the photos...

If there is one thing that I have learned while planning our wedding-it's that I have a TON of talented and amazing friends and family.

When we got engaged, I already knew most of what I wanted for the wedding

One thing that I had no idea about was who we would have be our photographer.

I googled the crap out of photographers from this area and found that all of them had one or both of two big problems

#1. they are too expensive.

-or-

#2. they are not very good.

I ended up remembering that my soon-t0-be new cousin Chris (he is marrying my cousin Jen this summer) has just started his own photography business. I quickly sent a text to my cousin Jen and she sent me Chris' website address.

After looking at the site, two things became apparent to me...

#1 I liked what he has done

#2 I could afford him!

The best part of it all is that he is family, he will be there with his camera anyhow, so why not give him some business.

Please check out his website at http://www.staticmoments.com/ and if you have an event please consider him to capture your memories.

Chris and Jen drove all the way from Rome, NY last weekend to take our engagement photos (all part of the wedding package!) and I think they turned out fantastic!

Here are a few of my favorites!

no more steps...just details

so...I have a big family...

My Dad is one of 5 kids.

That makes me one of 15 Hancock cousins...and many of them have children of their own.

On my Mom's side, she is one of 3 kids.

There are 10 Mundy cousins...and again...many of them have children.

My family- there are 5 of us...and everyone but me has kids too!


JJ's family is not nearly as big since his mom is an only child and his dad just has 2 sisters.


I bring this up to merely point out the fact that I have a huge family.

I also consider myself very fortunate that I have many many close friends.

When deciding who to have in the wedding on my side, it was a not simple decision.

How could I choose between all of my best friends...How would I pick between, Kimmer, Nanner, Treesh, Toni, Pica, Erin, Sarah Ann, Janner, Dunbar, Rossi, Jacy & Zuba. NO WAY!

So...I'll admit it...I took the easy way out- I have 2 sisters, one married, one single...perfect...I'll have a maid and matron of honor! The other bridesmaid is JJ's sister Melinda.

It was very important to me to have all of my close friends at the wedding as well as everyone from this huge family of mine that I love so much. JJ and I had spoke about what we would do if we had to cut the list due to out budget constraints. The only thing we could figure out is that we wouldn't cut a single person that we wanted to share our day with.

I had the idea of having a dessert reception.

At first JJ was not into it at all, but after I told him how wonderful it would be to not have to cut anyone from the list, and we could eat sweets all night-he seemed more agreeable!

So...a dessert reception it is...
Cake, Chocolate Fondue Fountain, Cookies, Cheese, Fruit...and anything else I can think of.

---and as luck would have it, I was reading Martha Stewarts Wedding Magazine (I heart her, don't hate me), and dessert receptions are the new "it" idea!

Step #5- The Reception Venue

I have had the great pleasure of being an attendant in many many weddings over the years.
(I'm not kidding..think 27 dresses here!)

In addition to being in many weddings, I have also had the great experience of working behind the scenes for the past five years at The Farmhouse Kitchen- a fantastic catering company in Sackets Harbor, NY.

I have seen everything from the quaint little backyard wedding, to the full out-put a second mortgage on the river house, hire a crazy wedding planner, I don't care how much it costs-weddings.

I consider my self very fortunate to live in the wonderful place we call Northern NY. We are 1/2 hour from Canada, 1/2 hour from Lake Ontario, 1/2 hour from the St. Lawrence River and 1/2 hour from the beautiful Adirondack Mountains. While the winters up here tend to last a while, I believe, the spring, summer and fall more than make up for it.

JJ and I have decided to take advantage of the beautiful fall weather (and pray that it doesn't snow) and we have opted for an "under the big tent" wedding reception at the home of my parents. This option excited me to no end-I am the eternal planner and with this blank canvas, I can do whatever I want within the limits of what my folks will let me!

There is a party rental place in Watertown. Oddly enough, it's called Party Rentals. They have the big tent that we are going to rent. They bring it days before and won't pick it up till a few days after, which gives plenty of time for a lower-stress set up. We are also getting our tables, chairs, linens, and dance floor from them. (We will also get some heaters, should mother nature decide to challenge us!)

Martha Stewarts (I heart her..don't hate me) website has a great program where you can put in the size of the tent, and then it creates a graph paper sort of chart where you can place tables, and guests and the DJ...it's quite wonderful.

A big thanks to my folks who have been awesome in going with the flow with my wedding planning, they have been on-board with everything I want to do, and I even think my dad is getting excited-he's not much for emotion!

Step #4-The Church

Like most couples, JJ and I spoke about how we would like our wedding to pan out even before we got engaged. I think it's a great idea to talk about it, that way you know that you are on the same page...and what better way to start a life together..than on the same page!

JJ's mom is sick, she had a stroke 9 years ago, and has been in a nursing home ever since. I haven't met her. I'm very sad that I will never meet and get to know the woman that helped mold such a wonderful man, the man I love. I'm also very shameful to admit that I'm terrified to meet her in the state she is in now. I'm afraid that I'll break down, and even worse...I'm afraid that I'll see JJ break down and not know what to say. He often talks about her, and even as I write this-I'm tearing up.

Even before we got engaged, we knew we would get married at the church that Lloyd and Isabelle Schell got married at all those years ago. To me, it didn't matter where it was, how big it was, or what denomination it was-It was where I would become the next Mrs. Schell. (I'm really sobbing now...I'm such a dork!)

I found the number to the church online, and for days, I called and called. Why doesn't this church have an answering machine??? We knew we couldn't set the date until we booked the church-and if the church wasn't available on our preferred date-we would change the date. It was that important.

My sister ended up knowing someone who went to the church, and gave me a contact number. I called this sweet woman who gave me the number to the Pastor. I was quick to call Pastor Duthie, and arranged to meet him after church the following Sunday.

October 3rd, 2009...Rutland Congregational Church