The Proposal

From Adam's point of view:

The story is that I did it exactly like I wanted to. I carried the ring in my pocket until the perfect moment presented itself (and, yes, it presented itself pretty quickly). We were watching movies and laughing and just playing around and I was positive that if we could have this much fun doing nothing, we would be happy together forever. Make all the cooing noises you want now.

Adam and Elizabeth became engaged on May 28, 2005

How We Met

For all those who asked, here is how Adam & Elizabeth Met:

For those who know Elizabeth, you know she moved around growing up until her parents moved to NJ in 1996. In addition, for those who know Adam, you know he was born and raised in Staten Island. For three years, Adam & Elizabeth lived no more than 20 minutes apart, but it would take more than that to get these two together.

Both Adam & Elizabeth decided to attend USC, Adam for film, and Elizabeth for English. Elizabeth's first class, Classical Mythology, was attended by Adam, but very rarely as it was a 9 a.m. class. Elizabeth, being a part of the English crowd, and Adam living in a house full of film makers, tended to mix in the same social events and shared many friends. When Adam graduated, he and his friends moved to Virginia. Elizabeth, knowing slightly one of the housemates, visited briefly and slept on the floor of the living room. Yet, none of this caused Adam and Elizabeth to meet and fall in love. It really seemed that these two would never get together unless a brick fell on their head.

On April 26, 2003, a mutual friend Amanda had a party at Dockweiler State Beach. Adam and Elizabeth met once again, and this time, something caught their eye. Maybe it was the way Adam mocked her for being from New Jersey, or maybe it was the way Elizabeth recognized Adam for the obnoxious New Yorker that he was, but like Romeo and Juliet, they were drawn together.

Adam asked Elizabeth out for a date the next weekend, and in her fashion, she got impatient and invited him to dinner the next night. A week later Adam was introducing Elizabeth as his girlfriend, much to Elizabeth's surprise. After that, the rest was inevitable.

Wedding Fun Facts

I wanted to include a list of wedding fun facts!

Weddings by the Numbers
• Weddings are a $25.3 billion industry.
• For the past 20 years, 2.25 million to 2.40 million weddings take place each year in the United States, a third of them remarriages.
• Most brides (30 percent) plan their weddings for 7 to 12 months.
• An average of 189 guests attends a wedding.
• 48 percent of Hallmark wedding cards are sold during summer months (May through August).

The Most…
• Most (85 percent) weddings are held in a church or synagogue.
• More than half of all weddings take place in the afternoon.
• Hawaii is the favorite honeymoon destination.
• Most wedding cards are from friends. (Brides 18 to 39 receive 85 percent of all wedding cards.)
• About two-thirds of wedding cards are hand delivered.
• Most (about 75 percent) first-time brides will receive a diamond engagement ring (67 percent of repeat brides).
• A third of men's wedding rings have diamonds.

Today's Bride Is Older and Wiser
• The average engagement is 16 months (up from 11 months in 1990) and the average ring costs $2,000.
• The average first-time bride was 22 in 1980, 25 in 1990, and 25.1 today.
• The average age of remarrying brides was 32 in 1980, 35 in 1990, and 34 in 2000.
• The average age of the first-time groom is 26.8 and 37+ for the remarrying groom.
• Four out of five brides are employed.

Today's Bride Worries About...
• Exceeding budget – 66 percent (most willing to go over budget on photography)
• Forgetting a crucial detail – 50 percent
• Party not being fun – 40 percent (most expensive element of the wedding)
• Guests not showing up – 25 percent

Wedding Traditions Evolving
• Among all categories, interest is growing in reconnecting to family and seeing occasions such as weddings as an opportunity to bring generations together.
• Increasingly, bride, groom and parents share in wedding expenses.
• With brides and grooms emerging from blended and stepfamilies, the wedding can become a tradition and communication challenge. (For example, who walks the bride down the aisle? Where do step-parents and former in-laws sit?)
• About 15 percent of weddings include ethnic customs.
• Destination weddings (family and friends travel to exotic locations) tripled between 1997 and 1999 – from 3 to 11 percent.

