Do’s and Don’ts of Cake Cutting

Photograph [above] by Jeff Schneiderman Photography

Tips for your moment before the cake when everyone is watching and the cameras are clicking:

Do’s: If the reception is a brunch or tea, cut the cake after all guests have gone through the receiving line or after dinner if an evening reception.

Be sure the DJ or MC, photographer, and videographer know when the cake cutting is to begin and have it announced or make known by playing the first dance song. After the first toast (typically done by the best man), it’s time.

If possible, use a special silver cake knife for the occasion. Danforth Pewter and The Kitchen Store at J.K. Adams have wonderful selections.

The groom’s right hand holds the bride’s right hand as they slice through the bottom layer.

From the first cut piece, the groom feeds the bride and then bride will feed the groom.

The groom is expected to offer slices to the bride’s parents and groom’s parents will receive their slices from their new daughter-in-law.

Don’t: To smush or not to smush the cake in the face of your spouse should be discussed well before the fondant is in close proximately to your face! How do you want the official first act as a married couple to be: classy and dignified or messy and unsightly?

After spending time, energy, and money with professional make up and hair styling, the last thing a bride wants is to disturb is her flawless face and every-strand-in-place up-do. A graceful, gentle cake bite offering is a refined choice. This moment will be captured on film and memory cards and stay in the minds of guests for years––make it a proud one.

Photo [above] by The Portrait Gallery

Click here for the full online article by Vermont Bride Magazine writer and editor Karen Sturtevant.

Second Annual Vermont Bride Gala

Click the above "play" to watch a special video presentation for the upcoming 2011 2nd Annual Vermont Bride Gala, to be held at the Barn at Boyden on October 9, 2011.
Or view it online at YOU TUBE right now!

Read about the Gala online here.

Potted Plants: The Ideal Accent for Your Vermont Wedding

Potted plants are beautiful, cost effective and a versatile addition to any wedding.

One of the best places to incorporate plants is at the ceremony. Whether purchased or rented, they are an efficient and dramatic way to make a church or synagogue appear full, especially for buildings with high vaulted ceilings. Larger plants like ficus, Boston ferns and palm trees can be grouped behind the altar to provide a backdrop. Medium-sized and hanging plants (with hangers removed) can be placed in decorative containers and scattered down the aisle to create a lush, garden look. Plants clustered on steps or windowsills will provide splashes of color and a garden ambiance. If your wedding is planned around a holiday, many houses of worship are already decorated with seasonal blooming plants, which are available for the bride to use at no additional cost.

Cost of accenting with potted plants

If the bride is concerned about the additional cost of accenting with potted plants, then she should remember that they can serve more than just a decorative purpose. They also make wonderful thank you gifts for the attendants, clergy, readers—or for anyone who has helped with the wedding. Also, if the bride, groom or their parents normally decorate their homes with window boxes, hanging baskets or planters, the wedding plants could be used for this purpose, before and after the wedding. The multipurpose use for plants is not only true for the ceremony flowers, but for the reception centerpieces as well.

At the reception, plants make vibrant, low cost centerpieces and they can be given to the guests as favors. A group of small potted plants (one for each guest who is sitting at the table) can be clustered in a single low container which matches the wedding in style and color, and then set on the reception tables. Or, the plants could simply be placed in individual decorative containers, set on the table and interspersed with votive candles.

Click here to read more of this article by florist Pat Esden, including Hints and Tips, The Meaning of Plants, and a special section on African Violets.

Or click here for more information about Pat Esden, florist.

SAVE THE DATE! Vermont Bride - 2nd Annual 2011 GALA at THE BARN at Boyden Farm

Sunday, October 9, 2011 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm

Cocktails. Eats. Dessert. Dancing Evening Attire Expected

Not your typical bridal show!

MORE INFO COMING! CHECK BACK.

Love Story: Leah (Harstenstein) & Greg Morse

Photos by Daria Bishop

Leah (Harstenstein) & Greg Morse

On Halloween night, 2003, while attending my first year at Wagner College in New York City, I met Greg, another freshman. He was from upstate New York and ran on the Division I track team. We spent the night watching the famous Greenwich Village Halloween parade with a group of close friends. I was dressed as a Christmas tree, Greg as himself. We both had fun that night but did not think much of it. As college started to fly by we became the best of friends. Everyone thought we were dating, but we just loved spending time together! Finally, when it just so happened that we were both single, we decided to try dating.

