We are REGISTERED!

Drummond & I have finally put together a 'Wish-List' in order to help our guests with wedding gift-giving ideas. We hope that the following list will help to ease the decision making for you, but please do not feel limited to what we have listed!

All registry information can be searched either under "Amanda Holt" or "Drummond Fraser".

We are registered at SEARS for small home appliances, linens and other fun items! You can visit SEARS On-Line for the Wedding Registry, or call the location nearest you for further information: http://www.giftregistry.sears.ca/gift/egrSearch002.jsp

We are registered at ZONE Maison in Westmount for Wine Glasses and fun kitchen items. You can reach ZONE by calling 514-489-8901 or visit them On-Line (the on-line registry will be available at the top of July): http://www.zonemaison.com/english/index.htm

We were DELIGHTED to find out that friends from the Holt side were purchasing the Vita-Mix Super 5000 in black for us! THANK YOU SOO MUCH (you know who you are!)!!!

Naturally, with all our projects and home renovations, cash would be greatly appreciated as we tend to support/use local businesses (hard/farm ware, sawmills, etc.). Gift certificates to Canadian Tire or Home Hardware would also be useful for these projects!

We sincerely hope that having registered will help resolve some questions for our friends & family. Of course, just having you there with us to celebrate our marriage is honestly gift enough!

Wedding Preparations Continue

I am really starting to feel like Drummond, Kasia, Joanne, Mom & I deserve full salaries from the "Fairy God-Mother Bank" and 6 months vacation to plan this event. No detail, idea or tartan left unturned! We are pushing ahead with all the coordinating, organizing, visualizing and constructing. Yes, there is construction involved in this wedding project of ours.

Other words of thanks go out to:

Scott for soothing my bridal head from worries of music.

Shannon & Ilze for all their assistance and support over countless office lunches.

Misha for Friday afternoon lunches where I could blow off steam, all your Googling & Ebaying, planning ideas and Martha Stewart's definitive "Weddings" book loan.

Daryl for always being there for both Drummond & I with words of encouragement and offers to do a million things despite his hectic schedule.

George for being the best chauffer, ideas man, bench & obelisk maker and cork topper.

Both Jim & Dad for giving up their garages as storage space and keeping my Moms sane and with wine through all the planning. And naturally for all the support that you have and are giving us both unconditionally... umm, I do remember you both mentioning something about grandchildren on Father's Day.

Annie for giving me all kinds of help with decorations, hair styling, wine labels, ideas and support.

Marg for researching all sorts of Scottish traditions and dress shops.

Colonel Ciarroni for graciously organizing the very important Sword Party and supporting Drummond... and not letting him jump out of a plane 2 weeks before the wedding!

And to my other bridesmaids, Emily, Cindy & Jenn for always listening and offering to help despite the distance.

Surpise Bridal Shower on my 31st Birthday!

Mom called me in late March to say that she had special plans for my 31st birthday. Closer to the date, I was told that we would go start our evening with a dinner out and that I should dress up a little bit (no jeans). I was not too curious, as I suspected that it would be a surprise dinner and show like she did for my 18th birthday when she took me out to a fancy Old Port bistro and then off to see "The Lord of the Dance".

Once in the car, Mom blindfolded me. She said that this restaurant was a surprise, new in the South Shore, and that she didn't want me to see where we were going or I might guess. I played along... never expecting what happened next!

An AMAZING Bridal Shower with sooo many wonderful women there to toast my up-coming marriage. I was truly shocked, and felt so loved by you all. What organization!

The theme was a Hollywood one, and so the gifts, games, decorating etc. all centred around this. I was the Glamour Queen for the Day!

Did I mention how VERY spoiled I was? Drummond keeps asking when his shower is?

A "BIG Thank You" go to Anne (the hostess with the mostest), Joanne, Kasia & Mom for organizing such a fantastic shower. What a special special day!

The DRESS!

What would we have done without Isabelle? She suggested that we look for my dress in the little Ontario town of Moosecreek at a store called "Chez Ginette".

Isabelle, Joanne, Mom & I headed out one Saturday in July 2006 to check things out. Off a two-lane backcountry road was this store located next to an out-of use gas station. Not our idea of bridal shopping - "St-Hubert street anyone?" rolled through my mind.

When we pulled into the parking lot there were Mercedes, BMWs, etc. with QC & ON plates. The fancy city people had landed... looking for deals. This was a goldmine of white silk, satin & lace.

With my trusty 'gal pals' I tried on many many dresses. We had alot of fun trying them on, and the after 1 & 1/2 hours we found THEE one! Here are some photos of the 'could have beens'. The one at the bottom right came in #2; a lovely raw silk Afred Sung strapless creation. Gorgeous... but not quite right.

Can you guess what the real dress will be like?

After the shopping extravaganza, Joanne invited Isabelle, Mom & I to join her at a fundraising Steak BarBQ that Bobbie Hall was organizing. It was such a wonderful day with so many splendid memories!!!

Choosing the Right Place to Exchange Our Vows

Drummond & I were fortunate to have shared July 1st weekend 2006 with our parents, searching the Eastern Townships for the perfect place to hold the perfect event.

We were fortunate to have a warm clear sunny day and great company for our quest. We decided to marry at the historic Massawippi Union Church, where my cousins Alison & Jenn, and my brother Jason were also married.

Can you envision us there all dressed up & teary-eyed?

The Bridal Show - January 2006

It was not long before friends would ask "When is the BIG day?" so we decided that it was time to get a move on. A good friend & colleague Shannon gave me free passes to the huge Montreal wedding show and I went with Joanne, Mom & Kasia.

Joanne was so thoughtful & sweet, pinning a lovely corsage on me as we went into the hall. She said to me "You are the most lovely bride-to-be in the room." She made me blush!

We had a delight day, but all came home overwhelmed and exausted! Joanne, Mom & Kasia would remain my chief wedding organizers and support system over the months to come.

A toast to you ladies!

The Proposal - October 21st, 2005

After one & a half years together, Drummond got down on one knee and asked me to be his wife. The night previous to the proposal was an evening spent with friends at a Ball, where we were all dressed up and looking smashing...

Drummond, however, decided to propose to me the following evening when the make-up was off and our parents were all together.

We had taken spent the whole day shovelling out blow-hay from the south hay mowe in the barn. When we came into the farm house to join our parents for dinner, he whisked me away for just a few minutes. He said "there is something in the barn that I want to show you".

He lead me up to the hay mowe to a beam on the west wall where we had cut out a place in the barn-board siding for our work. We sat down on the beam and looked out this opening to the fields below where Power & the 3 fillies we had just bought were grazing under a sunset sky. It was perfect!

After a few moments of kind words and dreaming, he got down on one knee in the hay and proposed... my response: "Really?" - I was shocked. A few tears and kisses later and we rushed back to the farm house for dinner, excited but restrained, as we decided to let people notice the ring and not make a formal announcement.

It was not before dessert that someone had noticed: Jim. But he only gave me a wink and didn't let the cat out of the bag! So, Drummond made the announcement and much celebrating was had!!!

What is most touching about our engagement was that the ring was a family ring, having been worn by Drummond's maternal grandmother and at least 5 other generations before. It is gorgeous, and so cherished by us both. Thank you Joanne for giving me this great honour to wear your family ring.