Here We Go ....

So we are on the final home stretch to the wedding and I have decided that I will try and blog my events and occurrences on the way there.
A brief synopsis of Nick and I .
Nick and I met over 6 years ago at work. I was the manager of a repo yard (yes, we repossessed cars) He was a tow truck driver for one of our owner's friend's company.. He would often come by the office and chat. We quickly became friends with both of us going through bad relationships and trying to get through them.. One day he asked if he could call me, and of course I said yes... we quickly became inseparable.. I told him that I wasn't looking for anything serious since we had both just gotten out of relationships.. and here we are 6 1/2 years later and we are getting married..
Nick and I have had a long relationship of ups and downs.. we both have really spent the last years of our lives find out who we were as individuals and who we were as a relationship, and with that comes bumps and bruises, but of course we are happy in the end. I am glad that we had the opportunity to go through everything we went through because I feel that this has helped to make us stronger as a couple.
Nick and I went on our first real vacation this past December. We took a cruise to Cozumel, on the first night of the cruise he asked if I wanted to go for a walk on deck.. On our walk we stopped at the front of the boat just to take in the stars and enjoy the moment. Now, mind you, I had made comments to a few friends that I thought perhaps this was it.. if he was ever going to ask me, this would be his chance. In that moment, I remember thinking.. "this would be absolutely perfect" We were discussing how happy we were, how we had come such a long way.. the music was running through my head and I was telling myself "stop it Laurel, don't ruin a good moment.. he will ask when he is ready... " Well.. he said to me.."You know how you always ask me how much I love you? " I responded hesitantly with a yes and he lifted his hand up with the ring and said "This much" .. I of course being the lady I am replied.. "Shut the F*ck up" That's right... I talk like a sailor.. I just kept repeating it and repeating it... then he leaned in and whispered in my ear "will you marry me" .. I just stood there in shock saying.. "are you for real? Is this for real? Are you kidding me?" And then of course the yes came..
It has been a whirlwind ever since... Lots of planning.. pains and groans along the way.

Nick and I are trying to have a great wedding on a shoestring budget.. And we are going to do it..
So far we have a venue set and by the end of the week we will have our photographer booked. A good friend of ours is DJing the wedding, friends and family will be helping me decorate, and we will be using a local restaurant to cater in the food..
We are having a beach side ceremony where our friend Autum will conduct the ceremony..
My sister Kathleen, Lynn, and my best friend Missy will be by my side...
Our friends Joey, Dick and Willie will be by Nick's side..
We are very excited as well that a lot of our family will be able to fly in for the wedding.
I will post more as we go along!