As college finished, Greg took a Wall Street job and I stayed in school to pursue my master’s degree. We stayed very close, both living on the Upper East side and enjoyed time together.

Our Engagement

We both love to travel! We were on a two week trip to South America with my parents; on our second night in Chile, there was an incredible sunset over the ocean. We were sipping wine on a balcony staring off into the sky when Greg told me he’d be right back. He came back and gave me a small Tiffany’s box, but not a ring box. I opened it and there was a beautiful necklace with the initials “LKM.” My last name started with an “H” so I was not sure if the store made a mistake. I gave him a puzzled look, he asked me if I knew what the necklace meant. Before I could say anything, he said, “They are your new initials if you say yes.” He pulled my grandmother’s amazing engagement ring out of his pocket and that was it!

Favorite Wedding Moments

The ceremony location at the Basin Harbor Club is just stunning. The beautiful weather, amazing flute and strings trio, and incredible surrounding gardens made the day.

The guests had bubbles to blow at us as we walked back down the aisle.

The Ben & Jerry’s ice cream wedding cake was great!

Click here for the full article with all the details about Leah and Greg's Love Story and wedding planning.

A Big Piece of Wedding Cake Yesterday and Today

Photo [above] courtesy of New England Culinary Institute (NECI)

Modern day wedding cakes run the gamut of classic to comic

Swirls of piping, rich buttercream frosting, and fondant pearls dotted on a multitiered cake may be what we expect to see displayed at a wedding reception, but in day’s past, a loaf of bread and pile of biscuits sufficed for the celebratory sweet. (Click here to read more about the 1,000 year old traditions of this loaf and the full article by Karen Sturtevant)

Cake above (2) Sweet Crunch BakeShop and Catering Co

Cake above (3) Gourmet Provence

Bride's Pie

In medieval England, simple flour based unsweetened biscuits or scones (provided by guests) would be piled high––a prelude to today’s cake toppers. If the couple could kiss over the top, good luck, prosperity, happiness, and many children would follow (or so it was believed).

First appearing in the seventeenth century and lasting for the next 200 years was a common dish called the bride’s pie: a meat pie with sweet bread, mincemeat, or mutton with the secret ingredient being a glass ring.

Cake (4) above by Snaffle Sweets

Cake (5) by Delicate Decadence Cake Boutique

Plum Cakes

By the nineteenth century single tiered plum cakes gained popularity replacing the bride’s pie. Sugar coated with white icing, plum cakes were reserved only for the wealthy and graced the tables of the affluent symbolizing the family’s position in social circles. Before the Victorian era, ingredients were difficult, if not impossible to acquire for cake making, particularly those required for icing. White icing required the use of the finest refined sugar. The whiter the cake, the more affluent the family appeared. For the more modest, the bride’s pie remained a mainstay. The plum cake stayed the cake until the late nineteenth century when multitiered cakes began their rise in history.

British royalty were the first to introduce multitiered confections. Upper layers were made from spun sugar with pillars used for reinforcement. To prevent the pillars from sinking into the bottom tiers, the icing was hardened providing the necessary support. From the early twentieth century to modern times, wedding cakes have evolved into sumptuous confections while honoring representation and tradition.

Cake (6) Juniors Bakery

Cake (7) Bakearia

Click here for more about more recent cake traditions, including royal wedding cakes, and much more in the full article by Karen Sturtevant.

Fitness and Nutrition Tips for Preparing for the BIG DAY

Your wedding day is when YOU are the center of attention, so of course you want to look like a knockout for your friends, family, and of course your groom.

1. Your physique is determined by three things: 10% exercise, 10% genetics, and 80% diet.

This might shock some readers because exercise is not a very big percentage. Of course it plays a big role in how you will look, however, if your diet is not the best then you will not have the best physique. If you want to look and feel better, pay attention to what you are putting into your mouth! I recommend lean proteins, complex carbohydrates, fruits, vegetables and lots of water. You also need to keep in mind your portion sizes and calorie intake. So make sure you are choosing nutrient dense foods.

2. Combine weights and cardio and keep your workouts interesting.

It depends on your body type to determine when you will see gains in muscle definition and a reduction of overall body fat. However, a fitness routine combined with a clean diet will help you reach your wedding day body easier.

