Matron Jo

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One of my oldest and best friends. We’ve gone from playing pretend together to hanging out after prom to now, well, being in eachother’s weddings. She’s a bastion of common >sense, quiet support, and visuo-spatial skills (She’s the only person I know who can solve a Rubik’s cube in less than five minutes!) When not devouring worlds (if you don’t get that, don’t worry) Joanna works as a graphic designer for our local newspaper, distributes yummy cooking mixes (let her know if you want to host a party for her) and is working on a degree which will allow her to design characters for video games…whew! She’s seen me through numerous major breakups, exams, fights with parents and significant others (yes, even John) and we’ve lived in different cities for- ok, technically the entire time we’ve been friends. And it’s uncanny how often we’ll say the exact same thing at the exact same time, particularly considering how different we are in many ways (She actually seems to know where her keys are most of the time, as well as mine…John has some big shoes to fill…) (in a figurative sense)

Bridesmaid Val

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Another of my oldest and bestest friends, Valerie hosted many a night of pre-adolescent sugar fueled silliness when she, I and Joanna began getting together to plan world domin- I mean, to watch movies and dance until dawn. She moved away when we were in Middle school but despite my scatterbrained difficulty in returning letters and phonecalls kept in touch and even showed up for Jo’s and my highschool graduations (she made it to both of them in one night!), came out for Joanna’s wedding last spring, and even came and saw me in France this year (oh yeah, and Paris and Chartres and les Galeries Lafayette and all sorts of other amazing sights) . She prizes friendship highly and is highly to be prized as a friend. She’s also very generous and devoted to making the world a better place, evidenced by her spending a year in DC working at a hospital for the homeless…where she met someone she ran into at Jo’s wedding last year. But you can ask her more about that J. She’s currently earning a masters in non-profit management at the University of North Texas.

Update on our plans

Last we checked:

- John will be studying for a doctorate in theology at the Catholic University of America in Washington, DC

- Lauren will be studying for her masters in library science at the University of Maryland at College park (not at Florida State, as originally planned)

- We will be living in Silver Spring, Maryland.

After a hectic weekend of apartment hunting, we picked the second place we looked at :P

Cast of Characters

Matron Joanna- coming soon!

Bridesmaid Bria

Bridesmaid Val- coming soon!

Bridesmaid Cindy

Bridesmaid Cindy

Brilliant, witty, and rarely afraid to tell it like it is, Cindy also has a rare insight into people’s characters and therefore a great gift for dealing with neurotic people like me in times of crises (for that matter, everyone on this list is very good at dealing with me in times of stress…which makes them all uniquely qualified for the position of my bridesmaid). From awkward proms to antisocial sororities to late nights wasting valuable study time watching Buffy the Vampire Slayer, she’s been there for rougher or for smoother. But if she shows you any incriminating video footage of me…it’s all fake! She spliced it all together! And that person dancing to “Devil went down to Georgia…it’s her, with my face blue-screened in! She’s taking the time out of law school and an already promising law career that leaves her barely the time to blog to help me prepare for all this.

Bridesmaid Bria

My main source of non- dining hall food during my sophomore year at UGA, we became friends when she started IMing me about studying together for an English class we were both in. Little did I know that that innocent first encounter with the mysterious words on the computer screen that I had met someone else so magically like and unlike myself, as well as someone passionate, compassionate, and loyal enough, to be an awesome friend, as well as an amazing support for times of relational and academic stress! She is finishing a doctorate in anthropology at Rutgers and can tell you lots and lots about engagement rings and various mating rituals.

Hotels/ Places to eat/ Stuff to do

Hotels:

Recommended:

Hampton Inn, Peachtree City
300 Westpark Drive Peachtree City, GA 30269

The Martino side of the family will be staying at the Hampton Inn. It has 2 queen-sized beds per room (so that you can more easily accomodate more people) and complimentary morning breakfast.

