David & Frances' Wedding - Recently Updated Pages

Gifts

TheBride — Sat, 24 Nov 2007 14:44:11 CST

Before all else, we want to thank you for being a part of our lives. We are truly grateful for your love and prayers - and all the encouragement and good example you've given us during our life journeys.

Wish List

These are items that you can obtain wherever you please (kudos to the bargain hunters, savvy online shoppers, and coupon queens!). When you get one for the bride and groom, email Beth Reamer (the bride's sister) and let her know to remove it from this list! Gifts can be shipped to us OR brought to the wedding/reception.

Also, if you have an idea for a gift item that isn't on this list and wonder if Frances and David already have it, email Beth - she has an inventory of almost everything the couple owns.

A note on colors: we prefer most blues (slate, cerulean, peacock, colonial, royal, cornflower, cobalt, etc. - but not baby, sky, or powder) and greens (forest, avocado, fern, asparagus - but not kelly, lime, or mossy). White or silver appliances are fine.

Kitchen

Mini loaf pans (3)
Hanging spice rack
Small porcelain/glass casserole w/ lid
Dutch oven (no teflon)
Fat separator
Knife-sharpening steel
Spices: poultry seasoning, sage, rosemary, thyme, cardamom, coriander
Cooking extracts: almond, mint
Real maple syrup
Wine (cabernet sauvignon and other nice reds for David)
Compost pail with cover (like this one)
White Corelle - medium plates and small bowls

Bedroom

Queen headboard (flat, med. dark finish)
Queen light bedspread for summer (navy)

Household

Filing cabinet (metal, with four drawers that open all the way)
Rechargeable batteries (AAA)
Laminator (and extra plastic sleeves)
Craftsman tools (mechanic's kit, dremmel tool, cordless screwdriver, drill...)
First Aid kit (big)
Dripless taper candles
Coasters (baby-friendly)
Reusable bags (like these)

Technology

SanDisk SD memory card (1 GB or more)
Digital video camera

Christmas

Artificial, pre-lit Christmas tree
Christmas tree skirt
Full nativity set

Faith & Art

Religious art/blessed icons
Crucifix (large)
Framed prints (The Angelus, by Jean-Francois Millet; The Annunciation, by Henry O. Tanner; Kissing the Face of God, by Morgan Weistling) or nature scenes
Dried eucalyptus wreath for door

Outdoors

Lantern
Neat Sheet (blue, please!)

Resources

Preparing Yourself for Mass, by Fr. Romano Guardini
Lives of the Saints, by Fr. Alban Butler
The Interior Castle, by St. Teresa of Avila
An Introduction to the Devout Life, by St. Francis de Sales
Natural Family Planning Blessed Our Marriage, by Fletcher Doyle
Moments Together for Couples, by Dennis and Barbara Rainey

Registries

These registries contain specific examples of the items listed above - feel free to buy similar quality items elsewhere and then let Beth know to mark them off of these registries!

Special Opportunities to Save:

AAA members get a 10% discount at Target.com.
You can use Bed Bath & Beyond's ubiquitous 20% off coupons in-store even after they've expired.
Discover Card always offers 5% Cashback Bonus on purchases made at Target.com or Sears.com if you go through discovercard.com and pay with your Discover Card.

Gift Certificates/Cards

Stores (in addition to registry stores above): Circuit City; Walgreen's; Bi-Lo; Hancock Fabrics; Costco; Blockbuster
Online vendors: Amazon.com
Local restaurants: Cracker Barrel; Moe's; Portofino's; Monsoon Thai Cuisine; IHOP; Papa John's
Local movie theatres: Consolidated Theatres (Park Terrace & Phillips Place Cinema; MovieTickets cards accepted)
Places we'd like to visit in Charlotte:Blumenthal Performing Arts Center (to see a show); Carolina Renaissance Festival
Other ideas: digital photo printing website (to print our wedding pictures)

Honeymoon

We are eagerly anticipating a five-day honeymoon in the North Carolina mountains (we'll be staying in a secluded cabin). Any contribution you would like to make toward our honeymoon would be greatly appreciated.

Home

TheBride — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 12:35:30 CDT

Update: the day was truly blessed and now we are very much enjoying married life. Thank you to all who contributed (through prayer and presence) - we hope you had fun. We're going to leave the website as is - maybe someone will come along and find it informative, inspiring, or useful. (If that's you, let us know!)

"Magnify the Lord with me; let us exalt His name together!" Psalm 34:3

Thank you for visiting the wedding website of Frances Stone and David Liberto. We invite you to browse through our pages to learn about us and our wedding plans. If you would like to contribute to our website, please leave a comment at the bottom of any of the pages!

