And the rest is HISTORY

Our first date in Bridgehampton led to many more. Dinners, beach BBQ's, and movies are just to name a few. While working in the Restaurant biz and Matt in the Marina biz, we rarely saw each other that first summer. He would meet me at Citta after closing on a Saturday night for a cocktail and then we would spend all day together on Sunday. Other than that, our lives revolved around work. After a long summer of late nights and early mornings I had finally taken Matt up on his offer to move in.

It was the end of September and I was packing my things and making airline reservations for Matt and I to head to South Carolina to retrieve my belongings from storage. Matt's parents had been by the house numerous times to help rummage through some of Matt's "pre-Ryann" belongings. About 10 dump trips later we were ready for paint and off to the airport. (I might add that when making the airline reservations, I had mistakenly made the flight for the evening!! So when we showed up at the airport (LaGuardia no less) at 6:00 in the morning, we were a BIT early! Luckily Matt told a little white lie about a relative and we were able to get on the flight!).

After a long ride back to East Hampton in an 18 wheeler (another one of my mistakes!) and only one traffic ticket, I was ready to move my stuff in. Matt was exhausted from all the driving, so I started unpacking. It took a few days, but all in all it was a successful move... with just a FEW "bumps" in the road.

After living together for 6 months and dating for about a year, we got engaged in April. We had actually picked out the ring together, but I wasn't able to see it after we left the store and until the proposal. It was Carole's 50th Birthday party and before going to Fiddlers Cove, Matt told me that there were more whale sightings off Main Beach. So we headed off to town to check it out. To my surprise, there were no whales, BUT my best friend got down on one knee and proposed on the beach. It was beautiful and totally UNEXPECTED.

We started planning a wedding for that September! Only 6 months away. We found a spot in Montauk, off Camp Hero State Park, that was perfect. On the Bluffs, overlooking the Atlantic is where we exchanged our vows. It was the HOTTEST day of the year, but that was okay for me seeing that we came hours away from getting hit by a Tropical Storm (I believe it was Ophelia)! All of our Friends and Family gathered at East Hampton Marina for an afternoon of eating, drinking and dancing; The perfect way to begin the rest of our lives together...

Our Journey begins with a few Margarita's and a Blue Parrot

(Picture to the left is the infamous "Blue Parrot" Restaurant and Bar).

Matt and I met about 9 months after I had moved back to East Hampton to be with my family.

I had finished College (after 5 years and a transfer to the "dirty" south!) and came back to EH for a summer of relaxation and to make some quick $$. As the summer came to a close and I began to plan my return trip down south, I came into some very interesting job offers. While working in the Restaurant at East Hampton Point, where I had been employed for 7 summers prior, the Cottage office was in dire need of an extra hand with Hotel bookings throughout the fall and winter seasons; And the company had another restaurant in the works (which would later be named Citta Nuova) and was looking for some immediate help during the first few weeks of opening. Needless to say, my trip back to South Carolina was put on hold.

While employed at the cottage office, I was also working part time at the local Tanning Salon, hostessing on weekends and helping my Aunt transport her children to and from school and extra-curricular activities. One of my customers at the Tanning Salon said that she had someone she wanted me to meet.... HE actually wouldn't agree to be set up with me until he saw a picture. (I guess Miss Match Maker has failed in the past! Lucky Me!). So with one click of a camera, we were meeting at The Blue Parrot (which is now gone, and has been bought by Ralph Lauren), AND to top it off, it was Karaoke night! I had a Margarita or two in Sag Harbor before arriving, so I only stayed long enough to swap phone numbers, and listen to Matt's Rendition of "Friends in Low Places". (There was also this great Lynard Skynard cover band playing at the Talkhouse, and I couldn't miss that... seeing I was the Talkhouse JUNKIE that winter!). We made a date for the following week.