Also available:

Holiday Inn, Peachtree City

203 Newgate Road
Peachtree City, GA 30269

Sleep Inn, Peachtree City
(get it--"sleep in"? Just wake up in time for the wedding)
109 City Circle
Peachtree City, GA 30269


Restaurants:

Valentinos "Italians of the Carribean" Family Restaurant
460 Crosstown Road, Peachtree City, GA 30269
PH: 770- 631-7779
Favorite of the Edwards family. Specializes in Italian food, Carribean food, and any conceivable combination of the two. Recommended is the Homemade-Mozzerella tossed salad, the Chicken Française, the Rasta Pasta...and pretty much anything else on the menu. You can't go wrong. The only restaurant I know of that plays non-stop Jimmy Buffet from the 70's to the present.

Mike & C's Family Sports Grill.
1200 Hwy 74 South, Suite 14, Peachtree City, GA 30269.
PH: 770-486-1982. Right on Hwy 74.
Open Fri-Sat 8 AM - 11 PM, Sun-Thurs 8 AM - 10 PM.
The traditional Sunday breakfast spot for Mr. and Mrs. E and Mr. and Mrs. R. Tell them you know the Edwards and Richardsons, that you're in town for Miss Edwards' wedding, and maybe you'll even get a discount ?!? (but I wouldn't count on it...) See the menu at the link above.

Bruster's Ice Cream. 103 Lexington Circle. Peachtree City, GA 30269.
PH: 770-487-8131. Right on Hwy 54.
One of the BEST ice cream chains ANYWHERE. Yes, it's about 2 minutes from Holy Trinity. Mmmm...

Partner's Pizza. 215 Northlake Drive Peachtree City, GA 30269.
Right on Hwy 54. PH: 770-487-9393. Open 11 AM - 10 PM.
Weekday lunch buffet 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM
Voted Best Pizza in Coweta and Fayette Counties (not sure by whom). A truly Storied location in the history of John and Lauren...it is a tradition among the Alamari (John, Lauren, MOH Joanna and BM Tom) to eat and read there. The potato pizza in particular comes recommended from John.

Backyard Burgers. 147 Hwy 74 Peachtree City, GA 30269.
PH: (678) 777-7847

The Mellow Mushroom. 275 Highway 74 N Peachtree City, GA 30269
PH: 770-632-6018. A chain, but another good pizza option. Really fun website.

Chick-Fil-A. 707 Highway 54. Peachtree City, GA 30269.
PH: 770/487-0042. Moments from Holy Trinity, between the Hampton Inn and the church on Highway 54. If you havent' had THE Southern fast food chain, you HAVE to try it. The lemonade is the drink of choice.

Waffle House. 2100 HWY 54 E, PTC and 143 HWY 74 S., PTC.
PH: (678)364-9446 OR (770)487-7488
Hey, it'll be open no matter how late you want to eat. One right next to the church, one near the Hampton. If you've never been, another great Southern experience. DISCLAIMER: EATING WAFFLE HOUSE MAY INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF LUNG CANCER, HEART DISEASE, SALMONELLA, AND BEING A REDNECK.

And more...
Driving up and down 74 or 54 will yield a plethora more options, familiar and unusual.

Divertissements:

Golf cart rentals
Boldly explore the multi- use paths that cross this (cough) great city like a true peachtree city-an


coming soon!

Map and Directions

Rehearsal dinner address:
Southern Oaks
240 N. Jeff Davis Dr.
Fayetteville, GA 30214

Church address:
Holy Trinity Catholic Church
101 Walt Banks Road
Peachtree City, Georgia 30269

Reception address:
Glendalough Manor
200 Glendalough Court
Tyrone, Georgia 30290

From Church to Reception
Ignore the part about the bank. At the end you will actually turn right onto Dogwood Trail and then make an immediate left onto Glendalough Court. Glendalough Manor is the big stone-looking house at the end of this road, past the little gatehouse and by the gardens (can't miss it)

First post

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