EXPLORE

The wedding page provides basic info about when and where our wedding will take place. You can also read about our wedding party or Frances' wedding dress. Visit reception for details about the celebration and an opportunity for those who received invitations to let us know they're coming (attendees). You might also like to read about our reception hall, menu and cake choices! If you're coming to the wedding from afar (and most of you are!) we invite you to book a room in our hotel block and explore the wonders of Charlotte during your stay.

Wonder how we met? Read our courtship story (we've posted pictures, too)! Want to hear the engagement story or see the ring? We love to share (more pics!).

Join us in rejoicing in the faith that animates our lives and love - we've shared prayers, thoughts on the vocation to marriage, and information about a special saint.

Feeling generous? Take a peek at our wish list.

Just want to say hello? Leave a comment below any of the pages, especially the Well Wishes page!

RECENT ADDITIONS

We've posted more fun things to do and places to see here in the Queen City (for grownups AND kids).
If you think singing is fun, you'll have abundant opportunity to sing during our Nuptial Mass - this song list might help you prepare.
Pre-wedding events in which anyone may participate (including confessions at St. Vincent's, 12:30 - 1:30)
Details about where to attend Mass on Sunday

PS If you want to make sure you've seen all of our pages, scroll through the list in the Navigation frame (upper left hand corner). Clicking the triangles beside some page titles will cause a list of "daughter" pages to drop down.

YOUR TURN

What else would you like us to include on our website? Please leave a comment below. Thank you!

To Do List

TheBride — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 11:22:53 CDT

As we near the Big Day things are really coming together, but we have a bit more to do in preparation for our wedding. Here are the last few items on our “To Do” list (in no particular order):

Put together favors (Thursday AM - anyone is welcome to join us at Frances' apartment!)
Write prayers of the faithful for Mass
Copy songsheets

Call DJ to finalize plans
Bring necessary items to A Jarrell Affair on Friday evening

Reception Attendees

silverknightsog — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 19:45:10 CDT

If you have received a formal invitation and you are planning to attend our reception, please post a comment below. Or you can just let David and Frances know and they'll add your name(s) to this list. Thanks - and remember to bring your dancing shoes!!

Those planning to attend the Wedding & Reception

David & Frances Liberto (we better be there!)
Julie & Nick May (matron of honor and husband)
Megan Wickard (bridesmaid)
Edwin Vihlen (best man)
Tommy Starkweather (groomsman)
Gene & Diane Stone (parents of the bride)
Michael & Beth Reamer (sister and brother-in-law of the bride)
Ellen Stone (sister of the bride)
Anne Chapdelaine & Theresa, Tom, David, and Jim Hunt (bride's aunt/Godmother and cousins)
Brian & Anne Fleming (NJ friends of the bride)
Edd & Ellen Thorp (family friends of the Stones)
Dave & Andrea Tetreault, with Daniel and Ben (uncle, aunt, and cousins of the bride on the Chapdelaine side)
JJ & Jess Mammi, with Peter (Holy Cross friends of the bride)
Frank Liberto (father of the groom)
Rose Liberto (mother of the groom)
Jenny Liberto & Theo Francis (sister and brother-in-law of the groom)
Shannon & Sean Patrick (sister and nephew of groom)
Rita Stone (grandmother of the bride)
Lisanne & Tom Giguere, with Matt and Becca (aunt, uncle, and cousins of the bride on the Chapdelaine side)
Robin & Chris Finzer, with Nick and Danielle (aunt, uncle, and cousins of the bride on the Stone side)
John & Belinda Stone, with Miranda and Bernadette (uncle, aunt, and cousins of the bride)
Kevin & Carol Stone (uncle and aunt of the bride)
Katy Liberto & Brenden Jansen (groom's sister and guest)
Beth Caruso & Byron Hughes (groom's family's friend and guest)
Sandy Tirrell (Holy Cross friend and former roommate of the bride)
Bill & Jackie Chapdelaine (bride's maternal grandparents)
Bobby & Denise Goodwin, with Patrick and Andrew (groom's FL swimming family)
Emily Hunter & Kevin Bacon (Holy Cross friend of bride and guest)
Greg & Cheryl Corallo (St. Ann's friends of the couple)
Billy, Tasha, Tara, & Tony Chapdelaine, with Skylar and Alan (bride's uncle and cousins)
Jim & Dianne Castle, with Chris and Beth (Stone family friends)
Gail Stem (bride's coworker)
Charlotte & Norman Goode (bride's coworker and her husband)
Bunny Robinson (groom's aunt)
Jean Brookshire (bride's coworker)
Deacon Leo McBlain (bride's former boss and Nuptial Mass homilist)
William & Christi Stone (bride's brother and sister-in-law)
Bill & Bea Brockman, with Seth (groom's Godparents and their son)
Sam Liberto (groom's uncle)
Sheree Lee-Collier (groom's coworker)
Valerie Tolley (groom's coworker)
Ed & Flo Vihlen (groom's FL friends)
Mike Robinson, with Stacie (groom's uncle and cousin)
Bryan Broodno (Charlotte friend)
Mr. & Mrs. Lynn Powers (David's CMC co-worker)
Rosemary Williams and guest (David's CMC co-worker)
Sylvia Linebarger (David's CMC co-worker)

