with each one of you!

After the wedding, we we need only to take a short walk next door to a large sheltered picnic area. There, we will have a delicious buffet style build your own pasta, build your own salad and variety of other savory and sweet goodies. The celebration will continue til the sun sets as we eat, laugh, and dance the day away.

(And, just so everybody knows, we are at a State Park so NO ALCOHOL allowed.. There will be police patroling...) sorry!

You've heard of those whirlwind trips, right? That's exactly what we're planning.

Eric hasn't been to California since a family trip to Los Angeles twenty years, ago, but Raellen grew up there. She knows a whole bunch of different areas in the state, so the newlyweds are going to fly into Sacramento, rent a convertible (Eric's only ever ridden in one a couple times) and drive from almost the top of the state to their ending in San Diego, at the Mexican border, by way of scenic hwy 1 along the coast!