I personally like shorter workouts, because with a very hectic schedule, not to mention the wedding planning, who has time for an hour and a half workout? (click here for more about exercise)

3. Get plenty of sleep and don’t stress (if possible).

According to WebMD.com, sleep affects certain hormones that will control your appetite and satiety. Studies show that people who get less than 8 hours of sleep have higher levels of body fat than people who get 8 or more hours of sleep a night. Stress increases levels of cortisol in your blood which is a hormone that tends to cause you carry extra body fat in your waist line area. You also have to be careful if you are an emotional eater. Make sure you have healthy coping mechanisms when dealing with your stress and get plenty of sleep.
Bottom line is this: Your wedding day is YOUR day. Try to enjoy every moment of it from the proposal and the planning all the way up to the honeymoon and most importantly the many years to follow spent with your lifetime partner.

Take care of yourself by eating right, getting exercise and a proper amount of sleep. When you are taking care of yourself and feeling good, everything else will fall into place.

Click here for the full article including information about author Toria Cornett's recent recognition award for her work as FoodScience Corporation's Wellness Program Director.

Putting a Personal Touch to Your Wedding Music

Selecting Unique Music for Your Wedding

Whether you’re the tradition lover who must have the Mendelssohn Wedding March for your recessional, or whether you feel that you absolutely must make completely unique choices, your repertoire choices will color the mood of your day as much as your choice of gown, flowers, and location.

First, I’d like to state that the traditional pieces always feel fresh to me because they’re reflecting the new life that each couple brings to them. If you know and love these pieces, you might know right off that they will bring the ambiance you most want. But even some traditionalists may wish to include an especially personal musical choice somewhere in the day, and some couples may want to steer clear of traditional choices completely, and make only choices that truly reflect their preferences in a personal way. Here are thoughts and examples of some choices couples have made that have colored their wedding day in a unique and memorable way.

Click here for the full article by Lisa Carlson, including thoughts on unique processional choices, unique recessional choices, and ways of incorporating personal musical choices in other parts of your day.

Or click here for more information about Lisa Carlson's musical offerings.

Vermont Bride Magazine - Our Summer 2011 Issue

Summer 2011 edition now available throughout Vermont!

Featuring photography and a complete vendor guide to help the bride-to-be and her friends and family to manage and organize a successful wedding.

See the Preview Page about the Summer 2011 issue

Or click here for a PDF version of the entire magazine!

Love Story: Jennifer (Hough) and Tony Duda

...That afternoon, as we floated inside inner tubes together, he reached across to grasp my hand while I laughed. In that moment, we connected...
How they met:

We were two complete strangers; they were two determined match makers, when does that ever go right?
It was the first of July, and we all found ourselves at the Rusty Nail in downtown Stowe, VT. I was there with some friends, and had just received my drink when I saw them approach our table out of the corner of my eye.

They were arguing about Michael Moore’s newest film, they appeared to be a couple, and I had never seen them, when the female, blonde and about my age, turned to me and said, “What do you think, about the film?” Unbeknownst to me, they were scheming something, and I had just taken the bait. I engaged them in conversation, when a third party approached the table. They introduced him as Tony, he introduced himself as a tennis instructor. This was ironic and unfortunate for him, as I had already been approached by another such “tennis pro” that evening. Consequently, “Tony” did not find me too kind, nor did I find Tony too interesting.

What I did not realize was that Tony’s friends Jennifer and Kevin were on a mission and would stop at nothing. When Jennifer discovered I was a teacher, they knew they’d struck gold. Jennifer worked in the schools as well she said and we should get together. Could she have my phone number?
Four years later...

We parked and padded out on the sand, sandals in hand. We stopped to look at the sunset and Tony, standing behind me with his arms around my waist, said with emotion in his voice: “You know you’re my best friend.” When I turned to him, he went down on one knee… after we established we were now fiancés, we stopped a couple to take a photo; Tony had remembered the camera. When it was discovered our batteries were dead, the two demanded their teenaged daughter hand over hers from her camera. “They need them more,” her father said. We laugh about it still.
Click here for the rest of Jennifer and Tony's Love Story, including memorable moments from their wedding, planning tips, and more.

GO GREEN, and Save Green

Can a “green” wedding save you some green? Absolutely. Environmentally conscious engaged couples sometimes miss the opportunity to bring their socially responsible awareness to their wedding. But when you consider that a green mindset can also save thousands of dollars, the incentives add up.