Total count: 94

Visiting Charlotte

TheBride — Fri, 27 Jul 2007 13:52:02 CDT

TAX FREE WEEKEND

It just so happens that August 3 - 5 is "tax free weekend" in North Carolina. Certain purchases (clothing, school supplies, sporting equipment, computers, and more) are exempt from sales tax. You may want to visit some local stores during your time in Charlotte to take advantage of this opportunity!

And now on to other opportunities...

ART

NoDa Gallery Crawl (Friday)
SouthEnd Gallery Crawl (Friday)

CITY TOUR

2-hour tour of 40 city sites (Saturday at 9:30 am or Sunday at 1:30 pm)
History on Call: a cell-phone based tour of Charlotte's first streetcar-based suburb, Dilworth (408-794-0860, 1#)

GREEN MARKET

Center City Green Market (Saturday 8 am - 1 pm)
Charlotte Regional Farmers Market (Tues - Sat 8 am - 6 pm, Sun 12:30 - 6 pm) - this is the really big one
Charlotte Tailgate Farmers Market (Sat 9 - 12)

LIBRARIES

ImaginOn is a super-cool joint venture of the Public Library of Charlotte & Mecklenburg County and the Children's Theatre of Charlotte. Explore its awesome spaces for free - and if you park in the lot underneath the building, you can have your pass validated for 90 minutes free parking.
The Billy Graham Library just opened in June - explore the evangelist's journey of faith and service (free admission & parking, M-Sat 9:30-5)

MUSEUMS

Discovery Place (Children's Science Center): Body Worlds Exhibit or IMAX (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix)
Carolina Raptor Center (M-Sat 10 - 5; Sun 12 - 5)
Levine Museum of the New South (M-Sat 10 - 5; free on Sundays, 12 - 5)
Mint Museum of Art
Mint Museum of Craft and Design
Charlotte Museum: Charlotte Neighborhoods Exhibit
Schiele Museum (Gastonia): Buffalo Nation Exhibit

MUSIC

Charlotte Symphony Orchestra

NASCAR

PLANTATION

The Historic Latta Plantation

THEATRE

Blumenthal Performing Arts Center: The Lion King show (Thurs & Fri at 8pm, Sun at 1 or 6:30 pm)

THEME PARK

Carowinds Theme & Water Park

TRADE SHOW

Charlotte Antique and Collectible Show at Metrolina Expo (Friday - Sunday, 9 am - 5 pm)

WATER PARK

Ray's Splash Planet (a county Park & Rec facility in uptown Charlotte, open daily)

WATER SPORTS

US National Whitewater Center (kayak or raft down their rapids or mountain bike on their trails between 11 am and 8 pm most days)

GENERAL INFO

Visiting Charlotte (City-County government)

Pre-Wedding Events

TheBride — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 13:51:01 CDT

Everyone is welcome to the following informal gatherings!

Thursday, August 2nd

Holy Hour of Eucharistic Adoration (St. Gabriel's chapel): 5:30 - 6:30 pm
- Spend some time with Our Lord
Group dinner with David at Quaker Steak & Lube: 7:00 pm
- While Frances enjoys her "intimate shower," David will share the fun of this motorsports-themed family restaurant with anyone who's interested (wings, ribs, fun anyone?)

Friday, August 3rd

Group picnic and games at Freedom Park: Noon - 3 or 4 pm
- Bring a lunch (there's a Harris Teeter grocery store on East Blvd nearby)
- Swings, frisbee, football, beach volleyball, tag, etc.
- Sitting on blankets in the shade

Saturday, August 4th

Swimming Warm-Up at Dowd YMCA with David: 8 - 9 am
IHOP breakfast (across the street from Best Western): 9:30 am
Confession with Fr. Reid (St. Vincent's, rear of church): 12:30-1:30 pm

Mass Music

TheBride — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 13:48:47 CDT

If you love to sing, please look up these songs and familiarize yourself with them so you can "raise a joyful noise" to the Lord on August 4th!

