Docksiders is a bar in Erie, PA, known for many late night visits, lots of dancing, and faint memories. Kate was out with some girl friends one late Saturday night and within that group of lovely ladies was the groom's cousin - Jackie. To Kate's surprise, Jackie had invited Pat to come out and meet her. She was very embarrassed. Although Kate thought Pat was "very cute", she was not keen on the idea of being set up. A shot was shared to break the ice, followed by some of that Docksiders dancing mentioned earlier. A few days later the couple shared their first date at Pineapple Eddie's and despite the long distance throughout their relationship, the bride and groom managed to stay in touch.

The bride often teases the groom about his love for his alma mater. It could be the excessive amount of Notre Dame apparel (quarter zip anyone?) that he owns, the countless hours he spends paying homage to the football team, or the repetitive tours of campus he takes Kate on when they visit (1. Grotto, 2. Basilica, 3. Library - because it was never this nice when he was in school, etc.), that really get her going. So when Pat communicated to Kate that they would need to stop at his beloved school on the way down to Kate's family reunion in Indianapolis, she was not too thrilled by the idea. Pat got away with this by saying that he would not get his transcripts in time to apply for his New York Medical License required for his fellowship. Pat, having a Master’s degree in procrastination, made this very believable. The road to South Bend was loaded with discussions regarding stopping in the book store for more apparel and Kate reminding Pat "that he must write the transcripts lady a thank you card" for going above and beyond to make sure he had these documents on time. A thank you to someone who didn’t exist for a task that would never be completed. The first stop once Kate and Pat arrived was of course number 1 on the list for the usual tour, the Grotto, to light a candle. As they were finishing their prayers, Pat stood up and begin telling Kate how special she was and how special this place was to him. Despite the nervous mumbles, and falling while getting down on one knee, he managed to pop the question. Kate quickly began to cry, hugged Pat and said yes. This was soon followed by a loving slap to the arm, when she realized Pat had fooled her and their were no transcripts to pick up. The moment was made even more special, when Kate turned around to see her mom, in on the entire operation, hiding in the bushes to capture their special moment.

We are beyond thankful for the love and support of our friends and family. We are truly grateful for the blessings we have and cannot wait to share our special day with all of you.