Wedding Photos

Dear family and friends,

At last we have gone through some of our photos and have posted them on the web to share.

These ones are our favorites of us two.

These ones are our favorites of family and friends that attended our ceremony.

Lots of you who did attend have more photos that we haven't seen yet, so please email them to us. We'd love to see them. Also any of you who want highest-quality photos for printing or your own keeping, let us know and we'll send them. There are many lovely shots of all who attended.

-Happy couple

And she will one day say "Yes"....

Dear family and friends,

On the morning of Friday June 11th, James and I decided to take an early morning stroll around Central Park to choose our location of where we were to exchange our vows.  James excitedly pointed to a bench that said, "And she will one day say yes..." near our place of matrimony.  Now for any of you who know me, know that it's very difficult for me to stay in one spot.  How do you catch a cloud and pin it down?  Though on this day I finally said "yes" and vowed to James to be with him forever.

After breakfast, James and I parted ways and got ready with our friends and family.  James' grandmother, Kay, created my bouquet and James' boutonniere and I had an appointment at the Frederic Fekkai's hair salon where they inserted ivory feathers in my updo - a must for a wedding in NYC to look like Sarah Jessica Parker from the movie "Sex in the City". 

At 2p.m., we met everyone in front of the boathouse including our friends, family, and Mr. Steve Blane our Officiant (http://www.officiant.org/).  From there we walked to our location of choice.  We crossed beautiful Bow Bridge and chose a small lawn on the border of The Lake.

Mr. Blane began by thanking everyone (who was present and not present) for being apart of our lives.  Without our tapestry of wonderful friends, family, teachers and colleagues (et cetera) our paths may not have crossed or our lives may not be so beautiful and wonderful.

I asked Sam to give Mr. Blane our rings.  And Baby Mila was our designated flower girl, though she didn't throw any pedals because she's merely 8 months old - she would have just put them in her mouth ;0P.

James and I exchanged our own vows.  I began by telling everyone, "Since I'm marrying a Kelly I decided to begin my vows with an old Irish saying:  'Don't walk in front of me, I may not follow.  Don't walk behind me, I may not lead.  Walk beside me and just be my best friend.' James, you are the central piece of my heart on this day in beautiful Central Park.  You are my soul mate.  Since the moment I laid my eyes on you, I knew you were the one.  You are my best friend and there's no one else I'd rather spend the rest of my life with.  I vow to love you through good times and bad.  I shall be a shield for your back and honour your name.  Together, forever and always."


James said, "Heidi I call you my lovelight both because you are radiant and beautiful to me and because loving you feels warm like the sun and enlightens me connecting my body, mind, and soul on this journey of life on which I deeply vow to love you as my partner in and with love, fidelity and friendship."

Shortly after we exchanged our rings our Officiant pronounced us Husband and Wife.

James kissing his Bride.

Thanks again to to everyone who was there celebrating with us in New York City or in Spirit.

-Happy couple

While in NYC...

Dear family and friends,

Between the exchanging of the vows and dinner on Friday June 11th, friends and family will have lots of free time to explore New York City's grounds...  Some of our suggestions would be:

• The Metropolitan Museum of Art (The Met).  Be sure to stroll through the 5 floors of art and finish while sipping a drink on The Roof Garden Café and Martini Bar (which opens at 5:30p.m.)  It is an outdoor setting with panoramic views of Manhattan. Please note that the museum admission fee of $20 is only recommended (optional). Therefore, you can give any amount you please (ie. 25 cents). 

• The Museum of Modern Art (The MoMA). Check out Vincent van Gogh's The Starry Night and plenty of other famous art. While admission is normally $20, it is free for all visitors during Target Free Friday Nights, held every Friday evening from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. Connect to free MoMA WiFi with your iPhone or other wireless device to listen to MoMA Audio in the Museum.
• Take a tour! While there are many tour buses in NYC, we feel that the red double-deckers operated by Grey Line offers the best routes and the most (frequent) buses (meaning less waiting time at the stops). We highly recommend getting an "All Loops" pass so you can take all routes: Downtown (most sights), Uptown (Central park and more), The Night Tour (the lights are phenonmenal), and The Brooklyn loop. Every loop includes interesting audio that you can tune into or you can just use the bus to get around town and avoid the subways with are great too, but will be roasting hot in June. For all loops we recommend purchasing a 48-hour pass ($54) or a 72-hour pass ($64) if you'll be around long enough to use it. If you don't take the buses, cabs are quite cheap in a pinch and the subway is great.
• If  you use the bus loops you'll pretty much hit all these spots. However you get to them, they're all worth a walk around so get off the bus! We've listed these places with something to do that comes to mind for us :)
• Central Park - walk through The Grand Promenade ("The Mall"), the Zoo, and Strawberry fields. Imagine...
• 5 Ave - shop, see St Patrick's cathedral, imagine more than a million people in a St Patty's day parade here!
• Rockefeller Center, Radio City Music Hall, NBC studios (where color TV began) - Go up to the "Top of the Rock", prepurchase an NBC Experience tour, or just enjoy the plaza where they display the famous Christmas tree and rink.
• Shop or browse department stores - Saks Fifth Ave, Bloomingdales (59th and Lexington), Macy's (near the Empire State Bldg at 34th and Broadway). Macy's is the world's largest store until 2009 and home to the first escalators... they are wooden.