Choral prelude (a capella) for seating of guests, grandparents, and mothers: Come and Fill Our Hearts (no Latin; alternate the words peace, love, and joy)

Procession (groom, wedding party, bride & father enter with the priest, deacon, and servers): O God Beyond All Praising (three verses)

Psalm: Blest Are Those Who Love You (Haugen)

Offertory: Center of My Life

Mass parts: Mass of Creation

Communion: Gift of Finest Wheat

Presentation to Mary: Hail Mary: Gentle Woman

Recessional: Now with Thanksgiving (tune: Be Thou My Vision)

Sunday Mass

TheBride — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 16:00:12 CDT

For those who are interested in attending Mass on Sunday, August 5th, we invite you to join us at St. Ann's at 10:30 am.

Directions from the Best Western hotel to St. Ann's (~15 minute drive):

Leaving the Best Western, turn RIGHT onto Woodlawn Ave. Go through South and past Scaleybark, then get into the left hand turn lane to turn LEFT onto Park Rd. Pass the shopping center (wave to A Jarrell Affair!) and some residential. Just after the light at Hillside, turn RIGHT into St. Ann's parking lot (3635 Park Rd).

For those unable to attend the 10:30 at St. Ann's, here are some other local options:

St. Ann's: 8 am or 12:30 pm (bilingual)
St. Vincent's (directions): 8 am, 9:30 am, 11:30 am, 5 pm
St. Gabriel's (3016 Providence Rd): 7:30 am, 9 am, 10:45 am, 12:30 pm, 5 pm
St. Patrick's Cathedral (1621 Dilworth Rd East): 8 am, 9:30 am, 11 am, 12:30 pm

NFP

TheBride — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 08:31:56 CDT

We are 100% open to children and will lovingly accept them as signs of God's blessing when He wills them for us. During those times when we discern a serious reason to delay pregnancy, we are committed to practicing Natural Family Planning, or NFP. We studied the Sympto-Thermal Method of NFP with a Couple-to-Couple League teaching couple here in Charlotte this spring.

If you would like to learn about Natural Family Planning:

The Couple To Couple League
The Billings Ovulation Method of Natural Family Planning
Family of the Americas
Examples of Misconceptions: Periodic Abstinence

(these links were taken from "The Natural Family" website)

A Jarrell Affair

TheBride — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 08:24:15 CDT

is a family-owned hall and catering service. We've been told the original Jarrells were parishioners at St. Patrick's Cathedral, where Fr. Frank O'Rourke, our former pastor at St. Ann's, was once assigned. Now their daughter and grandchildren run this business in their memory. The hall is in an excellent location (less than 10 minutes from St. Vincent's Church and less than 5 minutes from Frances' apartment...we're hoping it will also be less than 15 minutes from the hotel where many of our guests will stay). Scott and his crew will cater our Carolina BBQ. We are looking forward to a splendid celebration at A Jarrell Affair!

15 round tables will seat up to 120 people at a time. Hurricane lamp centerpieces with tea lights will provide ambiance, as will the mounted candle holders (on posts and walls).

Our fabulous Carolina BBQ will be served from this buffet table. Come hungry!

A raised dance floor will provide plenty of room for jumping and jiving. A professional DJ will mix some sweet tunes for us - come ready to dance!

Drinks will be served (soda, wine, and beer for free up to a limit) at the bar. Some people can lounge on the couches and others can venture through those doors to the patio, which will have benches, flowers, and sunshine turning to moonlight.

Cake

TheBride — Sat, 14 Jul 2007 08:23:04 CDT

We decided to order our cake from Saurez Bakery, which is in the same shopping center as our reception hall and has a great reputation. Our three-tiered almond pound cake will have chocolate buttercream filling and French buttercream icing. <-- It will be decorated like this cake.

Simple and sweet - in more ways than one!

To top the cake, we will use Frances' parents' wedding topper (vintage!).

Our Courtship

TheBride — Mon, 02 Jul 2007 19:32:08 CDT

Frances' Perspective:

First, a little bit of background. I “met” David on AveMariaSingles.com, a hard-core Catholic “find your spouse” website. He read my profile and wrote me an email introducing himself on August 13, 2005 (the day of Renee and Tom Kurtz’ wedding). The next day, I read his profile and responded. An email exchange ensued. At the time, I lived in Medford, New Jersey, and David lived in Coral Springs, Florida.

On August 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina walloped New Orleans, David’s hometown. Most of David's family evacuated, but Frank Liberto, David’s father, was stranded in their Lakeview home. I wondered whether David would need a few weeks' break from our communications to deal with trauma of the event. But he chose to write to me as he processed the reality of losing his childhood home and the memories it contained and almost losing his father (who was rescued by boat and evacuated). I admired David’s resiliency (“never underestimate a Liberto!” he often says) and his trust in God.

