Mike Tanton (a.k.a Tanton, T-ton)

There's little I can tell you about Tanton. It's not because I don't know him well--he's been a close friend for 15 years--but because it's classified. Tanton works for the Federal Government. He leads the type of secret life that you only read about in spy novels. He lived at my apartment in NYC for a while and I let him practice his self-defense moves on me. He was able to knock me down using only his thumb. In return he let me wear his gas mask to the convenience store to buy a pack of gum.

I've seen Tanton's cop skills in action a couple times. One time in particular was when we were staying at a friend's place in Long Island. A drunk and disorderly (cop term) had been pool hopping and wandered into the house. Tanton wrestled with him and screamed "I am a cop." Meanwhile, I was searching the home for a camera in hopes to capture this dangerous event on film. The slippery guy kept squirming out of Tanton's clutches. Tanton eventually took the perp down and booked him. Truth is he may have me snipered for telling you that story.

Tanton has always been interested in foreign affairs--he's dated girls from all over the world. In college, after he got tired of American girls, he left and lived in Italy while others were scared to leave campus. Shortly after graduation, Tanton began his life as an international man of mystery. He has traveled extensively and had amazing experiences. His job conjures envy and fear at the same time. He's been to places on the map that most of us can't pronounce. You talk with Tanton and you say to yourself, "Wow. I need to read more." Tanton is fun to be around and has a smart sense of humor. He's a great conversationalist, even in Italian since he speaks it fluently. Oh, and he's recently engaged too. Of course, there are secrets that even Tanton can't hide. He's one of the only Americans who loves hockey and he has one of the worst tattoos ever. It's a caveman-like character with a lacrosse stick. It's on his lower back. Actually, I'm kidding, it's on his ankle. Ask him to roll up his tux pant leg and show it to you. Do it cautiously. Remember, he has been trained in several forms of self-defense, and who knows what else.

MTWP: Kevin Dunn (Dice, Dunn)

An old joke from Andrew Dice Clay goes something like this, "Excuse me sir, is this the back of the line?" "No, it's the front. We're all standing freaking backwards."
Dice responds and then he snaps open his lighter and ignites his cigarette. Those sharp (and censored for this publication) words are the type of response you can expect from Kevin Dunn. He's been known to channel The Dice Man from time to time and in fact his rugby nickname in college was Dice. Dunn has that sort of brash and blunt sense of humor that catches people off guard. You find yourself saying, Did he just say that? And then when you realize he did, you laugh until it hurts. Dunn doesn't pull any punches. He tells you what he thinks. Whether you agree with him or not is inconsequential. I've always admired his gusto and sometimes his acerbic observations are the slap in the face you need. And since Dunn tries to be brutally honest with people, I'm following suit with this write up.
Dunn can drink. I'm not talking about a few beers and shots. That's for the tourists. Dunn puts booze away like a squirrel puts away nuts to get ready for a long winter. The distributors of Gran Mariner (one of his favorites) called him and said, "Please stop. We can't keep up." I once saw him drink Wild Turkey like it was coca-cola and then he chased it with more Wild Turkey. You get the idea. He likes to party, he likes the nightlife. We've known each other since college and shared a lot of good times. He is a lot of fun to be around and he wants everyone around him to have fun. Talk to him at the wedding. I'd be willing to bet you'll laugh. Of course, Dunn and I have had a few bad times together. Like the time I saw him with his shirt off. Not pretty. In fact, that inspired the following Dice joke just for him: What's the difference between Dunn's upper body and a sweater? That's what I say. What's the difference. Ohhhhh!

