"Photobooth"

The photobooth pictures are now available on our Shutterfly Share Site for viewing, for downloading to your computer, or for ordering prints through Shutterfly.

Here are just a few of the great pictures:

Congratulations, Jaclynn & Josh!

Josh got down on one knee Friday morning & she said yes!  Let the planning begin!

Congratulations!!!

Gifting in June

Hello!

Though not all of the items we registered for are from Macy's, a good majority of them are from Macy's.  From June 1-June 30, Macy's is giving $20 off when you spend $100 or more.  

The $20 off is an actual coupon, so if you are in-store, the associates might already apply it, but do ask about it just in case.  

For online purchases, use the promotional code: GIFT.

Follow this link to view our Macy's wedding registry.

Fine print: this is for one-time use, the offer is not transferable and may not be used in conjunction with any other off or coupon.  Registry merchandise must be purchased June 1-June 30, 2012 and total $100 or more before taxes and delivery fees.  This offer is valid on regular, sale, and clearance merchandise in most Macy's home departments, including tabletop, giftware, houseware, luggage, bed and bath linens.  Excludes All-Clad, Le Creuset, Tumi, Wüsthoff, electrics and electronics, furniture, area rugs, and mattresses.

One More Month!

Oh, boy -- it's almost here!  Oddly enough, I still don't feel stressed.  There has been a few bumps in the road, but Duncan and I are focused on the big picture!

We would like to remind you:

1. The deadline to book hotel rooms is May 25 at 1700 / 5PM.
2. The RSVP by date is May 26.

Hotel Reservations

We have chosen the Marriott Hotel in Alpharetta as the hotel for the wedding weekend, mainly because it is the only hotel in the remote area that has an open restaurant/bar on the weekends -- something we think is very important.  To book your hotel room, please follow this link and enter the following group code: wswwswa.  The price includes the option for breakfast for two each morning.

Sunday Brunch

That Sunday morning, we would love everyone to join for a brunch, in which all hotel guests are invited (though this is certainly optional) to the Brunch, so that we can say Happy Father's Day to our Father's, spend extra moments with loved ones, and have a final opportunity to thank everyone.  

Afterwards, everyone is also invited (but recognize that this is entirely optional) to join the two of us for Mass at St. Benedict's Catholic Church at 12:30 PM. 

Wedding RSVP

If you have not yet RSVP'd to our wedding, we ask that you please do so by Saturday, May 26 or, at the latest, by May 31. 

Thank you very much!

We so look forward to spending time with you in June!

Congratulations to Matteo and Mimma!

They welcomed their little girl, Maria Sara, in to the world on November 3, 2011!

Save the Dates are out the door!

We mailed off our Save the Dates!  We sent them to mostly our out-of-town guests, so not everyone who will be receiving an invitation will also be receiving a Save the Date.  We both spent time making these homemade Save the Dates that do have magnets on the back, in case anyone wants to put them on their fridge.

Also, courtesy of Amy's mother, Linda, we were able to find a good deal on the hotel for the wedding weekend and we posted the information on our official Wedding Website as well as briefly on this blog in the Wedding Details section.  This hotel offers more services than the others in the area and is close in proximity to the wedding weekend events.

One Big Fuss Leads to One Big Step Forward

(modified icon from here)

Big news included, but first a bit of background information. :)

Before even being officially engaged, we decided to meet with our Priest in order to discern our vocation for marriage. With Duncan graduating this summer and myself entering my last year of schooling, the conversation of our future came up, especially since we weren't sure where Duncan would land a job. As Catholics, this decision would not be entered in to lightly. It was important to us that we were as prepared as possible before making such a commitment and the Church does such a wonderful job preparing couples.

Anyways, we went to meet with our Priest-- whom we love so so much! And know you all will, too!-- and he informed us that our home Church would be under reconstruction next year and cannot commit to holding any weddings because they wouldn't be sure when the reconstruction would be commenced for a wedding to be hosted. He said we could, however, go to another Church. Knowing which Church would be ideal for the location, we contacted them to get information on how we could go about booking a date. Duncan wanted June, and I really did as well. We fell in love with one particular date, only to find out that that date was already booked and many others were starting to get booked up!

After many, many emails back and forth between the churches, and many games of phone tag between our Priest and the Priest of the parish we were trying to book (they had to speak on the phone with each other in order to book any dates), we all finally agreed upon a date. We are quite excited to have one in June, since June and July was pretty booked up already! - and this church offers three times a day to marry!