One month of writing to one another led to our first phone call. Six weeks later, I flew down to Florida to see David face-to-face. Soon after I returned to New Jersey, David and I decided to begin a courtship together, for the purpose of discerning whether God was calling us to marry one another. We were strong in our individual relationships with the Lord (ever growing in faith and trust) and confident in our vocations to married life (although David did take the time to more deeply consider the priesthood months into our relationship). We committed ourselves to sharing our hearts and minds with one another in further emails, letters, phone calls, and visits. David met my father when Dad was in Ft. Lauderdale on a layover (they met without me!). I met David’s family when we visited New Orleans for his sister Jenny’s wedding.

In the late winter, David and I began to talk about moving to be near one another. We decided that neither of us wanted to stay where we were. We discussed our interest in several states and our preferences converged on North Carolina – southern enough for David and northern enough for me. We debated various cities within the state and chose Charlotte for its size (big enough to have a couple really good hospital systems and nursing schools for David but not big enough for me to get lost in the population/traffic), geography (3 hours from the ocean and 2 from the mountains, with plenty of forests, lakes, and rivers around), climate (temperate, humid enough for David, and without extreme cold in the winter), strong job market, moderate cost of living (and opportunities for future home ownership), and growing Catholic population. The Diocese of Charlotte is generally on target theologically (orthodox), has a variety of parishes and a strong Catholic school system, and offers numerous opportunities for community service. I really liked what I read about Bishop Peter Jugis, and he has proven himself worthy of our honor and affection.

We chose June 2006 for our move to Charlotte so that David could finish a semester of pre-nursing courses at Broward Community College before then. He interviewed at the Carolinas Medical Center and was offered a position as a unit secretary (on a telemetry floor that specializes in post-catheterization patients). He also applied to the nursing program at the College of Health and Sciences associated with the hospital and was accepted to begin in January of 2007. In early June, David moved into a school-sponsored efficiency two minutes by foot from the hospital and school.

My job search tested my patience, but I finally secured a position with the Public Library of Charlotte and Mecklenburg County (thanks to my mom’s encouragement – she works for the Spokane Public Library). I bid adieu to my dear friends and coworkers in South Jersey and, with my mom’s assistance, made my way down to my new apartment in the “historic South End” section of Charlotte in late June 2006. That's when Mom met David for the first time.

David and I grew in our understanding and appreciation of one another throughout the next stage of our courtship. Living in the same city gave us opportunities to go on dates as well as share the “nitty gritty” of daily life. Our relationship was not without challenges, but we learned to work through issues and concerns and find balance in our life together.

David's Perspective:

I met Frances online and, wow, was that different! Avemariasingles.com is a wonderful site where people know that they’re looking to meet a future spouse. I never found that intimidating, as I truly wanted to focus on a God-centered relationship. The cultural context of Catholicism and the desire to follow God’s will provided an environment for two English Literature degree holders to meet and send meaningful emails from a distance.

What Frances and I shared in that first month opened my heart to a whole host of new possibilities. I had lost touch with my faith upon leaving New Orleans and going to college. In south Florida, I spent eight years enrolled in the school of hard knocks making plenty of mistakes. After a while, I began growing up (which I’m still doing) and I opened myself up to God through a lot of heart wrenching struggles. (I’m more than willing to share the experience with anyone who wants to know.) In beginning a relationship with Frances, I got to put into practice so many wonderful truths I had learned while growing up with the Church, my parents, my family, swimming families, and friends. Those emails that Frances and I shared will be treasured for years to come.

Katrina…I write the name and it has so much meaning for so many people. The hardest part about all of it (for me) was my inability to do anything. I wasn’t around to help and that was so difficult. I’ve heard stories. I talked with people. It’s not the same. For all of you affected by Katrina, I have lifted you up to God and have prayed deeply for you and will continue to do so. Frances was so great and understanding during this event. Words typed here could never fully express my gratitude for her support.

Time moved on and the catch at this point: we don’t always speak like we write, and anyone who knows me can vouch for that. When we called each other, two different backgrounds met and a whirlwind began. Yet, it was a whirlwind guided by God and I received a glimpse of how wonderful Frances is. I had never met anyone online before, but I had to meet this amazing woman. She courageously chose to meet me in South Florida while I was living with the Goodwin family. Suffice it to say, there were a couple of points during the weekend where I acted tense and blunt ("a typical male," as my mother would say) and when she left, I figured I had blown my chance.

I am so grateful she chose to see past my faults.

With more visits, emails, letters, gifts, and a stout Cingular plan, we grew together. I have learned so much about myself through her example and sharing. Our visits were few but they were so special. We learned the value of patience, but it was a long and trying lesson at times. Finally we decided to live in the same city, and after a long process we chose Charlotte.

