I feel like Christina is featured on my blog a lot! She is practically a vintage accessory! She is probably featured so much because not only is she my best friend but she just went through wedding madness and it was my honor to be her bridesmaid and help her style her wedding.
Just as I was there to help her celebrate, I was excited to be there to help her celebrate her much awaited engagement. Here is her story in her words (and let me tell you it is very “Christina and Gary”! Restaurant indecisiveness, foody passion and good friends! That sums them up):
I was still working at my old law firm and we had a huge event in Boston over the first weekend of October, 2009. I told Gary that I would be in town all day on that Friday, and asked if he wanted to meet me after I was done with my work for some dinner. He did, and emailed me three restaurants as my options (we both are very indecisive people, so picking a restaurant for dinner is usually a multi-step process). They all were known for having good oysters, which I didn’t think anything of because they were in season and we both loved them. I picked Atlantic Fish Co., and Gary had me call for a reservation. Yes, I made the reservation for our engagement dinner! He really didn’t want me to suspect anything. Apparently, once I had called them, he called back and asked to speak to the manager and told him that he was planning to propose.
On that Friday, I was finishing up at the Museum of Science and was lucky enough to grab a cab over to Boylston Street. I called Gary when I was on my way, and he was practically running down the street to get to the restaurant! Another red flag, which I didn’t notice – but he was just trying to beat me there so he could pass the ring off to the manager. When I got there I remember seeing an open table right at the entrance, and thinking that I really didn’t want that table because it would be drafty and cold. When the hostess called our name, she brought us to a secluded table in the very back of the restaurant. I just thought it was my lucky day, but obviously this was all part of the plan.
Gary knew me so well that he had told the manager what appetizers we would be ordering before we even got there. Obviously I picked grilled calamari and a platter of oysters, just as he knew I would. He also ordered a really nice bottle of wine to split. I was seated facing the back wall, so I couldn’t see anything going on behind me. When the waiter brought over our platter of oysters, I saw something very sparkly nestled in the middle of the platter – an engagement ring! I was so shocked that I didn’t really know what was happening until Gary was somehow kneeling next to me with the ring, and said “Will you marry me?” I immediately said (or shrieked) yes, and he put the ring on my hand and we kissed – and the whole restaurant started cheering!
The rest of the night is a complete blur of calling my parents (who were eagerly waiting at home to hear the good news – Gary had asked their permission a few weeks back, which was very important to me), texting my friends, eating barely anything at all, and finding out that a few of our closest friends and my big sister were waiting at a nearby bar to celebrate with us. Gary really thought of everything, completely surprised me, and created a perfect night for us. Two years later we got married in front of all of our friends and family in a beautiful ceremony. The reception was absolutely perfect (and styled by Jill herself, one of my bridesmaids!), and we have been happily married for two weeks. No babies yet, unless you count our puppy, Penny Lane (which we certainly do).
