The Way Melissa Tells It....

We went to Italy in May 2011. Prior to the trip we had already picked out the engagement ring but I had not yet seen it. I pretty much figured that Italy would be the perfect place to get engaged. When I had pestered Bryan about it, he just said, "There will a right time and a right place." Cryptic. Great. So each day of the week-long trip I primped and preened, choosing the perfect outfit for the perfect day. But there was no ring. No down on one knee. No proposal. By the last day of the trip the pouting started. We had planned to climb to the top of the Duomo in Florence, one of my favorite places ever. I didn't even bother with the perfect outfit; it was obviously too late. Lame. We were flying home the next day and I had no ring. Pout.

The view from the Duomo was breathtaking. Atop Brunelleschi's masterpiece I could see all of Florence, "my city," three-hundred feet below. I had never seen it look so clear and amazing. Despite a small crowd, including a large group of German girls milling around, I still got a few good pictures. Then I heard Bryan call me to turn around. He was down on one knee, looking up at me, and holding my beautiful ring. "I told you there would be a right time and a right place. We've been through so much and are finally here. I love you. Will you marry me?" I started crying. And behind me came a loud chorus of German girl sighs that likely echoed throughout the Piazza below us. It was a perfect day.

"We are not planning a Wedding. We are planning an amazing evening to celebrate our marriage with our closest family and friends."

We are so excited to invite you to an elegant, intimate evening at the Mission Inn in Riverside during the Festival of Lights. The ceremony is at 6pm in the large Spanish-style St Francis Chapel. Following our ceremony is a cocktail hour in a heated private courtyard, festively decorated for the season. Dinner will be served in a warm, candlelit setting featuring Mission Inn cuisine and fine wine pairings. Dessert includes wedding cake, chocolate fondue, and flambé stations. As this is an evening event, we welcome all guests to contact the Mission Inn in advance for hotel booking. Winter packages are generally available at good rates.

In January 2012, we will be spending 8 days in Belize. Having never been there, we discovered that a) it sounds exotic; b) it is a 6 hour flight from Ontario Airport; c) it is only 1 time zone difference from California; and d) the national language is English. Perfection. We will be staying on Ambergris Caye at The Phoenix Resort (see site below) in a gorgeous beachfront suite. Activities in Belize include snorkeling in a large reef, windsurfing, visiting a large jaguar preserve, touring ancient Mayan city ruins, and cave tubing (inner tubing through an underground cave network). For those interested in purchasing a wedding gift, we have registered on this honeymoon wishes website for Belize activities that we are looking forward to. As Bryan knows how to use facebook, it is likely we will have pictures up during the trip or shortly thereafter! Excited!

http://www.thephoenixbelize.com/