Once here, one of my biggest weaknesses truly came to the surface: being able to let go and trust in Christ completely which meant fully letting go and trusting Frances. Wow, here’s where support from family and friends and even co-workers came to bear. Really throwing myself into prayer and Frances’ witness, forgiveness, and patience really provided a great environment where I could be open to healing from so many of the mistakes I had made.

God is good.

There are so many people to thank in addition to Frances. But in this section, it is imperative to thank the Goodwin family for their support during my courtship with Frances. Also, I must give thanks to all who worked at Memorial Pembroke while I was courting Frances. God gave me some awesome support.

Now read about our engagement!

Carolina BBQ

TheBride — Sat, 16 Jun 2007 10:26:12 CDT

Because 90% of our wedding guests will be coming from out-of-state, we thought our reception would be a perfect opportunity to introduce them to the unique flavors of an authentic Carolina barbecue.

Our Menu

Barbecued chicken
Pulled pork with tomato-based and vinegar-based sauces
Barbecue bread (like Texas toast)
Corn on the cob
Baked beans
Homemade hush puppies

We'll also have sweet tea available for your drinking pleasure!

(PS We'll have a few veggie burgers grilled up, too.)

Some Links

The History of Barbecue in the South
Barbecue by Region

Dry Rub Recipes

Hotels, etc.

TheBride — Thu, 14 Jun 2007 14:08:07 CDT

We hope that you will enjoy visiting Charlotte as much as we enjoy living here! Hotels are abundant, and you have thirty or more to choose from within 10 miles of our church and reception. However, we HIGHLY encourage you to consider booking a room at our "choice" hotel, the Best Western Sterling. Wouldn't it be fun to have everyone together in one place?

Best Western Sterling

We have reserved a block of rooms at the Best Western Sterling Hotel & Suites (not to be confused with the Best Western Airport). The hotel is five miles from the airport, four miles from St. Vincent's Church, and one mile from A Jarrell Affair (the reception hall). Rooms include either one king bed or two full beds, cable TVs, coffee makers, refrigerators, and microwaves. The hotel provides a free continental breakfast each morning and wireless and high speed internet in each room. Shuttle vans are available to take you to and from the airport.

Rate: rooms in our block are $58 each night (compared to the $78 average price)

Information about booking your room(s):

First, let us know how many rooms of each type (single king or double full) you would like on which nights; leave a comment below or call or email David so we can make a rooming list for the hotel manager. Example: Prince Aladdin, 1 single, August 3rd and 4th (or "LibertoWedding1" - see below)
Second, call the hotel to make your reservation in our room block (they'll request your credit card number): 704-525-5454
Guests should indicate in their reservation one of the following options:

"LibertoWedding1" = The nights of August 3rd and 4th (15 double rooms and 15 single rooms are available in our block)

"LibertoWedding2" = The nights of August 2nd, 3rd, and 4th (we have booked 5 doubles and 5 singles for the 2nd)

Final reservations should be made by July 4th
All cancellations of rooms must be made by July 15th
Additional days can be added (1st or 5th of August) at the same rate per the hotel manager

Hotel Phone: 704-525-5454
Address: 242 E Woodlawn Rd, Charlotte NC 28217

Directions from the Best Western to St. Vincent's

PS Discover Card is offering 5% Cashback Bonus on hotel, gas, and "summer fun" expenditures in July and August, if you sign up online and use your Discover!

Nuptial Mass

TheBride — Sat, 09 Jun 2007 18:18:22 CDT

We're developing a program that will include step-by-step explanations of most everything that will happen during our Nuptial Mass. We hope to post the text here so that those of you who aren't familiar with Catholic liturgy can read it and, hopefully, feel more comfortable.

May Engagment Photos

TheBride — Mon, 28 May 2007 20:22:21 CDT

This pictures were taken in Freedom Park on May 19, 2007, by Christopher Thompson, our wedding photographer. Didn't he do an amazing job? Comment on your favorite!

Our Engagement

TheBride — Thu, 24 May 2007 20:04:24 CDT

Frances's Perspective:

By late November I was certain that I wanted to marry David. He assured me that he was just waiting on a “few more things” before he would be ready to propose. The first week of December, we visited Spokane for my sister Beth’s wedding and he got to meet much of my extended family. He asked my parents for permission to ask me to marry him, which they granted. Two weeks later, we drove to New Orleans to celebrate Christmas with his family. At the time, I wrestled with my desire to be engaged (moving towards the fulfillment of my vocation) and my desire to be patient and trust in God’s (and David’s) timing. Little did I know that that patience would soon be rewarded!

