Abbi's Solo Babymoon Adventure to Florida!

 Last Thursday, I ventured down to south Florida to see my wonderful friends and family down there; it's probably the last time I'll get to travel solo for a while.  After landing, I was whisked to Rocco's Tacos in Jupiter for a look at this cute face!  I love being reunited with her; Haley's my best friend and just an absolutely wonderful person.

I got to spend Friday morning with my very own pool and lunch date with my oldest and dearest friend, Jessilyn!  We don't always get one-on-one time, so it felt incredibly decadent to spend hours catching up while soaking up the rays and some salads.  I love her to pieces!

 On Saturday morning, I was absolutely spoiled with a wonderful shower for the churro (and me).  Layla and I had to spend some time at Haley's while the set-up happened, and my niece was thrilled to be left alone with me.  As you can see.

 The theme of the shower was Ferdinand, the 1936 black-and-white story of a Spanish bull.  Haley and my mom are amazing for coming up with this idea.  Great excuse for some tapas (Aunt Nesi truly outdid herself), sangria, and beautiful, colorful flowers!  We feasted on empanadas, gazpacho, and lots of chorizo.  Thank goodness for stretchy dresses.

 How cute are these mama and baby cows?!

 My sweet cousins: Amber, Laura (honorary cousin), Haley, preggers chick, Megs, and Cleo (who drove down with her mom from Tennessee!).  We're a pretty good-looking bunch.  No big deal.

 Oh my goodness, how adorable is this onesie?  My mom took the gray and yellow theme seriously, and made some personalized tie outfits for her grandson.  It's going to fit him perfectly!  I'll have to share more of our great gifts in an upcoming post; this kid is already spoiled and stylish.

 Aunt Nesi was a consummate hostess, and always willing to open her house for a party.  Thank you!!

 Apparently I cut the cake slices too big.  What can you expect from a 29-week pregnant woman?

 There was an adorable onesie bar, and it was so fun to see everyone's creative take on babywear!  So, so cute.

Haley has set the bar incredibly high for showers and parties: she knows just what sort of  food and drinks to serve (tasty pomegranate juice with sparkling water), and knows me (no games, just cake, tapas, books, and clothing).  I couldn't ask for this baby to have a better aunt.  She's going to be perfect.

We spent Sunday morning at TooJay's and the flea market; so much fun!  Dad and I got a few good pictures in, too, which was worth the trip down the Florida in the first place.  Thanks for my latkes and the excellent company on Friday night!

 Then it was off to the beach for my mama's Mother's Day date: Publix subs, La Crema chardonnay, and the most perfect book for her.  It was a beautiful day, and I couldn't have spent it with two better women.

 I mean, seriously, look at this model woman.

 Here's to good women!  May we know them, may we be them, may we raise them.

 Quick churro update.  He's definitely going to be a big one!

I'll leave you with this shot of the cutest hat ever to grace the planet: a pumpkin hat for our little pumpkinhead.  Thanks, Grandma in North Carolina; it has successfully surpassed all other cute things in life.

Reception Photos!

We celebrated the reception in the White Room Rooftop and Loft, overlooking the water in St. Augustine.  It was a stunning night, and I absolutely loved every part of it!

 JP and I shared our first dance to Maria Taylor's "Speak Easy."  We don't dance often, so it wasn't the smoothest, but it was wonderful to have those 3 minutes of the song for just the two of us.

 We had a photobooth for the first few hours of the party, and guests took photos then pasted them into our guestbook. There are some memorable shots in there!

 Several guests toasted us, with my mom reading from a book she made especially for the event.  It was emotional and very sweet!

 Dad and I danced to Ben Folds' "Gracie," and it's one of my favorite moments of the night.

Our cake was made by Sweet Weddings, a bakery that JP and I lived behind in our first home together. I love the continuity of having them bake our wedding cake 4 years after we lived there!

 This wonderful sign was made by Etsy seller Nice, and was absolutely perfect for our sweetheart table.  It's now hanging over my dresser, and I'm planning to pass it on to other friends and families who want to use it in their weddings!

Then it was time to dance!  

 Megan caught the bouquet toss, and it was amazingly framed in this photo.  It's perfection.

JP and I exited via a sparkler tunnel, which was such a fun way to go!  Up next, honeymoon shots!

P.S. These are our professional photos by the talented, wonderfully patient and kind Ben Sasso.  He was the only photographer we looked at, and he couldn't have done a better job!

Officially Becoming Abbi D!

JP and I got married in the St. Augustine Basilica, right next to the bay.  It's a beautiful space, full of color and light.  We both had our moms and dads walk us down the aisle, which felt appropriate and so personal.  

 How cute are my parents?  I'm lucky enough to have four, but the two main ones are pretty amazing.

Haley and Nacho were calm, cool, and collected throughout the whole day.  They also looked great at the altar with us!

The hand-off.  This was the first time I saw my dad wearing a suit, and he totally pulled it off!

Ana did our first reading, and also wore the cutest polka-dot dress!

Summer did our third reading, and was rocking a Spanish look with red and super tall heels.

 Msgr. Maron told me to project during our vows.  We went traditional, but it still felt incredibly intimate and powerful reciting those words in front of our closest friends and families.

 We had a great time on the altar; lots of smiles and a few giggles.

 That was it!  We were pronounced husband and wife, sealed with a kiss.

I love this photo of our moms, off to enjoy the dancing and good times at the reception!

Haley requested the photo of JP holding me like that, and it really turned out beautifully.  The image above is taken where I first kissed John Paul, starting off this whole 6-year plus journey.  

The Diegos and our best friends!  

I do love this  moment between Haley and I; she looks so patient with me as I wear goofy heart-shaped sunglasses on the streets of Saint Augustine.  

My favorite individual images of us from the wedding: John Paul looking so dashing in his suit, and me showing off my bouquet and dress.

P.S. These are our professional photos by the talented, wonderfully patient and kind Ben Sasso.  He was the only photographer we looked at, and he couldn't have done a better job!

Morning of

Saturday morning was so lovely and relaxing!  I woke up and went for a small run beforehand to help ease my jitters, and then had a breakfast with my mom, dad and Haley.  It was a great start to a busy 3 hours before the wedding ceremony began!

 JP's high school friend, Kelly, has become one of my favorite people to hang out with, and is an amazing hairstylist.  As soon as she heard we were getting married, she called up and offered to do my hair and Haley's as a wedding gift; I couldn't say yes fast enough!  She was an incredibly calming presence in the morning, and did a seriously wonderful job making my hair look great.

 Haley was in charge of music, and kept the good tunes flowing!

 Oh, and the champagne was flowing, too.  I think we went through 5 bottles...to be fair, there were a lot of girls in the two prep rooms!

 Final touches...

 Haley looks like a model without the additional help of a professional hairstylist, so you can imagine how great she looked at the ceremony and reception!  She was a saint the whole day, and kept me smiling.

 We all got ready in two adjoining balconies, enjoying the Florida sun and breeze.

 Megan had treats, and was so much fun to be around!

 I did some of my makeup, and Amber did my eyes; she did a beautiful job.

 Aunt Nesi made some really great beet dip, which acted as our lunch.

Andrea and Amber put fake lashes on to make my eyes pop.  I'll be honest- I'd wear them everyday if I had steadier hands!
Up next: the ceremony and portraits.

P.S. These are our professional photos by the talented, wonderfully patient and kind Ben Sasso.  He was the only photographer we looked at, and he couldn't have done a better job!