Welcome to our blog!

Welcome! With a just a few short months to go, James and I couldn’t be happier with how everything is starting to come together. Our wedding blog will help keep you informed about plans for the wedding, things to do in Stowe, VT, information about the wedding party and the schedule of events. We will keep posting information regularly, so if you would like to be notified when we make updates, just click on the “Follow” button at the bottom of the page, enter your email address, and it will notify you when we add to the blog.

There are a few things that we are still working on, but hope to have figured out in the next few months. If you have questions, please feel free to reach out to James, myself or our parents and we are all happy to help. Otherwise we hope that we will see you in August for the wedding!

All our love,

James & Kristine

Showered with Love

This past weekend my wonderful friends and family through me a Shower to remember! For those who weren’t able to join us, here’s a short recap and some photos!

Colleen Learch along with Emily, Colleen and Carolyn spent weeks planning my weekend of fun all over Boston. The festivities started early with a surprise visit to the salon for a little primping before being dropped off at a local café where Christine Graziano surprised me by coming up from Florida! We got to catch up over lunch before she whisked me off to the main event.

We had a very fun, and very educational Wine Tasting class with friends and family. We discussed our favorite wines and did some pairing with yummy cheeses and small bites. For dessert the girls had gone all out with treats from Flour, Modern and other Italian pastries and French Macaroons. My sweet tooth was very satisfied, but I had no idea what was still in store!

A few of us then headed to dinner at Barcelona Wine Bar in Brookline – right down the street from where I lived when I first moved to Boston. The chef even came out and let me pick the menu for everyone! We ate and ate, and then the most amazing tray of desserts came out as a surprise at the end.

The fun didn’t end there. The girls arranged for a limo to pick us up and bring us to our first night time destination – the lounge at the top of the Prudential Center! What a view and fantastic cocktails. We went from there to Bostonia in the Financial District where we treated ourselves to the third round of dessert of the night – hot bourbon glazed donuts. After some dancing we made it to our last stop, Drink near the Seaport.

We tucked ourselves into the hotel and naturally, being the adults we are, were all awake by 7:30 the next morning, tired and perhaps a little hung over. Colleen of course had thought of breakfast already, and with some large caffeinated beverages, we went out to the Charles River and sat by the water laughing and catching up about the night before.

I can’t thank everyone enough for the overwhelming love and support you’ve given me as James and I prepare for the wedding. When people ask what I’m most excited about for August, it’s seeing all of you together with us as we celebrate our marriage.

See you all in August!

Meet the Guys!

Paul Buonopane

My brother is my consigliere and the best man in our wedding. I have very fond memories being a big brother to Paul during our formative years (albeit I was only bigger until Middle School).  Paul and I have a very special, unique bond whereby I hardly need to provide him with context regarding any subject matter and he is intuitively on the same page with me. No matter what the topic or what time of day it is, Paul always exemplifies an open door, no judgment policy that defines our relationship and I am honored he will be the right hand man on this special day. I am also very thankful that I will be serving in the same capacity at his own Vermont wedding in May of this year.

Paul Buonopane

Sean Taymore

Sean is literally my oldest contiguous friend as we went from kindergarten at Clarke School in Swampscott straight through High School as very good friends. Over the years we have had our share of hi-jinx only some of which I can share in this space (playing hooky in elementary school which sent the Swampscott Police and our mothers into a tizzy is near the top of said list). From whiffle ball, to sneaking into R rated movies as well as seeing countless Phish shows together we have truly run the gamut. It’s been a very special experience to grow up with someone and still call him one of my closest friends.

James, Paul & Gavin

Paul Croteau

Paul and I started hanging out in earnest freshman year at Swampscott High School and there weren’t many weekends in high school when were not together. I have him to thank for knowing by heart much of Nirvana and Pearl Jam’s catalogue from the 1990’s. I always looked forward to whenever he would come down and visit me on a weekend while I was attending Stonehill College. Paul is a cherished friend that I know I can always count on and has been there with me in highest of highs as well as periods of hardship. It was quite an honor this past fall when he asked me to serve as Godfather to his son Gavin.

James, Kristine, Mike & Sean

Michael Davis

Mike and I met in 2000 when we lived mere blocks from each other in Salem. It was very apparent when we met that we had many shared interests. When he moved down to New York City to attend graduate school I routinely made it a point to head down as frequently as possible. I’ve spent many fabulous camping trips with him in Acadia National Park and his love for the outdoors is second to none. After his successful foray at NYU, it has been fantastic having him back in the 617 while his wife pursues her PhD at MIT. I’m very excited and thankful that Mike will be standing as one my best men at the wedding.

Meet the Ladies!

So who’s who in the wedding?

Matron of Honor: Colleen Learch

Colleen & I met at Marist College in the winter of 1998. Fast friends, we participated in the swim team and student government together, worked together at the Hudson Valley Shakespeare Festival in 1999, and Colleen later imported me to DC. Colleen has always been there for me through countless road trips and misadventures. Colleen still resides in Arlington, VA with her husband Brian and their son, Teddy.

Colleen & Teddy

Bridesmaid: Colleen Dunn Handlesman

My younger sister, Colleen, the photographer in the family, and will most easily be identified by the person taking many of the pictures throughout the wedding weekend. Colleen is also celebrating her birthday the Thursday before the wedding, so if you come to Vermont early enough you’ve got two opportunities for cake! I spend most of my free time trying to convince Colleen and her husband Josh to leave Cincinnati and come back east to be closer to family.

Colleen Dunn Handlesman

Bridesmaid: Emily Keller

Emily and I first met working for Envision down in Washington, DC back in 2003. Through countless days spent at the Tysons’s Westpark Hotel and managing one of the most memorable groups of people, our bond was strengthened through adventures in apartment painting, Shore going, “Emily” sailing, bottles of wine and a love of Diana Gabaldon. Emily now lives in Albany, NY with her husband Mike (also an Envision alum), son, Jack and daughter, Evelyn.

Emily & Jack

Bridesmaid: Carolyn Desrochers

James’ sister Carolyn has been a good friend, and welcome new family, in the years that James and I have been together. Carolyn and her husband Aaron, their two children Will and Eliza, live the next town over from my parents in Vermont making their house a frequent stop when we are up visiting. Will and Eliza plan to join us in the wedding as the ring bearer and flower girl as well!

Carolyn Desrochers

Funny How Fate Works

James and I are lucky enough to travel to see Phish now and again (and again and again ha!). There are plenty of times when I think about how funny fate can be, but nothing seemed to bring this home like the night of December 30^th, 2012. We were in New York City to see Phish during their traditional New Year’s run at Madison Square Garden. The shows sold out in minutes and we were lucky enough to have tickets for the 28^th and 31^st. On the 30^th, we had dinner with Seth right around the corner from The Garden and decided to walk by the venue “just to see whatsup”.

Naturally, we wander around outside and James scores a ticket on the floor of the venue. Now I just need one. A few minutes later we find a guy selling a ticket, also for face value, and pick it up. We are in. As we go through security they tell James that he needs to go through a separate entrance as he had floor access.  We realize that he might not be able to come up and join me in my 200 level seat. I’m not thrilled. He tells me to go through the gate, and he will figure something out. Running outside he sees a guy with a few tickets in his hand, looking for buyers. He trades his floor level seat for anything else he has that’s just not on the floor so we could spend the show together. He comes back into the venue and we compare tickets. The ticket he just traded? It was next to mine. Same section, same row, seats 14 & 15. Out of 20,000 tickets, at a sold out show, with a stroke of sheer serendipity he found the seat next to mine. Below are said tickets!