Christmas and the day after were blessed opportunities to spend time with his mom’s side of the family and his dad. David told me on Tuesday that Wednesday would be a special day, just for us. He had a couple of surprises in store for me – that was my only hint.

The morning of December 27th, David woke me up at 7:15 am and asked me to get ready for Mass at St. Dominic’s. We took too long getting ready and ended up arriving at Mass too late to feel we had fully participated (therefore, we chose not to receive the Eucharist). This obviously disappointed David, so he asked the priest about other options for Mass that day. David then asked me whether I would be interested in attending the noon Mass at St. Louis Cathedral in downtown New Orleans. I assured him I would be delighted to return to that lovely church, which is both historically and architecturally significant AND meaningful to me. During our March visit to N’awlins, David and I had visited the cathedral, prayed a deeply moving Stations of the Cross together (with excellent meditations out of Faith and Family Magazine), attended the noon Mass offered by a holy young priest and bursting with schoolchildren and their Dominican sister teachers, and found solace back in the church after a harrowing (for me) walk down Bourbon Street (only David’s reading of Psalm 23 could center me). I definitely wanted to return.

With plans made, we returned to the car for a light breakfast. Then David invited me to pray a Rosary with him in the courtyard between St. Dominic’s church and school. We found a spot on the grass in the sun and sat down in the midst of construction workers busily repairing parts of the school around us. In this place full of significance for David (he had attended St. Dominic’s parish and school all through his youth), we offered the glorious mysteries for discernment in our courtship. The prayer was rich and bonding. I began to suspect, from David’s reflections and emotional engagement in the Rosary prayers, that he was preparing to propose to me. But I wondered in silence.

After our Rosary, David helped me stand up and told me he really wanted to get to the Adoration Chapel before it closed. He took my hand and pulled me across the street to the chapel. After we knelt before the Blessed Sacrament inside, David asked me to sit while he went and spoke to the only other person there. She got up and left the chapel. Now I really began to expect that this was the moment. David sat beside me and explained that he had been bold and asked the other adorer to give us some time alone with Jesus. Then he pulled his Bible out of his backpack and told me that he had chosen six passages which he wanted to share with me. One by one, he found the passages he had marked with numbered post-it notes and pictures of Pope Benedict XVI (torn out of the National Catholic Register). He read to me about the Word of God and Light of the World (John 1:1-5, 10-11, 14), the Good Shepherd’s care for us (Psalm 23), God’s commandments of love (Matthew 22:36-40), God’s plan for husbands and wives (Ephesians 5:21-31), the true nature of love (1 Corinthians 13:1-13), and the bridegroom’s rejoicing over his bride (Isaiah 62:1-5). Half way through his reading, the woman returned to the chapel, along with an older woman. I felt self-conscious as David continued to read aloud and, sadly, was somewhat distracted from his reading. Sensing this, he finished quickly. Still, it was precious to hear the younger woman crying as she, too, listened to God’s Word, specially chosen by David.

David set the Bible aside and pulled a box out of his backpack. Then he stood up, took my hand, and pulled me over to stand in front of Jesus in the monstrance. As our adrenaline surged, David knelt in front of me on both knees and explained his resolve and reasons to ask me to be his wife, and how he would strive to honor and serve me. (Neither of us can remember exactly what he said!) Then he opened the box to reveal a ring and asked, “Will you marry me?”

I dropped to my knees in front of him and answered, “Yes.” Then I wrapped my arms around him and whispered my prayer that God would grant me the grace to love David well and take good care of him. David leaned back from me and said, “I offer you this ring as a symbol of my commitment.” In my delight I had forgotten this most precious gift! He slipped the beautiful ring on my finger and we embraced again. The ladies behind us sighed and congratulated us. In the midst of prayers and jubilation, we shared our first kiss (my first kiss ever!). Then we turned to the Lord and offered Him our thanks and praise. I felt so unworthy and utterly grateful to God that I laid down prostrate on the carpet in front of Jesus and begged His divine assistance in our marriage.

After some time of prayer and expressions of affection, David and I stood up and took our seats. Shortly afterward, the two women behind us asked us if we would like to join them in praying a Rosary. David and I explained that we had prayed ours already but were most grateful for their invitation. We sat in silence as they began, and were surprised and delighted when they offered their Rosary for “this newly engaged young couple”! We stayed and listened to their meaningful prayers and meditations, basking in the grace God poured out on us. At the conclusion of the Rosary, we collected our things and thanked the women for their prayers and encouragement. Then we bid adieu to Jesus and hustled to the car.