MTWP: Mike Vorrasi (Vorrasi, Verspuci)

In the song Maggie's Farm, Bob Dylan belted out Well, I try my best/To be just like I am/But everybody wants you/To be just like them. These lyrics are an accurate depiction of Mike Vorrasi. He is not one of the crowd. He's different. And he always views things from an unexpected angle. These are the traits that I like about him and why we've been friends for almost 15 years. Plus, it's a perfect way to be since he is a professional photographer. He's more interested in looking in than fitting in. The subjects of Vorrasi's photos range from rock bands to rocky terrains. He has the ability to capture the essence of these people and places and his stills are always engaging. Vorrasi does have his quirks. He has a strange fascination with Amanda Bynes' movies (I've never even seen an Amanda Bynes' film) and is prone to using sun tan lotion as a hair product. I've seen him dance in the middle of a crowded street. I've seen him strike up conversations with strangers. I've seen him drop his pants at parties, and it wasn't even that kind of party. Needless to say, Vorrasi is a source of entertainment. However, you're not laughing at him, well maybe sometimes, but you're laughing with him. He enjoys life. He likes to have fun. I don't see anything strange about that. So if you smell a guy who reeks like the beach and see him snapping photos, then you've stumbled upon Vorrasi. You'll have a great time talking with him. For a serious conversation, bring up his idol and the only other subject he likes to talk about as much as photography--Bob Dylan.

MTWP: Chris Tanoff (aka Tanoff, Crit, Crit Dog, Casino)

Tanoff likes to keep things even. He doesn't let his emotions get the
better of him. He would have been a great big league pitcher. Too bad
he throws like a little girl. Actually he has good arm, especially
with a whiffle ball, and is athletic and competitive. He's also a dyed
in the wool Yankee fan. I've known Tanoff since the first week of
college and we've been great friends since. After graduation, we even
lived together for a while in NYC. That's where I learned that Tanoff
takes more showers in a day than most people take in a week. Oh, and
by the way, don't touch his hair. He expertly sculpts his follicles
and encases them in some form of lacquer.

Tanoff has an approachable demeanor and people trust his opinion. I
think it's because he is a straight-shooter with a good sense of
humor. And if you want someone to plan something for you, then Tanoff
is your man. He makes plans and sticks to them. I swear he even
planned the date of his son's birth. Tanoff's lucky number is 23. His
son, Christopher, was born on 3/12/08. If you add up 3 + 12 + 8, you
get 23. That's no accident my friends, especially if you ask Tanoff.
He'll tell you he made that baby on purpose.

Tanoff considers all the angles. That explains his skills at Black
Jack. If he wasn't working at AIG, I could see him dealing cards and
cracking wise at the high-rollers table. He'd be sending home the
players with their heads down and their hands in their pockets. If he
busts out a deck of cards at the wedding then watch out suckers. Last
thing, ask Tanoff how tall he is. He's 5'11 and a half, but always
says he is 6 feet. You know why? Because 6 is an even number.

MTWP: Felicia

I've heard people describe Felicia as one of the most caring people they've ever met and I'd have to agree 100%. I'd also add she's so sweet and so sincere that you're almost unable to believe she grew up in Brooklyn and lives in NYC -- nothing against Brooklynites or New Yorkers of course, but most have an edge, that Felicia doesn't have -- well, unless you've been lucky enough to meet "Debo" but that's a story for another day...
We met a little over five years ago when I moved to NYC....Gabe and her husband, Chris (who you'll meet soon), were college buddies and old roommates. Felicia and I hit it off immediately and were fast friends! Soon after that, Felicia & Chris got married and we got to watch them plan their wedding....so needless to say, she has been so helpful in the planning of our wedding. Felicia is always so patient when I go on and on about wedding details, where most people have zoned out, Felicia is right there asking questions - coming up with great ideas and solutions and just generally knowing what to say and what I want (or need) to hear....good or bad!
Felicia was was a gymnast back in the day, loves to try new restaurants, has a very strong sense of family, always has a warm hug and a big smile to greet you, is a hardcore Yankee fan and is more knowledgeable about sports than most men I know -- go ahead ask her about college football (specifically Syracuse, her alma matter) and see what happens!
Felicia is also a brand new mommy, baby Christopher arrived on March 12, 2008. He's the sweetest little baby! So it should come as no surprise when I tell you not only is she a caring and wonderful friend, she's naturally an amazing Mom!

