Beach update

Picture this.
As I type this me and my wife are laying out on a black sand beach, looking out over crystal clear water where the edge of the water meets with a rock cliff that rises 700 feet in the air. Oh! I almost forgot, we are also enjoyin a few adult beverages too. We are in Santorini, greece the home of the movie Mamma Mia, thats right Kendall. This has been a great day so far.
To be honest, I forgot what I updated you last on. Yesterday for the 4th we had an on board cookout and some pool games. We learned how to play Craps last night and I turned $100 into 235, but I played it a bit too long and only cashed out with $145. Still made back the money I had lost at blackjack earlier. Lol.
We are less than a week from coming home and while it will be nice to sleep in our own bed and see all of you, we are still dreadin comin home. We have bought all the souvenirs for everyone, which is great cause now all the money we have left we can blow on doing more awesome stuff. I think Rian wants to jetski, I'm in.
*beer break*
Jake, I can't wait to get back and do Ohsoyes again. I'm fiendin.

Sorry this is so short, that's what he said! I'm goin back to the beach.

Still havin fun. Countdown begins

Hello from the coast of Italy!
Since our last update we have done soooo much. We spent the day at The Ruins of Pompeii. It was very cool to see more ruins that have been around forever. It was crazy to think that 40% of the city is still under the ashes and has never been uncovered. 
We also said goodbye to all the people that were only staying for 10 days, it was kinda sad. But while they were disembarking, we spent the entire day in Rome. We saw pretty much everything that we have ever wanted to see. We walked around for 5 hours and saw the Spanish Steps, Trevi Fountain, the Colosseum, Arch of Constantine, the Castle and of the amazing St. Peters Square. I was awe struck. 
Today we are at sea traveling to Croatia. Yes, we all know what is going on in Athens and our captain has been keeping up to date and has assured us that he will not put us in danger. So don't sweat. 
The Greek isles are coming up too and Rian is getting very excited. 
We found a cheaper way to do these updates, so we may do them more often. It cost $22 the first time! 
We love and miss you all!

The world travlers. 

P.s. We played The Newly Wed Game here on the boat and WON! We got a free bottle of champagne. The next game is tonight but we are not sure if we are allowed to defend our crown. But it was really fun. 
Also. I still have no idea what happened in he NBA draft. Which is crazy for me. But I do know that almost all American sports are on strike. Lol. Should be an entertaining fall/winter. (sarcasm) 

This is awesome!

Hey everyone! 
We are still having a fantastic time. I'm really glad that this cruise is much longer than a week, we are nowhere near ready to return home. Since we last wrote we have been on two topless beaches and had a great time at every port we have been to. It is too much to type now, but we are documenting everything in order to have a great account of this whole thing. 
I (Elijah) bought a Barcelona futbal jersey, everyone over here has one and I had to get one. Rian bought herself some Amber necklaces, they are really nice. We have been eating a ton of food that we have never tried before and liking it all. 
Today, we went to the ancient city of Carthage and learned about how many civilizations have destroyed and rebuilt that city. I stole a rock from the ruins, I know, but how cool is that going to be in the travel room? 
Tomorrow is Palermo, Sicily. We are planning to just walk around the town and experience the culture. On a side note, we are becoming the boats most recognizable couple. From being the photographers' favorite muses, to telling two terrible jokes in the "best joke/worst joke" competition.  

Caprara/Hedrick family: I still miss you, but I will stay here as long as possible. Justin and Sonia, I hope u are ready to sit through all of our stories, because if you don't we won't sit through yours in december! Lol. Tommy, hope u had fun Ohsoyes'n it. 

Moses family: hey mom and dad. I feel like I've drank enough sangria for the both of you. Micia look up the remedies for a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil. And Sonny when your of age I'll brin you to some of the beaches here, but onl if u wear a speedo. Lol

Jake: looks like everything is goin good. Hope your not too bored at the house. Make J-bone entertain you. 

We love you all. We'll update you u all soon. Enjoy going to work tomorrow. Lol. 
Elijah and Rian

Cruise Update part.1

So its probably apparent that we are alive and made it to the ship.