Marjorie and Matthew wanted an elegant destination wedding in Vermont for a guest list of one hundred. But they were also determined to keep their commitment to being earth friendly as a couple and bring those values to planning their wedding. They brought up the challenge with their wedding coach and officiant.

Rings? Rings, especially. Diamonds, gold, and platinum are notoriously unethically produced. Miners of these raw substances often work in unsafe conditions and mining itself can damage local ecosystems and watersheds, according to sustainable jewelers like Leber Jeweler, GreenKarat, and Sumiche. Add to that the fact that the diamond mining industry exploits child labor and you have one place to really make a statement. Contact those jewelers and explore it for yourselves. The other thing that some couples do is recycle old gold or silver jewelry from previous generations to make their own rings.

Marjorie and Matthew got inspired by the session. As they began to list the ways they actually could make a difference and save money, they got more excited about their wedding. Michelle Kozin’s book encouraged them even more: Organic Weddings: Balancing Ecology, Style, and Tradition (New Society Publishers, 2003). Kozin’s related website is www.OrganicWeddings.com.

Click here for more, including a summary of all the ways this couple planned their green wedding.

Click here for more information about wedding officiant and relationship coach Rev. Dr. Michael Caldwell.

Danielle (Waite) & Mead Sturgeon

Although we’d had a few brief conversations while putting together puzzles and playing cards—that’s how we killed time in the waiting rooms — I didn’t get the nerve to ask her out on a date until a couple months had passed.

Her Story:

In August, I began an eight week clinical rotation in Tucson, Arizona. Although I wasn’t looking forward to the time apart, I had planned to fly to New Hampshire for our friends’ Meg and Josh’s wedding on September 12, right in the middle of the rotation.

Meg and Josh’s wedding was a blast…in fact, I may have had a bit of a headache the next morning. Mead went to get some water, and came back and knelt down next to me. My heart was pounding as instead of a glass of water, he came back with a small black box. He asked me to marry him, and (of course) I said yes! (And after spending two hours that morning trying to find someone to jump the car because I had left the lights on all night, he didn’t even ask for the ring back!)

His Story:

I asked…

Last summer Danielle and I embarked on a two week vacation across the country. She needed to go to Tucson, Arizonia for eight weeks for a clinical rotation and I, being a teacher, had the summer off and was willing to go for a drive! We made stops at Rocky Mountain National Park, Arches National Park, the Grand Canyon, Sedona, and finally Tucson.
After a couple of days of getting Danielle used to the city and the surrounding area, it was time for me to head back to Vermont. I already knew that I wanted to marry Danielle, and on my flight home I started to develop my plan.

In September, Danielle was flying home for our friends’ wedding…perfect! It took me some time to find the right ring for my girl, but finally I did. I wanted to do the right thing, so I made sure that I had the blessing of Danielle’s parents before I popped the big question (this is what I was most nervous about). It was the morning after our friends’ wedding and she asked me to get her a glass of water. I came back with the water and the ring. Down on one knee, I asked her to spend the rest of her life with me. Thankfully…she said yes!

Click here for the rest of Danielle and Mead's Love Story...
Click here for more about the photographer, Raiden Shine Photography...

Wedding Beauty and Wellness

Online Categories for wedding resources from Vermont Bride Magazine

• Hair and Makeup
• Cosmetic & Aesthetic Services
• Spa Services

Wedding and Bridal Attire

Photo by Orah Moore Photography

Online Categories for wedding resources from Vermont Bride Magazine

Wedding Attire

• Bridal Gown Shops
• Alterations
• Gown Cleaning & Preservation
• Tuxedos
• Jewelry
• Designer Outlets

Cover bride is Jeanna (Bowen) Brochu. Photograph by Around The Bend Photography.

