There has been so much excitement leading up to this day! I can't believe that the wedding is tomorrow! Grace and I had fun getting our nails done together this afternoon. We felt that it was imperative for the flower girl to be decked out in flowers so, she got light pink polish with purple and silver sparkle flowers on each of her fingers, and she chose to have a purple pedicure with white flowers to match the bridesmaid dresses (it's too bad her toes will be covered at the wedding tomorrow). We met at St. Anthony's Shrine Church in Nanuet, NY at 5:00 this evening to kick off the wedding festivities. Grace and Andrew seemed a bit nervous. I'm hoping that we'll be able to lure them down the aisle without a problem tomorrow afternoon. LuLu and Pop took our little cuties home after the rehearsal so that they could have a good night sleep. Dan and I had a fabulous time at the rehearsal dinner at The Hudson House. The food was delicious, the company was fantastic, and the room was beautiful. Dana and Vito gave us each thoughtful bridal party gifts, and everyone received CD's of the future bride and groom's favorite songs. My Matron of Honor speech went well. I've decided to attach it so that we'll have it in the future. Can't wait for tomorrow!
The future ring bearer, groom, flower girl, and bride:-) Grace's shirt read, "Today I am the flower girl, but every other day I am a princess." Andrew's shirt read, "Chicks dig ring bearers."
Tomorrow at this time they will be Mr. and Mrs. Vito Vacca;-)
It's hard to believe that 8 years have gone by since our rehearsal dinner!
The Colonna women
The Colonna Clan (minus the outlaws)
Matron of Honor Speech
I’d like to say that I’m the most honored Matron of Honor in existence;-) I’ve had the pleasure of knowing Dana since she was a freshman in high school. She is truly one of the most generous, sweet, and loving people I know. I’m honored to be her big sister, I’m honored to be part of the Colonna family, and I’m especially honored that you’ve chosen to have me stand by your side tomorrow as you marry the love of your life.
I haven’t spoken in front of a large group in awhile, and the groups that I did speak in front of were my students. I’m used to giving organized speeches that teach a lesson. So, today’s lesson is about Dana, and I will teach you a little bit about her by using an acrostic poem, which is a poem that defines a person using each letter of their name. To make it a little more fun, each letter also coincides with a gift. So, let’s start with the letter
D – Dana is a Doer! She is non-stop, and she works hard to make sure that everything that she DOES is perfect! Whether she’s teaching, tutoring, baking, or planning an event, she works extremely hard to make sure every detail is perfect. AND she doesn’t just do for herself; Dana is always trying to make everyone around her happy. In the midst of all this wedding planning, she threw me and Peanut #3 an amazing Sprinkle. I’m so excited for the wedding tomorrow. I can’t wait to see all of her creativity come together. She’s made sure every detail is impeccable… right up to the rhinestones, which you’ll find of each of your menu’s tomorrow night. Here is your first gift “Dana the Doer.” This tray is to be used for some of the baked goods that you’ll be making in the future. Dana always DOES and amazing job baking, and it also symbolizes one of the best trips we’ve DONE together!
Now for the second letter in Dana… A – A is for Aunt, and what an Aunt she is! Dana has a tendency to spoil Grace and Andrew rotten! Through the years, she has showered them love, cakes, and tons of gifts. Whenever she sees them, she always comes with a smile, huge hug, and some sort of gift (even if it’s something as small as a bag of doughnuts). And Vito… you’ve been Uncle Vito for a while now, but the kids are excited to make it official tomorrow. Andrew is going to look so cute dressed up just like his big buddy. We’re anxious to make you a part of the family. Stick with me big guy… we’re the “outlaws” of the Colonna Klan. And now for a little gift… Grace and Andrew have made you something special to celebrate your rehearsal dinner.
We’re now going to move on to the letter N. N – I couldn’t decide which word described Dana better, so I chose two, but they go together pretty well. Dana is naughty and nice (mostly nice, and that is why you’ll still get a gift). She’s only naughty if you give her a little too much to drink. So, Vito, I expect that you’ll keep her on her best behavior when you’re on the honeymoon. Dana is one of the nicest people you could ever meet! She’s an amazing friend and family member. She’s always there for you, and she always tries to make everything special. She’ll spend hours wrapping Christmas presents to make them absolutely perfect or she’ll spend days working on a cake to bring a sparkle to her niece or nephews eye. Since you’re mostly nice, Santa asked me to give you this gift, which is a little something special to place on your 1st Christmas tree together.
And now, for the final letter… the second A. This A stands for Adventurous, which isn’t exactly an adjective I would have selected for Dana years ago, but as she’s matured, her adventurous spirit has grown. Dana loves to travel and try to new things. After achieving her Master’s Degree she continued taking classes. Some of which were for herself, including some culinary and baking courses, which have helped Dana become our family’s very own Cake Boss! Tomorrow you will begin the biggest adventure of your life. Marriage is truly the best adventure because you take it with your best friend. The two of you have so many adventures to look forward to as husband and wife… your honeymoon, making your home together, starting a family, and watching your children grow. This gift is to be used to capture some of your adventures, and it’s Irish crystal… so we know that the quality is good.
Which leads me to my closing statement, I’d like to say that although my last name ends in a vowel, I’m still Irish at heart. I’d like to add a little of that Irish to your Big Fat Italian Wedding. So, here goes… this is the Irish Wedding Blessing: “May God go with you and bless you, May you see your children’s children, May you be poor in misfortune and rich in blessings, May you know nothing but happiness from this day forward.”
May you live a long, happy, and healthy life together, which is full of adventures. Cheers!
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