We got delayed at JFK for an extra 3 hours so we got drunk at the Sammy Hagar bar and met some cool people. The flight was long but not too bad. Once, we got to Rome we learned that people from Italy are terrible drivers (or maybe great drivers, we cant tell yet) and that Street lane lines and stop-signs are just a suggestion. lol.
But we made it safely to our hotel and we walked around the town and found a local pizzeria and ordered the national beer and a Margherita pizza and it was awesome!
The next morning we were picked up in a Mercedez (Oh, you fancy huh?) and were taken to our ship where we boarded and signed up for a spa for the next 20 days.... 299$ not bad for the 2 of us. We really enjoy the peppermint sauna and the steam chairs.
Today we docked in Livorno, Italy and we went wine tasting at a local farm. We learned alot about wine and the Tuscan countryside. After that we got on the bus and headed to a little town on a hill called Lari and it was very "bella". We climbed to the top of the old castle and looked over the entire valley, never have I seen anything so beautiful.
We can't wait to continue our magical vacation.

Moses Family: I miss you all and im having a great time already and we just started. i've been keeping a journal so that i wont forget too many things when i get back home. Love you all sooooooooooo much. check back next Tuesday

Hedrick/Caprara Family: Hey everyone! This place is F'n sweet! I don't think I could live here though, I would never get anything done but gazing out over the land. The Italians have a phrase for it that I cant remember but it means "the art of doing nothing". It really does sum up how I feel. I love you all and can't wait (Yes, I can. lol.) to show you all the pictures and tell you all the stories we are going to create.

Jake: Great job on the show. Thanks again. I'll have something written for before this next weeks show.

Love to all,
Rian and Elijah Hedrick

Wedding Itinerary

Make sure you are where you need to be, when you need to be. We are so excited to see you all.

Friday
4:45pm All Bridal Party and necessary guests arrive at Plant Zero
5:00pm Wedding Rehearsal Starts
6:00pm Wedding Rehearsal Ends, Guests leave for Rehearsal dinner
6:30pm Rehearsal dinner begins
Saturday
10:30am Hairdresser & Make-Up for Bridesmaids & Bride & other party members
2:30pm Flowers Delivered to Plant Zero
3:00pm DJ arrives to set-up
3:00pm Bridesmaids & Bride @ Plant Zero (pictures)
3:30pm Groomsmen & Groom Arrive @ Plant Zero (pictures)
4:00pm Guests arrive @ Plant Zero
4:30pm Ceremony @ Plant Zero
5:00pm Ceremony finishes, guests proceed outside to cocktail hour
5:00pm pictures inside and then BG and party leave for pictures
6:00pm Guests make their way to their seats
6:15pm Bridal Party is announced

Hotel Problems SOLVED!!

We have figured out the problem reserving rooms!! To all of our guest who have not had luck, it's because you have been directed to a third party line. Please call the hotel directly (804-788-0900) during the day 6:00am-4:30pm and ask to speak to In House Reservations. They will honor this group rate. You must do this by April 20th or else you will have to pay $120 if you are staying there.Our person of contact was Deanna Bourgault if they ask. Tell a friend.




Hey everyone,

We have all the info for the Crowne Plaza hotel room situation now. This is everything on the contract at this point.

Group Name: Hedrick-Moses Wedding Block
Event Dates: May 13th- May 14th (nights staying in the hotel)

May 13th: 20 rooms available
May 14th: 20 rooms available

RATES
Single Rate: $89
Double Rate: $89
Triple: $89
Quad: $89
(these rates are subject to applicable state and local taxes that currently total 13% per room, per night.)

METHOD OF RESERVATION
Individuals will be responsible for making their own reservations by calling the Crowne Plaza Richmond Downtown direct at 804-788-0900 or by taking advantage of out toll-free reservations line at 800-2CROWNE. Attendees must be instructed to request the Hedrick-Moses Wedding Block when making their reservations. Our person of contact was Deanna Bourgault.

CHECK-IN AND CHECK-OUT
Guest accommodations will be available at 3:00pm on arrival day and reserved until 12:00pm on departure day. Any attendee wishing special consideration for late checkout should inquire at the front desk on the day of departure.

