ABOUT THE COUPLE

How they met:
Kristin and Craig met at the gym. They saw each other there frequently before Craig finally approached Kristin and asked her out on his birthday.

How he proposed:
Craig proposed the night before his birthday three years after we met. He happened to have the flu at the time, so Kristen went to his house and saw that it was dark. She heard music playing and thought he was resting since he was so sick. When she turned the corner into the living room he was there, kneeling on rose pedals, in a full suit and tie holding five dozen roses in one hand and a ring box in the other. He asked her to marry him and even had a bottle of Dom Perignon chilling! "It was amazing and perfect because I never would have expected it!" Kristin said. Needless to say her gifts for his birthday the next day paled in comparison to the gift she was wearing on her finger.

Bride's occupation: Kristin graduated from North Attleboro High School in 1996. She works for a real estate development company in Boston.

Groom's occupation: Craig graduated from Attleboro High School in 2000. He works for Comcast, which operates out of Taunton.

THE CEREMONY

The ceremony:
The ceremony was held on Easton's Beach in Newport, R.I., on a gorgeous Sunday afternoon. The couple had a string quartet playing during the ceremony, which sounded so beautiful on the beach.

The gown:
Kristin wore a strapless, sweetheart gown draped in soft layers of asymmetrical lace with a handkerchief bottom, chapel-length train and corset back designed by Sincerity Bridal. A mantilla fingertip length veil, pearl earrings given to her by Craig and a pearl necklace given to her by her mother completed my ensemble.

The bouquet:
Kristin carried a bouquet of white spider mums with greenery surrounding them tied with satin and pearl pins.

The theme: The couple used black and white stripes with pops of color in the decor and dress. The bridesmaids all wore the same dress, but in four different colors and black and white striped shoes. Kristin says it made for a gorgeous color palette!

THE WEDDING PARTY

Maid of honor:
Stacey Philibert, sister of the bride.

Best man:
Evan Leighton, friend of the groom.

Bridesmaids:
Daphne Croes-LaBonte, friend of the bride, Crystal Hoffman, cousin of the bride and Andrea Borden, sister of the groom.

Groomsmen:
Ryan Berlo, brother of the groom, Nick Benedetti, friend of the groom and Howie Borden, brother in law of the groom.

THE RECEPTION

Number of guests:
140

The reception:
The reception was held at Easton's Beach Rotunda in Newport, R.I., which Kristin says is an amazing gem in Newport for a wedding. It is a round ballroom right on the beach! There are windows all around the room looking onto the beach and into the ocean. There is also a carousel attached to the ballroom where we took pictures with the wedding party. Also, Kristin and her mom made all the centerpieces, which were Ponytail Palms in shell shaped pots with a white lily at the base, themselves.

The cake:
The cake was a four-tiered lemon-flavored cake with a lemon filling. It had edible photos placed all around it of Craig and Kristin over the years. It was unique and Kristin says she couldn't have been happier with it.

First song:
The couple's first song was "I Can't Help Falling in Love." The used the Andrea Bocelli version, which they've both loved for years. Every time they heard it, they knew it would be their wedding song.

The menu:
They had passed appetizers of Asian chicken skewers, beef teriyaki, lobster puffs and stuffed mushrooms as well as vegetable and cheese crudites. A buffet with a Prime Rib carving station as well as apricot rice stuffed chicken breasts, seafood pasta in a Newburg sauce and vegetables followed. Guests were also offered sangria since it's Kristin and Craig's favorite drink.

What made the day unique:
Craig has a lot of family in Scotland and the fact that some of them traveled all that way to be with the couple on their wedding day made the day so special. His Uncle Harry gave a speech and sang them a song during the reception and Kristin didn't think there was a dry eye in the place. "We are so thankful they were able to come; it really meant so much to us," Kristin said.

Most touching moment of the day:
Kristin says that her Dad walking her down the aisle was definitely the most touching moment of the day. "As a little girl, that was what I pictured and to have that time walking with him and talking to him down that long boardwalk to the beach, it was a little girl's dream come true," she said.

Honeymoon destination:
Kristin and Craig spent 10 days in the Riviera Maya at an all-inclusive resort in a room on the beach. When we got home from the honeymoon we moved in together for the first time to a home in Attleboro we purchased five days before the wedding.