Spring issue LOVE STORIES:

• Cover Love Story: Jeanna (Bowen) & Jamie Brochu
• Our Love Story: Danielle (Waite) & Mead Sturgeon
• Our Love Story: Sara (Forest) and Paul Sokolowski

28 Feature Articles and Regular Items in the Spring 2011 Issue!

1. Get Ready, Get Set, Lose the Weight the Healthy, Fun, and Simple Way By Megan Daigle
2. Weight Loss Contest — from Simplify Your Health Now
3. Lose Weight Before Your Wedding Day By Megan Daigle
4. Elements of a Perfect Wedding From Five Elements Salon & Day Spa
5. Your Wedding Your Way: Go Green, and Save Green By Dr. Rev. Michael Caldwell
6. The Informed Traveler Special Places and Best Times to Go By Carrie McDougall
7. There is Nothing Quite as Special as a Wedding Under A Tent
8. From Celebration Rentals
9. A Stress Free VIsit to the Salon By Kim Scofield
10. The New White: The Green Wedding By Karen Sturtevant
11. Spotlight on Wedding Flowers: Gerbera Daisy By Karen Sturtevant
12. From One Spring Bride to Another By Susanna Keefer
13. The FIT SPOT: Fitness and Nutrition Tips for Preparing for the BIG DAY By Toria Cornett
14. Music for Your Wedding: Selecting Unique Music for Your Wedding By Lisa Carlson
15. Choosing A Wedding Photographer By Joe & Linda Crosby
16. Bachelors and Bachelorette Parties: Making them Memorable By Pat Esden
17. Cleaning Your Financial House By Benjamin Nostrand
18. We’re Ready to Look at Homes! By Gayle Oberg
19. Your Jewish Wedding By Rabbi Howard A. Cohen
20. Fine Pewter: Handcrafted in Vermont
21. Spa Corner: Relax, Renew and Restore Before Your Wedding By Sara Daly
22. Ceremony Sound Tips for Brides By Grant Allendorf
23. 2011 Tax Law Changes Passed at the Last Minute! (and what this means for couples) By Roger A. Schoenbeck
24. Technology from a young love perspective By Kayla Sturtevant
    
25. Inside Vermont Bride Staff Notes
26. Vermont Bride Photographers Showcase
27. Bridal Resource Guide Spring 2011
28. Accommodations Chart

See our gallery of of past issues

Moms

The Royal Wedding

At Vermont Bride Magazine, every wedding is a royal wedding! Here are the official Royal Wedding Pictures, released yesterday. Which is your favorite?

Love Stories From the Past

You can find love stories from previous Vermont Bride Magazines, many including slide shows of the weddings, by clicking here.

Here's an excerpt from Alison C. (Ackerknecht) & Gregory M. James' wedding (Alison is the cover bride above from Spring 2007):

How we got engaged

To celebrate our four-year anniversary, we decided to go camping on Kerr Lake in North Carolina, not far from where we currently live. After swimming all day and eating an amazing dinner we had cooked on the grill, we sat down to enjoy Saturday night. Sitting by our campfire, with the lake in the background, the only sounds we could hear were the lapping of the waves on the shore and the crackling of the fire. Greg popped a bottle of champagne, and we toasted our four years together. As I settled back to enjoy my first sip, I saw Greg's hand reach into his pocket, and it was at that moment my jaw dropped open, and I said, "Oh my God"...at least three times. Greg got down on one knee in front of the fire, and after saying some amazingly sweet things, he asked me to be his bride. Several (shocked) seconds later, I said "yes." We spent the night talking about the rest of our lives together as the fire slowly turned to embers.

Click here to read the rest of Alison and Gregory's love story.

And below are some other links to love stories from previous Vermont Bride Magazines:

2007 Winter Issue | Michelle (Graci) & Jay Glazer

2006 Spring Issue | Kami (Allen) & Gabriel Farr

2006 Winter Issue | Kristin & Brian McCarthy

2006 Fall Issue | Deanna M. (White) & Jeffrey T. Wood

2006 Summer Issue | Jessica & Jesse Remmey

2005 Summer Issue| Bonnie & Randy Cutter

2005 Fall Issue | Jennifer & Armand Guillette

Traditions – Tasteful or Tacky?

Sure, there are times when the stunned woman who catches the bouquet has been summoned to the dance floor by the droning dj to perform the whole garter stunt and ended up falling madly in love with the young man who caught the garter. In this particular instance, they remain happily married with two beautiful children. You just never know!

However, now that you are planning your own wedding it is for you to decide if those customary acts will be part of your celebration. Are there other customs or traditions you will use to signify your own union and celebration. Will these customs carry on in your family or have they already?

Some of the traditions listed below have been handed down through the years from culture to culture. Some are pure folklore and many stem from superstitions. Certain traditions are widely used in modern wedding ceremonies while others exist only within a certain race or culture.