MTWP: Derek (a.ka. Deek)

I've heard people make fun of their brother-in-laws. I have to admit it's funny stuff. Unfortunately, my brother-in-law-to-be doesn't provide me with any material. We actually enjoy hanging out together. Derek is one of those guys who could be President. I'm not kidding. He's righteous, intelligent, charismatic, genuine, witty, and articulate. And he doesn't possess any of that political ambivalence or macho ego junk that other politicians seem to relish. He's even worked for a senator and still remains true to his beliefs. Having said all of this, I don't want you to get the impression that Derek is a straight-laced square. He can enjoy a good night out as much as the next guy, especially if the next guy drinks beer in bulk. Ask Derek about his affinity for large mugs of German lager and limoncello. His drinking skills are similar to the rest of his talents: impressive. I'm lucky to have him as a brother-in-law, friend, and groomsmen. Have I mentioned that Derek is currently in law school? Yeah, he's a driven individual who doesn't do anything half way. The one thing he doesn't do is give me what I need to make fun of him. Well, I guess nobody is perfect.

MTWP: Renee

My cousin Renee has always been a strong presence in my life. She is the cool cousin who we would wait by the window for when we were younger, we'd hear her car come speeding in the driveway and run out to greet her!! She taught me all the coolest things: shopping (in the good section of the mall), how to do my hair (we won't talk about the scar I have from the curling iron), how to wear makeup, funny curse words (my dad didn't like that part), showing us the latest trends (pegging your jeans, hello, priceless advice!) letting me borrow her clothes (I wore the "just another lizard for peace" shirt until it fell apart a few years ago!). There wasn't anything Renee wouldn't do for my brother and I. And now, she has become the rock of the family. We all gather at her house for holidays. She has the most amazing energy about her. Her daughters, who melt my heart whenever I see them, Grace (4) and Brooke (2), are non-stop balls of energy. But somehow, Renee seems to have triple their energy and is always two steps ahead of them. I don't know how she does it. Renee is always ready to hear a good joke, have a good laugh, offer up good ideas or even better advice. She has a natural nurturing ability and always makes sure to take care of the people around her. She's a cousin, and more like a sister to me than I ever realized. I'm so glad she'll be by my side on my wedding day, couldn't imagine it any other way!

Bridesmaid Dresses and other fun news....

One of these dresses is the official bridesmaid dress -- which one is it? You'll have to wait and find out....Now for the shoes? hmmmmm... any ideas?

And a few quick shout-outs!

Congratulations to Chris and Felicia (you'll "meet" them soon as they're both in our wedding) -- they welcomed their first baby, Christopher Robert into the world on Wednesday -- we saw him briefly over the weekend and he is just as sweet as can be! I'll ask the proud parents permission to post some pics first and then you can see how cute he is for yourself!

And...a long-time friend, Lisa got engaged to her boyfriend Mike last week in PARIS!! How lovely and exciting! Look forward to seeing them soon to congratulate them in person!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

MTWP : Chris T (west coast)

Chris T (a.k.a. Isaac)
by Gabe

My closest friend and the sister I never had, Chris is one of the smartest, goofiest, charismatic, and appropriately dressed individuals that I know. He has a standing account at Tommy Bahama and is prone to adorning penny loafers while sockless. Chris is the only guy I know who buys a new outfit for each excursion (i.e., he purchased an entire fishing ensemble for a day at French Creek in PA). Beyond his unique fashion sense, Chris has a keen eye for finance and is a hot dog aficionado. What I’ve always loved about Chris is that he’s always remained true—no matter how much success he’s achieved or how much he’s traveled. Chris is a genuine individual who wants to make others happy and his generosity has no limits. I’ve known him for over 20 years and even though he lives 3,000 miles away among the orange groves, he’s still the greatest friend I’ve got. And lucky for me I am the Godfather of his young son, Chase. Chris’s status at the wedding is Colonel becomes he’s second in charge after my brother. Give him a salute and talk with him. Ask him to tell you one of the many stories from our youth that led his parents to question “Isaac, what’s wrong with you?”