We parked in the French Quarter and ran part of the way to the cathedral, arriving just a little bit late at the Mass. I was delighted to discover the same young, holy priest presiding at Mass (he gave a great homily on the beloved disciple, since it was St. John’s feast day, and spoke of the amazing privilege we have to receive God in the Eucharist). After Mass, David and I approached the sacristy to ask for the priest’s blessing on my ring and our engagement. A guard let us into the sacristy, we shared our news with the priest, and he joined our hands and prayed over us. I remember him saying that my diamond ring will be a symbol of our love in its infancy. Oh, how excited I am for our love to grow and mature!

We left the Cathedral and David made a phone call for the next surprise. While waiting, we strolled through Jackson Square, a landscaped park with pathways, benches, fountains, and a statue of Andrew Jackson atop his horse. After sitting, cuddling, and talking, David led us to the street in front of the square where Ms. Rose, David’s sister Katy, and her friend Beth pulled up, jumped out to give me congratulatory hugs (they had all known of David’s plans for weeks), and then handed us picnic blankets and a bag filled with a delicious gourmet picnic (from La Madeleine, a popular French bakery). David and I thanked them profusely and returned to the Jackson Square lawn to enjoy the French Quarter atmosphere with blue skies, a warm sun, lively jazz, a romantic picnic, strawberries Romanov and a whole lot of love!

David's Perspective:

I'm very grateful that Frances and I took our time (14 months) to develop a wonderful relationship that continues to grow today. Discerning God's will became an important part of the courtship. I am confident that being with Frances the rest of my life is God's will. In addition, there are so many wonderful reasons why I chose to ask Frances to marry me, but most of all is her love for God. Any married couple will tell you, as they told me, that there will be ups, downs, bumps, and bruises along the way, but with everything I've been through in my life, I believe that a couple who puts God first will have everything they need for the rough spots and tons of joy for the high moments.

Frances wrote a wonderful recap of the engagement. I just want to say thank you Frances for receiving me, thank you, Lord, for making this possible, and thank you for reading this and being a part of our lives.

Engagement Day Photos

TheBride — Thu, 24 May 2007 20:03:45 CDT

These pictures were all taken on December 27, 2006.

Frances with the engagement picnic in Jackson Square

David with the dessert (mmmm, chocolate!)

"Some people say we're in love..."

It's FUN being engaged!

Mrs. Rose got us a many-layered doberge cake (David's favorite) for our engagement celebration.

She also gave us a symbolic Linzer cookie, which we shared on our ride home to Charlotte.

Wedding

TheBride — Tue, 22 May 2007 14:11:56 CDT

Come magnify the Lord with us at our

Nuptial Mass

Who: All are welcome, including children!

When: August 4, 2007 (Saturday)

Time: 2 p.m.

Where: St. Vincent de Paul Church, 6828 Old Reid Rd, Charlotte, NC

What: Catholic Nuptial Mass (60-90 minutes)

Dress: Modest summer "going to church" clothes

*It is our deepest desire to welcome all to participate and celebrate in the joy and glory of Our Lord at our nuptial ceremony. All are welcome!*

Driving Directions

Saint Vincent de Paul Catholic Church is located at the corner of Park Road and Old Reid Road in South Charlotte.

Please click here for the MapQuest website. You will be taken to a map of the area and you will have the option to enter your address for a map of a route to the church.

Capturing the Day

TheBride — Fri, 04 May 2007 14:58:00 CDT

(these images are from our proposal day party)

Photography

We are very fortunate to have an awesome photographer coming to take pictures of the bridal party and family prior to the ceremony. However, we HIGHLY ENCOURAGE everyone with a camera (especially digital) to bring it along and capture all the special or interesting moments. We will rely on all of the amateurs to take pictures at the reception and pass them along to us (via email, on CD, or in print) afterwards.

Here are some great tips for candid photography!

Videography

(special thanks to JJ & Jess Mammi for this idea!)

We will also have a video camera set up at the reception hall to record special messages. Come ready to "ham it up" in front of the lens and leave a few words for the bride and groom. Ideas for prompts (though you are free to share anything you would like, in good taste):

What is your greatest wish for David and Frances?
What do you fondly remember from David's or Frances' childhood?
How did you meet David and/or Frances? What did you think of him/her then, and what do you think of him/her now?
What advice do you have for them to enjoy a successful, happy marriage?
What do you most appreciate about David and/or Frances or your friendship with them?
What do you most admire about their relationship?
How have you seen the Lord bless David and Frances?
How do you know God made them for each other?
How might David and Frances bring glory to God through their marriage?
Tell a funny (but appropriate) marriage joke.
Where do you imagine David and Frances will be in ten years...what will their family look like and what will they be doing?
If you could make one wish for David and Frances' marriage, what would it be?