Wedding Trends
• Wedding ceremonies in unusual venues – museums, zoos, gardens, etc.
• Black-and-white photojournalism-style pictures.
• Wedding consultants to direct the event.
• More platinum rings.
• Couples showers.
• Professionally-produced videos to be played at receptions.
• Focus on guests having fun: novel floral arrangements; more elegant foods, wines, cakes; focus on detail – parking, favors, maps, etc.
• Honeymoon registry.
• Longer, more elaborate, exotic honeymoons.

Macy's Registry

Over the weekend Adam and I registered at Macys. We are pretty happy with the choices we made, and the store locations. To view the list please click on the link titled Macy's. That will connect you to the Macy's homepage. In order to find our list please enter my name (as all registries are under the bride's name!). You can order online, or in store.

Please let me know if you have any questions or need the address to the nearest store.

Thank you!

Crescent Ave Presbyterian Church Information

This is my dad's church. The wedding will be held here, along with the first reception.

Please find the parking and directions info below.

Crescent Avenue Presbyterian Church
716 Watchung Avenue (Intersection of East 7th St.)
Plainfield, NJ 07060-2502
Phone: (908) 756-2468 Fax: (908) 756-3158

CHURCH PARKING:
The Church has two parking lots. One is located across from the church on Watchung Ave behind Swain’s Gallery. The second parking lot is located on 1st Place. To reach the second parking lot, continue on Watchung Ave past the church and make your first right at East 9th street and then make your next right onto 1st Place. The parking lot is located about halfway down the block on the right side. At the top left corner of this parking lot is a lighted walkway to the back of the church. It is not far at all. Parking is also permitted on Watchung Ave.

FROM THE GARDEN STATE PARKWAY NORTHBOUND:
Take Exit 131A "Metro Park." This takes you over the Parkway. Continue on this road (Wood Avenue) passing a Marshall’s Store (on left) and turn left at light at Burger King onto Oak Tree Road. From that intersection drive 2.8 miles. Turn right at Edison Valley Playhouse (small red building). This is Woodland Avenue. Follow this for almost 3 miles, passing Plainfield Country Club and continue to the second light where you turn left onto Watchung Avenue. Stay on Watchung Avenue until you see the large stone church on your left.

FROM THE GARDEN STATE PARKWAY SOUTHBOUND:
Take Exit 140A onto Route 22 West, go 10.5 – 11 miles. You will come to an overpass that says "The Plainfields." Take a right after the overpass, then another right to go over Route 22. After you go over Route 22, at the stop sign take a left onto Somerset Street, then your next left onto Coddington Avenue. Take your first right onto Watchung Avenue and follow it through downtown Plainfield. You will come to a large intersection at East 7th street and you will see the large stone church in front of you. Bear to your left around the church.

NEW JERSEY TURNPIKE NORTHBOUND:
Take Exit 11 for the Garden State Parkway North and follow directions above for Garden State Parkway Northbound.

NEW JERSEY TURNPIKE SOUTHBOUND:
Take Exit 14 for Route 22 West and follow Route 22 West directions below.
OR
Take Exit 14 to Route 78 West and follow Route 78 West directions below.

FROM ROUTE 78 EAST OR WEST:
Take Exit 40 "Watchung." Turn onto Hillcrest Road (Route 531 South) which will dead end at the bottom of the hill. Turn right to traffic circle. On the circle bear to the left and take the 3rd right at the Getty Station and follow the road to the end. Just before the end you will see signs "To Plainfield." Turn left and go over the Overpass. At the end turn left, this is Somerset Street. Take your next left onto Coddington Avenue. Take your first right onto Watchung Avenue and follow it through downtown Plainfield. You will come to a large intersection at East 7th Street and you will see the large stone church in front of you. Bear to your left around the church.