MTWP: Bridesmaid Meg

Meg K (aka "The Winker")
How exciting it was to gain a sister when Derek and Meg got married. Meg can always be counted on for her quick comebacks, surprise you with her sly wit and she'll charm you with her sweet southern draw. She is an amazing person with so much love to give it's practically bursting out of her.

She has recently taken up tennis, is from the great state of Alabama, met my brother at the University of Richmond where they both attended, has lived in South Africa, loves Sudoko, is a scrap booking queen, is an excellent chef, rode an elephant in Thailand, is an amazing singer (for real, not just when I annoy her into singing karaoke), likes to dance (especailly to Lily Allen, ahem) and is an extremely passionate person who loves to hear a funny story and meet new people....

Back in March of 2002 Meg herself was a beautiful bride. Wearing a lovely champagne colored strapless gown that seemed to glow in the late afternoon sun... Their wedding was so much fun, it was held on a boat on the Potomac filled with their close family and friends, it was intimate and a love-filled occasion and I remember thinking to myself, I hope someday I can have a wedding like this...that thought set in motion changes in my life and their wedding was not only monumental in their own lives, but touched mine in a special way as well. I lucked out when Derek met Meg, not only did I get a new sister-in-law I gained a great friend!

MEET THE WEDDING PARTY (MTWP): MAID OF HONOR

A new feature of the blog, debuting today is "Meet the Wedding Party" -- first up, my lovely little button of a friend and maid of honor:

Jenna D.
(aka The Hammer, Sheila) The Hammer hands out high fives like it's her job—witness her recent enthusiastic TV appearance on the Food Network. Jenna is a renaissance woman who has traveled the world to learn about gastronomic delights. She went to Greece to make olive oil, upstate NY to grow biodynamic vegetables and make cheese, and she even cultivated a gummy worm farm in Iowa. OK, the last part is false, but the rest is true.

Now she is in PA making the sweet indulgence known as chocolate. On the side she's swinging on a trapeze and learning the violin. Not at the same time of course, but we wouldn't put it passed her. Jenna is the kind of girl who will wear a prom dress to a dive bar and eat her dinner out of coffee cup. You love her the minute you meet her! Just yell out The Hammer or her other nickname, Shelia, and she'll come running to throw you a hug.

365 Days to go!!!

Exactly one year from today we'll be hearing wedding bells!!!!

woo-hoo! Exciting Stuff!!!

Nothing to much to update on this week....will be checking out some possible Rehearsal Dinner restaurants this weekend....that should be fun!
And deciding on the hotels for wedding party and guests....other than that...same old, same old!
Hope everyone is well!

The Groom's Attire

As we all know Gabe has his own personal style so I am positive, him and his groomsmen will look amazing on the big day.....but in case he needs some ideas, I'll steer him in this direction:

The idea is simple, you find fabric you like (it seems silk or wool blends would work best) and then send it to this company and they'll produce and send back custom-made ties...how cool! Check it out here: Tiecrafters

To Do This week....part deux

So none of our To-Do's from last week got done! Ha! This week, however, is off to a good start.

Tomorrow we finally meet with Chef Rossi, I'll keep you "posted" on how that goes. We're very excited to see what she has to offer!

We have the invite list pretty much finalized, which is a good thing. Now the daunting task of gathering addresses is looming.

We hope to have the band finalized in the next week or two...we saw them at another wedding and they were phenomanal so we're super excited to have them at our wedding! They are full of energy and very FUN! Fingers crossed that they work out!

Also, hope to have all the wedding party asked by the end of September. That will be another big check off the list. We're trying to do it in person, so it's taking a little longer than expected!

So those are the big things, although the list somehow keeps getting longer, the rest seems to be the fun stuff! Dress shopping (eeeee!!! that's me being excited!), flowers, invites, photographers, hotels, cake, transportation, and the list goes on and on........BUT...I am really excited! Can you tell?

Hope everyone had a great holiday weekend! Working on some cool stuff for the blog this week so keep your eyes peeled! :)