CUT-OFF DATE
Reservations by attendees must be received on or before April 20, 2011, (the "Cutoff date"). At the Cut-off Date, Hotel will review the reservation pickup for the Event, release the unreserved rooms for general sale, and determine whether it can accept rerservations based on a space- and rate-available basis at the group rate after this date.

PARKING
The Hotel is offering your overnight guests complimentary self-parking in the hotel's attached garage. Valet parking is NOT discounted and is currently $14.00 per day, per car. For self-parking, guests must bring their parking ticket to the Front Desk each time they go in/out of the garage to obtain the discount. Parking is not guaranteed and is based on availability.


Alright, so this is all the information directly from the contract. Elijah and I do not know anything else about the Hotel. If you do have any questions, please direct them to Crowne Plaza when making your reservation. Hope this helps everyone out.

Building up

We are just a little over a month away from our wedding. I'm getting pretty excited for it. We have to start finalizing cake and food orders, now that the majority of RSVP have been sent back. Next step will be seating arrangements. I'm not to worried about this part, because the only time people will be sitting is when they are eating, the rest of the time everyone should be dancing their butts off!
My maid of honor, my sister Micia, is planning me an awesome Jungle Fever themed bachelorette party! And my mom, Kim, is putting together a nice little Fancy Lady Bridal Shower for me with my family and new extended family. What would i do without my family. I love you all!

Registry Update

We decided to give more options for gift ideas.

1. Buy-a-port : You can help make a donation to our honeymoon. We will mail a post card from the port that you checked off on the card.

2. Target : http://www.target.com/registry/wedding/013101800000295

3. Bed Bath and Beyond : http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/regGiftRegistry.asp?WRN=-549221392

So many options now.

Rian & Elijah

Flowers

I met with a florist last week and thought it went great. I'm not really a flower person and never understood the point of paying so much for something that will die. But i have changed my mind. I didnt have to spend a lot of money for pretty flowers. I love the flowers that we chose, i think they are happy flowers and will set the tone of the party. For the past year i've been trying to design a table arrangement. I think i finally got it together and can't wait to see it all finished at the wedding. Without giving it all away i'll just show some ideas.

GET YOUR RSVPs BACK!!!!

Before you read this, know, I am not mad...but being the scarcastic ass that I am, my message reads as such...lol

Please send back your RSVPs by March 15th as requested on the wedding invite. I (Elijah) will refuse to chase people down in order to find out if you'd like to attend OUR wedding, that WE are paying for.

It's postage is paid for, you literally have to write your name, check a box and write a number on the card before sticking it in the mail box. Please do this fast, so that we will have food for you at this wedding.

Again, I'm not angry. Just want these things to get in on time.

PS...how many people after reading this said "wow. what a dick?" lol

Awaiting your card,
Elijah

How to Reserve your room at Crowne Plaza Richmond Downtown

Hey everyone,

We have all the info for the Crowne Plaza hotel room situation now. This is everything on the contract at this point.

Group Name: Hedrick-Moses Wedding Block
Event Dates: May 13th- May 14th (nights staying in the hotel)

May 13th: 20 rooms available
May 14th: 20 rooms available

RATES
Single Rate: $89
Double Rate: $89
Triple: $89
Quad: $89
(these rates are subject to applicable state and local taxes that currently total 13% per room, per night.)

METHOD OF RESERVATION
Individuals will be responsible for making their own reservations by calling the Crowne Plaza Richmond Downtown direct at 804-788-0900 or by taking advantage of out toll-free reservations line at 800-2CROWNE. Attendees must be instructed to request the Hedrick-Moses Wedding Block when making their reservations. Our person of contact was Deanna Bourgault.

CHECK-IN AND CHECK-OUT
Guest accommodations will be available at 3:00pm on arrival day and reserved until 12:00pm on departure day. Any attendee wishing special consideration for late checkout should inquire at the front desk on the day of departure.

CUT-OFF DATE
Reservations by attendees must be received on or before April 20, 2011, (the "Cutoff date"). At the Cut-off Date, Hotel will review the reservation pickup for the Event, release the unreserved rooms for general sale, and determine whether it can accept rerservations based on a space- and rate-available basis at the group rate after this date.