While I hope you enjoy the following legends and lore, when planning your wedding I encourage you to do things your way. There are no rules, no ways that must be followed because Aunt Nellie says it must be. When it comes to your celebration – make it just that, your own. Add your own personalized flare that will make lasting traditions for your family for years to follow.

Customs and tradition should be binding, in a loving family way.

The wedding is one of life’s primeval and surprisingly unchanged rites of passage. There are so many different customs, superstitions and cultural beliefs that have carried on through the ages.

Click here for the rest of this article by Lauri Boyden, including segments about: The Engagement Ring, Choosing a wedding day, Bridal Showers, Throwing the Garter, Tossing the Bouquet, and more...

The Royal Wedding Event at Waterfalls Day Spa Royal Wedding Event at Waterfalls Day Spa

Mark your calendars for April 29th, 2011 for our day long event as we will be celebrating The British Royal Wedding at the Waterfalls Day Spa!

Complimentary champagne with our Royal Mini Spa Treatment!

$20 this day only!

This treatment is our Red Flower Foot Ritual: your feet will be pampered with hot towels, washed with our Red Flower Body Wash, and massaged with organic botanicals leaving you with fresh rejuvenated feet.

Mini Treatments are available from 9-10 am, and from 3-5 pm. Bass Ale will be the complimentary drink option at the pub hours of 3-5pm.

Free Giveaways from these local businesses: Waterfalls Day Spa, The Little Pressroom, The Vermont Book Shop, The Blossom Basket, Cacklin' Hens, Ski Haus, Middlebury Sweets, Courtyard by Marriott, and Clementine, and Noonies Deli!

Enter to Win The Royal Treatment! $299 Value

Treat your Mom to the Royal Treatment this Mother's Day with a spa package fit for a queen! This full day spa package includes: Full Body Exfoliation and Massage Combo, Spa Pedicure, Spa Manicure, and Stress Detox Facial, followed by English Tea. This total spa package is approx 4.5 hours long.

Click here for more info...

We Want You!

Share your Engagement and Wedding online!

Come online with the celebration of your engagement and wedding events! Vermont Bride Magazine wants to show your photos online. Vermont Bride Magazine has an extensive online web presence along active accounts at Facebook, Twitter and Blogspot. Write and upload your information using our online share page form.

Spring 2011 Issue Vermont Bride

Click here for your free issue of Vermont Bride Magazine's Spring Edition!

Follow Us on Facebook or Twitter!

Did you know that you can follow us on Twitter or like us on Facebook?

Click on either picture or on the text links to go directly to our social networking pages!

Memories of a Perfect Day ...at the Ye Olde England Inne

We briefly considered some Caribbean resorts with their various packages until close friends suggested Vermont.

They had attended a wedding in Stowe several years earlier and were impressed with the beauty and quality of their entire experience. They commented in particular about the impressive and genuine friendliness of everyone they encountered in the mountains.

We wanted a perfect experience but our expectations were exceeded. It does not get better than that.
Click here to read more about this couple's wedding experience at Ye Olde England Inne...

Amelia (Gilman) & Brett Clairmont

How we met

If you had asked me if I knew right away that Brett was going to be my husband, I would have said no. He wasn’t my type: tall, blonde hair, blue eyes. Brett was average height, light brown hair, and hazel eyes. My brother-in-law, Mark, spent 15 minutes trying to locate him because he was so adamant that I meet this guy.

We met, shook hands, exchanged small talk, and I walked away.
Where I met Brett isn’t your usual meeting place for a social introduction. I met Brett at Camp Johnson where he was going through pre-mobilization for his deployment with Mark to Iraq...

In the next month that followed, my brother-in-law spoke to me about Brett and had asked me to send him some type of care package. His excuse was that he felt bad for the guy, and that he only got mail from his mother. I explained to Mark that I would do it, but was doing it to be friendly and supportive for one of his friends. Mark said it was just a morale booster and would brighten Brett’s day. It just so happened to be February when I put together a care package. I made some brownies, put in some gourmet cookies, found a couple guy magazines and sent them to Brett.

By the time I had gotten all of this ready for Brett, I had received an e-mail from him. My brother-in-law had given him my e-mail address. The link between Brett and I was Mark. He was determined to get us talking. I e-mailed back, small chat, but it was good small chat. It sparked my interest.

Then something happened that changed both of our lives. We lost a good friend to both of us, in combat in Iraq, 1st Lt. Mark Dooley... Click here to read the full story...