...Gabe's hometown is the beautiful little town of Long Lake, NY found in the center of the Adirondacks. This is where we began building our quaint home and wonderful marriage. For those of you native Vermonters, like me, who think you live in the sticks, try traveling an hour and a half to the nearest mall! However, with a lake in the center of town, we rarely have trouble finding something to keep us busy. My hometown is Bakersfield, VT also a small, quiet town found in Northern Vermont. Gabe works as a lineman for the New York State Electric and Gas and I work for the Adirondack Arc as a Service Coordinator for adults and children with developmental disabilities.
...If I didn't mention how we met, my brother would be very upset, so Travis, here is where you get credit. Gabe and I met nearly 5 years ago near end of March 2001. I was a sophomore at Castleton State College. Gabe was preparing to graduate from Paul Smiths College. My brother also attended Paul Smiths College. Fortunately for me, he was close friends with the guy across the hall (Gabe)! One afternoon, while hanging out with my good friend Hilarie, I suggested that we take a road trip to visit my brother. I had never been to his college and he would be graduating in April. We made plans and then saw the forecast, a winter weather storm warning in effect. After a bit of pondering, we finally decided that the weather was too unpredictable to give up the opportunity. We ventured out anyway. Driving three hours back home in the middle of huge snow storm was well worth the future in store! Gabe and I maintained a long distance relationship for two years, traveling to spend time with each other on weekends. Following my graduation in May 2003, I moved to Long Lake where our long distance relationship finally came to an end.
...October 2004 - August 2005
...Props to Gabe for being the traditional guy! Yes he did it, he asked for my father's permission to marry me while they were away together on a hunting trip in Northern Maine. His friends told him he was crazy for doing it an hour and a half back in the woods with no one around to call for help! My dad's response proved them all wrong. He told Gabe he couldn't ask for a better son- in- law. Meanwhile, I was back at home in Long Lake, moving into our new home unpacking boxes, running behind maintenance men trying to get our hot water and heat hooked up. Trust me; he didn't have a choice, but to propose! Gabe returned home on the evening of November 7, 2004. We spent our first night together in our new house. Around 6:45 the following morning, Gabe got up, went to the kitchen to start the coffee. He returned to the bedroom, knelt down next to the bed and proceeded to propose. At first I didn't realize what was happening. I assumed he was saying all those sweet things because he was happy to be in our new home. I finally caught on when he tried to get something out of his pocket. He tried and tried to no avail. No way, I thought, the man only loses the ring during the proposal in the movies. He couldn't find the ring! Little did we know, this wouldn't be the last time we'd find ourselves in this situation. After a few moments of retracing his steps, the proposal was complete! And after all that, I still cried with joy!
...We spent the week of the wedding camping at Lake Carmi State Park with family and friends. Throughout the week, we ran errands, tied up last minute wedding details, and of course, spent time tubing on the lake. It was a fantastic time!
...(You have the rings right?î) Ten minutes before it was time to walk down the aisle, my father pops his head into the back room to say, You have the rings right? Well, no I didn't. I said, Gabe must have them dad." That's when the search began. The next thing I know, I'm sending my father all over town looking in different vehicles, through decoration bags and boxes. I remembered bringing them to Lake Carmi. My aunt and uncle took off to my parents' house to search through their camper. Meanwhile, one of our groomsmen was trying to discreetly find a guest who might be wearing a wedding ring big enough to fit Gabe's finger. I used a friend's wedding ring as my decoy. Whispers began circulating through our 250 guests. My Uncle John, who performed the ceremony for us, assured me that it would work out even if we had to use someone else's rings. He reminded me that the rings weren't the important thing but the symbol of the rings. Just then, my aunt and uncle came running in with the rings. I had thrown them into my parent's camper when I arrived at Lake Carmi almost a week before. All in all, the ceremony was perfect and the reception to follow proved to be one of the most exciting and most memorable nights of my life!
...There are not words to explain the appreciation we have for our families and friends who put in so much effort to help make our day as special as it was! To the future brides who read this magazine: the planning that is required for your big day is not easy, but stick with it and you will be granted the most glorious feeling when you are standing there vowing to love and cherish your partner for ever. No matter what happens on that day it will be perfect!