PARKING
The Hotel is offering your overnight guests complimentary self-parking in the hotel's attached garage. Valet parking is NOT discounted and is currently $14.00 per day, per car. For self-parking, guests must bring their parking ticket to the Front Desk each time they go in/out of the garage to obtain the discount. Parking is not guaranteed and is based on availability.


Alright, so this is all the information directly from the contract. Elijah and I do not know anything else about the Hotel. If you do have any questions, please direct them to Crowne Plaza when making your reservation. Hope this helps everyone out.

Love,

R & E

We got a Block of Hotel Rooms!

YAY!
So we finally got group rates for a block of rooms. It is $89 a night, with complementary parking in the hotel parking deck, and free 2 mile radius shuttle. The free shuttle means that you won't have to drive to the wedding site and don't have to worry about finding a sober driver!! This hotel gets bonus points from us.

I wanted to hurry and put this information up, since a few of you have been asking where to stay in Richmond. I still need to talk to my event planner and find out if the block of rooms is under Elijah & Rian Hedrick and how many days the block is for. I'm pretty sure though, if you are in a hurry to book your room, you can call the hotel and ask about our block and it will be set up. Just make sure you say Hedrick not HENDRICK. haha

Thanks for your patience everyone.

R & E

Here is the link: CROWNE PLAZA

Wedding Week itenerary for the Wedding Party

Hey everyone,
Hope those invites are finding you well, make sure you get them back because you know Elijah won't hold your spot! lol.
Anyway people have been asking about the timetable for flying into Richmond for the wedding activities, so here it is...

May 12th (thursday)- Bachelor/Bachelorette parties.
-We'd like all of the wedding party to be here for this.
May 13th (Friday) - Rehersal Dinner
-For Wedding Party, and immediate family to go over Saturday's plans
May 14th - We get married! Again!
-Put on your dancing shoes and get prepared to throwdown!

If you have any questions, give us a call.

R+E

Registry or Buy-A-Port

Yesturday , Elijah and I finally registered at Target with my sister (maid of honor) Micia. It was pretty fun walking around with a scanner gun. We tried picking things that would improve our home and show a little more of our personality. A lot of people were asking us where we registered, i guess to get an idea of what we liked for the bridal shower and/or wedding.

Here is the Target registry link: Rian & Elijah Target Registry

If you have received our invitations, then you saw our Buy-A-Port card. Instead of going out to a store and finding a wedding present, we gave a second option. Our honeymoon is a 20 day cruise around the Mediterranean. You can donate to our honeymoon, by checking off a port and include it in your envelope at the wedding. We will send a post card from the port you checked off. With your help our honeymoon will be the adventure of a lifetime.

We want to thank everyone for being part of our family, and we are working really hard to have an awesome wedding!

Love,

R & E

Hotel Info

We do not have concrete info for all of you just yet. But are, more than likely, going to suggest that most of our out-of-town guests stay at the Crowne Plaza here in Richmond, Va.

Again, the Hard info will be up here in just a few days.

WE have sent out the first bacth of Wedding Invitations, so get those back to us ASAP.

Peace out.

We have been busy, but slacking on here

Hey everyone,
Sorry for not updating this thing as often as we should. We have been very busy with planning the wedding and trying to be full-grown adults.

-We are having the invites shipped to us right now and will have those sent to everybody by the end of the week! We think they are cool.
-We have been talking to one of our co-workers and its looks as if he is going to be our DJ and is ready to make sure that we are keeping it real "FUNKY"
-The Bridesmaids have picked out their dresses.
-The Groomsmen are in the process of getting fitted for their tuxes.
-We are thinking about using the Richmond Crown Plaza for out of town guests because it has a shuttle that will take you to and from the wedding. We are just trying to nail down a group rate. Once we know all the information will be located on this site.

We will update this when the invites get sent out. Make sure you get those things back to us quickly...Elijah isnt nice, if you dont RSVP you might not have a seat. lol
Love you all,
Rian and Elijah