• Grand Central Station - Meet someone special at the center clock. Get great free maps here at the info booth and catch the subway or trains
• Empire State Building - go up on a clear day, but a word of warning: the weekend lines are bad
• Times Square - LIGHTS CAMERA ACTION! Get day-of tickets at TKTS booth for Broadway and Off-Broadway shows at half-price. The booth is located on 47th St between Broadway and 7th Ave
• Bryant Park - Kick your heals up and take a break while sipping on a latte in this beautiful park located right behind the New York Library.
• Union Square - See Fuerzabruta (Off-Braodway interactive show - line up 2hrs before the show for $25 tickets but only 20 tickets available) and walk up to 19th Street for a delectable treat at Le Pain Quotidien
• SOHO (South Of Houston street pronounced How-ston) - walk on Broadway and deaque down the side streets. Spring Street is a must for shopping
• Greenwich Village - Walk about and go to Washington Square Park at the bottom of 5th Ave.
• Little Italy and Chinatown - Not the trendiness places, but good for treats and knockoffs.
• Meatpacking district - Trendy scene for shopping, restaurants, and lounges.
• Brooklyn Bridge - walk out on to the bridge in the middle and see the Statue of Liberty from a distance

• South Street Seaport (Pier 17)- eat ice cream from Haggen Das whilst looking upon the Brooklyn bridge from a great angle (great for photos). This is one of the oldest areas of Manhattan.
• Wallstreet and Ground Zero - rub the Bull's balls for good luck and see the stock exchange buildings.
• Statue of Liberty - Take a boat to go and see her and Ellis Island.

A note about getting around Manhattan and understanding its maps/roads
Manhattan is 1 of the 5 bouroughs in NYC. Manhattan roads are much like a grid. Avenues run North-South (vertical on maps) and Streets run East-West (horizontal on maps). Avenue numbering starts from the East end and gets larger as you go West running 1st through 11th Ave. Street numbering starts from the South end and gets larger as you go North running 1st through 110th Street (it keeps going but after 110th you're in Harlem). There are many unnumbered streets south of 1st Street South of Greenwich Village.

Broadway (a main road) is an exception in that it runs North-South, but it cuts across Manhattan on a diagonal from the West in the North to the East in the South.

Address numbering and East-West direction on the Streets is relative to 5th Ave which is pretty much centered. For example, West 34th Street is on 34th Street and West of 5th Ave. 100 E 42nd St is East of 5th. 200 E 42nd St is farer East of 5 Ave than address number 100 (numbers get higher as they go away from 5th Ave).

Happy trekking!
-Happy couple

Location, location, location...

Dear family and friends,

The plan is to get married in a quiet section of Central Park looking upon Bow Bridge.  To some Bow Bridge may or may not be familiar to you but it is one of the most photographed and filmed locations in Central Park and it deserves every bit of its star reputation.  It was completed in 1862 and it stretches sixty feet over the lake.  It is a beautiful cast iron bridge that offers some of the most breathtaking views of the park (and city skyline) around it.  I hope our attendees will enjoy its beauty as much as both James and I! 

Last but not least, here is a picture of us on our first walk (hand in hand) through Central Park over 4 years ago :0)

-Happy couple

Now & Then

Dear family and friends,

Here are pictures of both James and I when we were both Munchkins at 3 years of age and Now.  "We plan our lives according to a dream that came to us in our childhood, and we find that life alters our plans. And yet, at the end, from a rare height, we also see that our dream was our fate.  It's just that providence had other ideas as to how we would get there.  Destiny plans a different route, or turns the dream around, as it were a riddle, and fulfills the dream in ways we couldn't have expected."  

James and I are now much more civilized and mature from what we once were as you can tell ;0)

-Happy couple

Thank You(s) All Around!

Dear family and friends,

We would just like to thank everyone for the love and support we have received.  Since the day we announced our plan to wed your radiance and thoughtfulness has showered over us.  Here are just a couple of examples of the sweetness we have received.

Thank you Tyler & family for the beautiful flowers that awaited us on our doorstep.  They brought tears to my eyes...

Thank you ACRDS Team for decorating my cubicle with flowers and signs with a "Bachelorette Party" & "Bride to Be" theme...  You guys are too kind  :0)

-Happy couple

YES!!

Dear family & friends,

 Late one night, a few months ago James told me he picked out my wedding ring.  Unable to stand a surprise, in result of my Curious George ways, I begged him to show me the ring.  He showed me a picture of the Trinity ring on Cartier’s website, smiled, and said “I know you really like the meaning of trinity and the number three.”   Since the 1920’s Cartier has been making the Trinity ring, the bands representing love, friendship and fidelity.  I adored the ring at once, and he decided that it was the one.   So…  The plan was that James was going to buy the ring in New York City on June 10th, the day before we’re going to be wed. Though last night, to my utmost surprise, James got down on one knee and asked me if I would marry him and presented me with the Trinity ring.  After bubbling in my own tears and excitement, I said “Yes!” and he put the ring on my finger.  I’m so happy.  Thank you James.

Love,

Heidi  ....xoxoxox...

License to wed

Dear family and friends,

We got our marriage license in Ogsdenburg, New York on April 15th. When we pulled up to the City Clerk's office it was dreary and rainy. We walked up to the door, and posted was a sign that read "Marriage and Hunting Licenses Issued [here]" Heidi contemplated for a moment - "That hunting linense may also come in handy if James doesn't behave" lol.

We took an oath that our intentions were sincere, and the clerk told us she only issues licenses for marriages that last. $40 later we're one step closer to "happily ever after," and we left the building to find blue skies and sunshine. As we left the parking lot the church bells were ringing. O-happy day.

We now have our License to Wed ;)

PS. Reverend Robin Williams will not be marrying us ;).

Instead it will be Rabbi Steve Blane

Much love,
- The happy couple

I do!

Dear family and friends,

We are engaged!
We are getting married in NYC's Central Park!
We are moving to San Jose, California!
We are oh-so very excited!

-James & Heidi