WEST ON ROUTE 22:
You will come to an overpass that says "The Plainfields." Take a right after the overpass, then another right to go over Route 22. After you go over Route 22 and come down the ramp, you will come to a stop sign. Take a left onto Somerset Street, then your next left onto Coddington Avenue. Take your first right onto Watchung Avenue and follow it though downtown Plainfield. After you go under the railroad tracks you will come to a large intersection at East 7th Street and you will see the large stone church in front of you. Bear to your left around the church.

EAST ON ROUTE 22:
You will see a large overpass that spans across Rout 22. It will say "Watchung-Somerset Street" on the overpass. You do not take this overpass, but just after you go under the overpass you will see a sign for Watchung Avenue. Make this right turn and follow Watchung Avenue through downtown Plainfield. After you go under the railroad tracks you will come to a large intersection at East 7th Street and you will see the large stone church in front of you. Bear to your left around the church.

FROM EDISON:
Take Oak Tree Road to Park Avenue. Make a right turn on Park Avenue and go for about 3 miles. Make a right turn on East 7th Street (Scott’s Drug store is on the right corner). The church is one block down on the right. Make a right turn onto Watchung Avenue.

The Pillars Information

This is the location of our reception. We will be in the back yard :) I love the porch and the garden is just beautiful.

Please find the directions below for those only attending the reception. I will post directions from the ceremony to the reception as well:

The Pillars of New Jersey Bed & Breakfast Inn
922 Central Ave
Plainfield, NJ 07060
Phone: 888 PILLARS
email: info@pillars2.com

FROM BROOKLYN/STATEN ISLAND
Take 440 south across the Verrazanno Narrows Bridge. After the Outerbridge Crossing 440 south becomes 287 north. Go approximately 10 miles to the DUNELLEN EXIT (#5)from I-287. It is also called Rt. 529 north. Go 1/10 mile north to the Gulf Gas Station. Turn right. Go 2.5 miles north on the New Brunswick Road till it ends at 7th Street. Turn right on 7th. Go 1.7 miles (4 lights) to Central Ave. (Large Colonial brick church with tall white steeple on the corner). Turn right on Central. Go 2 1⁄2 blocks, crossing 9th Street. The road bends. THE PILLARS INN is the third house on the right after 9th Street. It is a large "square" house with 14 pillars on a wrap-around front porch. The driveway is on the far side of the house.

FROM MANHATTAN/NEWARK AIRPORT
Take I-78 approximately 20 miles west to EXIT 40 (Plainfield). Follow County Road #531 South. It will take you down the side of a mountain into a traffic circle. Notice the BLUE HOSPITAL ARROWS to Muhlenberg Hospital. You cannot cross Rt. 22. As you approach Rt. 22, the arrows will take a LEFT TURN on a bridge over Rt. 22. BE CAREFUL HERE LEST YOU MISS YOUR TURN!! This turn will come about 1.5 blocks after the Mobil Gas Station. The sign is on the left side of the road. If you DO miss the turn, go ahead and take Rt 22 and do a U-turn as soon as you can to come back to the Somerset St. Exit. Continue across the bridge and (left at end of bridge) into North Plainfield. Follow the blue arrows 1.5 miles south on Somerset St. (continues as) Park Avenue to 9th Street. This 5-point intersection has a library, a church, and a big Victorian house. Turn right on 9th and go 3 blocks till it ends on Central Ave. Turn left. THE PILLARS INN is the third house on the right, a big square house with 14 pillars on a wrap-around front porch. The driveway is on the far side of the house.

FROM THE NORTHEAST
Take the Turnpike or Garden State Parkway to I-78 and follow the above directions from Manhattan.

FROM THE NORTHWEST
Take I-78 to exit 40 and follow the above directions from Manhattan

FROM THE SOUTHEAST
Take 440 south/I-287 north from the Garden State or Turnpike (exit 10) and follow the above directions from Brooklyn/Staten Island

FROM THE SOUTHWEST
It looks inconvenient, but Expressways make it the least complicated and quickest - follow the directions from the Southeast.

Welcome

Welcome to Adam & Elizabeth's Wedding Home Page