Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Katie Koo Ties the Knot

I remember talking a walk with my little cousin Katie Beth around her block like it was yesterday. She held my hand and looked up at me with those precious dimples and deep set smile. Everytime I look into her little Bryana's face, I see Katie as she was back then. Today, Katie still dons those dimples and her smile will still light up a room, but she is a grown woman with 2 beautiful daughters and a great hubby named Bryan, whom she recently wed.

Memorial Day girls trip turned out to be such a great time. Katie got married at Arbor Ridge, which used to be the Knollwood Motor Inn. Back in the day, it was more of a rent by the hour kinda motel ;). Nowadays it's a popular reception site with a new banquet hall sitting adjacent to the completely restored inn. I didn't even recognize it, with its facade of graceful columns.

Cousin Katie is my first cousin Cheryl's half sistah, daughter of my uncle and his wife Paula. Their family is a big, diverse melting pot of kids, including Cheryl and Denise (my first cousins), Katie, her sisters Amanda and Michelle, and brothers Bret and Richie. Don't ask me to explain it, just go with it. When this crew gets together, it's gonna be a wild and crazy ride!

My sister Karen came up from Jersey and Cheryl's bff Annie came from Manhattan, and we all bunked up at the inn. After the agonizing shoe shopping experience with my other cousin, Sue, we polished ourselves up and headed to St Mary's in Fishkill. A flashback to my Catholic upbringing and our childhood church. I cringed a bit as we entered the parking lot, flooded with memories of CCD and vicious nuns (just kidding).

It didn't take long for the Happy Hour to get happy... the cosmo's were aflowin and the dancing was never ending. You can see in the pictures that Cheryl and Annie had a splendid time. I think Annie has a total intolerance for alcohol. She must not be a Pilla. ;)

Everyone looked gorgeous and the pasta was yummy too. Katie and Bryan are the cutest couple. Oh, and the gal in the pink shoes? We don't know her, but LOVED her shoes.