Bob asked me to marry him on October 13th 1997.

We had our engagement photo taken in December 97' at Sears Portrait Studio.

Yes I know, "Janine how could you both wear such dark clothes like that?? Weren't you thinking??"

No, I wasn't even thinking about it, it was winter all our winter clothes are dark thats just the way it worked out.

Bridal Shower
My bridal shower was given by my sister and maid of honor Lisa, Anna, and Christa (one of my girls couldn't care less and didn't even show up). Location of shower was at the East Windsor Vol. Fire Co. #1. Bob and Billy (best man) being firefighters there, were able to get it for free. My gals decorated it in white, lavander and purple (wedding colors) and did a great job!


(anna made the invite)
Janine holding cocktail shaker given by Sarah, Bob's 12 year old daughter.
Ahhhhhhh, sisterly love . I'm holding my bridal shower hat/practice bouquet
bridal shower cake, looks kinda like our wedding cake did.
the favors were little bottles crammed with cranberry potpurri. I thought this was an absoutly fablous idea that my gals came up with and everybody loved it!
decorating the bride in crepe paper is out!...decorating the best man is in...it's a lot more fun!
H-E-L-P!

Bridesmaids Luncheon & Come and Help Me Party
I held the "bridesmaids luncheon and come and help me party" at Bob's condo (where we both live now). I had tons of yummy food 2ft Italian sub, potato, macaroni & tortlini salad, veggy platter, fruit platter, junk food (of course) and a Carvel cake decorated with 5 stick figure girls in purple dresses and read "Thanks to my Ladies in waiting!" .


(janine made the invite)

I had a Mary Kay lady come and do our makeup (it was free, but they hope you'll buy something - all of us did) for fun and I liked how she did mine, so she also did it for the wedding at no charge.
Beauty in the making.
Janine all made up and in her favorite tee-shirt..."Milk, It does a Gumby Good!!
The Gals: Christa - my oldest & best friend; Stephanie (best mans girlfriend) - she helped me out with some wedding stuff so I invited her as well; Lisa - my sister and maid of honor; Anna - we've know eachother about 2 years and are best friends. My mom and Sarah were there too and got made up but had to leave early.
And we all made the favors/centerpieces for the reception this day also. I went to a dollar store and bought 100 glasses (different styles & heights). We placed clear celephane in them (enough to have a few inches stick out on top to fluff), and filled them with confetti (candy almonds), and tied them shut with colored curling ribbon to match our wedding colors.


One Day to Go!!!
I spent the entire day before the wedding with my stepdaughter Sarah and part of the day with Lisa my sister. We relaxed and just spent the day wandering around town visiting our family and friends looking for something to do. We went and had our nails done and I had a pedicure and if felt so good too have my sore feet massaged, I felt like jello when I was done. We went home and changed into something a little more festive and took off the church to where we meet everybody for the rehearsal. To our surprise we were the last ones to arrive and were still able to start ahead of schedule.

Bob and I both got a little flustered during the rehearsal. The church would not give us a microphone while we said our vows during the ceremony so everybody could hear us, so we had to practically yell them. And the church coordinator/organist would not leave Bob alone because he kept messing up his vows (he messed up because the coordinator was annoying him). Bob got them right when it counted. So after an hour and a half it was over and on we went to the Rehearsal Dinner.


Rehersal Dinner
The Rehearsal Dinner was a great event and so much fun to be around our family and friends. My gifts to my gals were baskets filled with loofas, massagers, lotions, bath gels and body sprays in each gal’s favorite scent. I also placed in each basket a personalized poem with a silk multi colored rose they all cried. For our parents we also gave them each their own poem and the mothers also had 6 silk red roses with their's; All the parents cried. I got yelled at!! I wasn't supposed to make them cry till tomorrow they all told me! Bob couldn't think of a gift that would suit all of his attendents so that there was no jealousy, so he gave his guys gift certificates to a favorite store of anybody who resides in central New Jersey, "Harry's Army Navy."

After the dinner I with my family and my attendents went back to my (parents) house and just chilled for about an hour then I started doing the beauty stuff and slept like a baby that night!


W Day!!!
Well I woke up at 7am (I couldn't get my butt outta bed at 6 like I wanted to) and got showered dressed and went down stairs and had nothing to do but wait an hour till Sarah and I had our hair appointments. While at the beauty salon at least 5 people commented on how calm I was for a bride; and I was. I was so calm and relaxed just like any other day what did I have to be nervous about I was about to marry then man I love.

Sarah and I went back to my house and the Mary Kay lady had arrived and started on Sarah's makeup then Anna's. After Anna's makeup was done it was time for me to get dressed. After Anna had helped my into my wedding garb (Lisa was getting her hair done at this point) "Mrs. Mary Kay" dolled me up! Then we all proceded to do the noraml crazy rush photography stuff before heading out to the church (by the way still calm).

We arrive at the church, my father and I waited in the limo with the air on AHHH! Then we took our places in line in the back of the curch. At this point my mother came over to me hugged me and cried in my ear "I love you" THAT DID IT! I was crying. All my gal's were looking at me in shock "What happend? She was fine all day?" "It's moms fault!!" I yelled. And that ladies and gentlemen, who attending our wedding, is the reason I cried straight through my vows. I hadn't calmed my crying down from mom yet.