Rehearsal & Rehearsal Dinner

The wedding weekend was jammed pack with lots of memorable moments for sure. Things kicked off mid-week when we were able to get together with some out of town guests. Dinner on Wednesday at Montgomery Inn with some family, coffee & breakfast with friends on Thursday, and a relaxing massage for a bargain price. (What more could a girl ask for, right?)

The Friday before the wedding was wonderful. I spent the day with Mandy and Wendy, getting manicures & pedicures and sharing a nice lunch. I decided to stay at a hotel that was close to the wedding venue, so I got all checked into my room that afternoon and then we headed off to the Cincinnati Nature Center for the rehearsal.

Things with the rehearsal went smoothly and it was great to see everyone who had arrived in town that day. Everyone was keeping an eye on the sky leading up to the wedding day b/c it was a chilly and raining week in the tri-state. So all fingers were crossed that the rainy weather would pass like the meteorologists kept saying it would.
Our rehearsal dinner was held at Bella Luna, a family owned Italian restaurant. It was a lovely evening shared with family and friends. Beautiful toasts were shared by JJ's mom & dad, my mom, and my best friend Wendy. It was definitely an evening where we celebrated long lasting love and friendship.

(JJ, my Dad Eddie, me and my mom Carole)
(Some group pictures)


After the dinner, we invited those available to gather at BW 3's for a few drinks to toast the night away! I was so excited to see so many people able to attend. Both JJ and I caught up with dear friends from our college years and several family members traveled many miles to be there with us during this special time.

(College roommates: Alina, Me, Wendy, Molly, & Elizabeth)
(Me and my cousin, Dawn)