One whole year! Davy and I celebrated our one year anniversary on July 20th, 2007. We spent the night dining at the delicious Roof restaurant in Salt Lake City.
Also, we were were able to celebrate our one year together by purchasing a condo! The whole packing, moving, cleaning, and unpacking wasn't the greatest, but it was so nice to have our own place!
Davy and I were worried about affording a place to live after we got married. Luckily my good friend Ashley had recently bought a house with an upstairs apartment and they were looking to rent it out.
The house itself was really cool! It was built in the late 1800's. It had all sorts of creepy closets and weird underground storage compartments.
It worked out great because the rent was cheap. Other than being really small and having major temperature issues (freezing cold in the winter, boiling hot in the summer) it wasn't too bad.
I can't forget the way the house would shake every time a train would do by. Fun times in the haunted house!
(I will try to find a picture.)
Our honeymoon was great! On our wedding night we stayed at the Little America and soon after flew to Denver. We stayed at a neat little bed and breakfast called the Lumber Baron Inn located in the historic area of Denver. Davy had reserved the Valentine's Suite, but when we got there and they found out it was our anniversary they upgraded us to the Anniversary Suite.
Here are some of the fun things we did in Denver:
-Went to a Rockie's game (they won in extra innings, it was great).
-Went to the Downtown Aquarium.
-Traveled up to Estes National Park.
-Drove up to the Rocky Mountains.
Davy and I had a great time. It was fun so fun to get away and not have to worry about anything for a couple days.
I honestly can't think of a more perfect wedding reception! We held it in the Hidden Meadows at Mellor Banquets. I worked there in high school and had always pictured having my perfect wedding there. It ended up being better than I ever expected!!!
I remember showing up, changing into my dress, and waiting for the pictures to start. There was a little mix up with the florist (we were waiting for them to deliver the flowers, when in fact they had already been delivered and were sitting in the front room all along). Also, my bridesmaid, Leah, was late showing up (she had an allergic reaction to her bridesmaid dress).
I actually don't remember the reception that well, it was all kind of a blur. We had so many friends, family members, family acquaintances and ward members show up.
Some things that made our reception so special:
-Davy looked so handsome in his tux!
-The weather was incredible! I could not have picked a more perfect day if I tried. The sky was a perfect bright blue color and there was hardly a cloud in sight. My worst nightmare was that it would rain and I would have to move in reception inside. I'm a VERY lucky girl!
-The food! Seriously, the menu was great. We had chicken salad croissant sandwiches, a huge veggie tray, chocolate covered strawberries, and raspberry lemonade.
-A whole group of my cute little 1st grade students (from student teaching) showed up. They were so cute all dressed up and were so excited to get their pictures taken with me. It was a really sweet moment and I'm so glad they were there!
-I had over 20 of my great Alpha Phi sisters show up. Our chapter of Alpha Phi has a wedding tradition of singing/giving out roses the the bride. It was so nice of them to travel up to my reception and be there for my special day.
-My cake was absolutely 
GORGEOUS!
-I got stuck in my dress! I went to the dressing room to change into regular clothes to travel to the hotel and I couldn't get my skirt off. No one had come with me to help! I finally managed to get out of my dress, and when I got out everyone had been waiting for me for quite some time to do the little send off thing. Oops!
Like I said, the day could not have been any more perfect!
I had my bridal pictures taken in Memory Grove in SLC by Annie of Annie and Ivy's Photography. I also had my fabulous videographer, Dustin Topham of Motion Media. I have to thank Jana Rampton for doing my make-up and Lehi Bridal for my gorgeous wedding gown.
Here are some of my pictures:
While I was getting my bridal pictures taken my poor husband was in the hospital with Kidney Stones. After my pictures I went to the hospital to visit my sick fiance.
I had scheduling conflicts with my photographer so it turned out that my friend Robyn took our engagement pictures. I didn't mind because it saved us quite a bit of money. Robyn also designed our invite (I'm still trying to find an electronic copy of it.) and it looked great! Thanks Robyn!
Davy and I had been talking about getting married for months, we had been shopping for rings, and I was impatiently waiting for him to pop the question. Since I knew it coming soon, I started checking his pockets every time I saw him, hoping I would find a large ring box in one of his pockets. This went on for weeks and still no proposal.
One day, Memorial Day 2006 to be exact, Davy and I were planning to go on a picnic. In the back of my mind I was hoping he would propose, but Davy had told me that the ring shop was closed for Memorial Day and that he couldn't even pick up the ring until Tuesday. I checked his pockets just to be sure, and sure enough... no ring.
Davy had packed the picnic so we headed to Pioneer Park in Provo. After a delicious little lunch, I decided it was a good time to take a nap. I laid down and closed my eyes. All of a sudden I hear Davy ask, "So do you still want to marry me?"
I replied, "Yes, but you don't have a ring."
To which we responded, "Yes I do."
"No you don't."
"Yes I do!" With this, he pulls out a brown wooden box, lays it on my stomach, and I immediately start freaking out!!! With that, he pops the question, "Natalie, will you marry me?"
I say, "yes," and continue freaking out.
What I didn't know about this day was that because I had been checking his pockets, he knew he was going to need to trick me. He decided to put the box in his sock to keep me from finding it. Davy had had that wooded box jabbing his leg on the drive and throughout the entire picnic.
Of course by then our picnic was over and we drove to Lehi to tell our families and friends.
Davy was born in New York, and was raised in Arizona. His family moved to Saratoga Springs his junior year of high school. I met him about a year after that when we were both cast in the school play and shared a musical theater class together. We did a couple of shows together but we never dated. Honesty, the thought of dating never crossed our minds.
He went off the college and mission (to Puerto Rico/British Virgin Islands) and I went to school at SUU. He came back from his mission and we would see each other every now and then at friend get-togethers. We became good friends and had weekly phone conversations. I would give him girl advice and he would help me with my boy problems.
One time, on Thanksgiving, our friends got together. Davy didn't show up and I remember calling him and telling him he HAD to come. He showed up a little while later and that was the night the "magic" happened.
We dated a year and half long distance, which was really hard, but ultimately helped us become BEST friends.
This picture was taken the first time I saw Davy after he came home from his mission.