So, our wedding date (*drum roll, please*): June 16, 2012!

Since that is less than a year away, we are working on getting our Save the Dates made and sent just so that people who have to travel have all the information they need! So stay tuned! And have a lovely rest of your day!!

Scotland

The first day we were in Scotland, the weather was quite rainy.  The weather progressively got better with each day.  We all joked that the weather forecast was always quite accurate: "sunshine and showers."  Hey, you can't go wrong with a prediction of sunshine and showers!

Duncan in front of a wind turbine.

I met my first cow on this trip.  She is the one to the right of the center looking at the camera.

Black sheep: they really exist and stand out just a bit.

One day, we went for a little trek.  Davaar island is in the middle of the loch of Cambeltown and during low tide you can walk there.  You have to be careful, though, because if you miss your window you are stuck on the island until the next low tide.  There is a time table available so you know when low tide is for each day (it was a six-hour window the day we went).  So, we trekked.

We had just reached the island.  See the long stretch of land behind me?
It took us about 30 minutes to reach where I'm standing.

On the island, we were startled to find quite a multitude of mountain goats.  I thought it might be nice to say hi to them, like I did the cows.  They decided it would be better to run away from the strange human.  Note to self: cows are friendly, Texas goats are friendly, Scottish mountain goats are skittish.  We continued to walk over rocks to get to our final destination on the island: Jesus.

According to BBC and Duncan's grandparents: this crucifixion painting has been on the island since 1887 when a man was inspired in a dream to paint it.  Locals apparently thought that it was done by God but when they discovered it was done by the artist, he was exiled indefinitely.  However, it was vandalized a few years ago with the image of Che Guevera.  Someone, out of the kindness of their heart, adhered to the strict time table of low tides to redo the painting.  Locals say that the new painting was done even better than the original.  Duncan and I were just amazed by the beautiful detail of the painting.

The next day, we went to the Island of Gigha.

Grummies (Hamish Smith, Duncan's grandfather), Duncan, and Granny (Jean, Duncan's grandmother).

 Other shots of our Scotland trip:

Playing around with a pair of binoculars.

The Scottish Thistle.

Cambeltown, the loch, and many boats at the docks and enjoying the day.

Tomorrow is Duncan's first day at his new job.

Say some prayers!

I know that he will do SO well.  This is a job that is so perfect for him.  He has such an inspirational passion for his field and I'm so proud of him for doing so well in school and in his internship and I just know that he's going to do so well in this job.... but I can only imagine how nerve-racking it is for him to go in on his first day for his first career job out of college.

Duncan's Graduation

The Graduate

Lilly Smith, Duncan, Jaclynn Smith, David Smith

Amy, Duncan, Jaclynn Smith, Lilly Smith, David Smith

Jim Wetsel, Linda Wetsel, Duncan, Amy

The graduation ceremony will be available to download sometime in the next week or so, 

according to SPSU.  The link: www.spsu.edu/commencement .

We decided to create a photo sharing site through Shutterfly, in which images can be shared and downloaded in their original sizes.  The link: http://duncanandamy.shutterfly.com/ .  The link to the site is also available in the links section on this page to the right entitled "Shutterfly Photo Share Site."

We will be leaving Tuesday, 2 August for Europe.  For our family, here is the itinerary:

02 Aug - Atlanta to New York - Depart 15:05, Arrive 17:40 on Delta 1012

02 Aug - New York to Venice - Depart 20:10, Arrive 10:55 on 03 Aug on Delta 86

03 August - 04 August: Venice with friends

04 August - 10 August: Palermo with family

11 August - 15 August: Scotland with family

16 Aug - Amsterdam to Atlanta - Depart 16:55, Arrive 20:20 on KLM Royal 621

We look forward to having this wonderful opportunity to seeing some family!

We're Engaged!

(via Pinterest)

This is a very exciting time in our lives right now &
we just wanted to thank everyone for their love and support.
More news and many updates to follow!

“Be who God meant you to be and you will set the world on fire.” So said St Catherine of Siena[...]. Marriage is intended to be a way in which man and woman help each other to become what God meant each one to be, their deepest and truest selves...."

The Bishop of London's sermon at the Royal Wedding, 2011