Some Big Decisions

In Keith's words, blogs should be "high-action, cage fights to the death," so in an attempt to provide that to all my avid non-readers, here are some updates:

1. I like to number things. This may become a blog-theme, so watch out.

2. My mom came up last weekend and we went dress shopping, whereupon (*insert a completely underused word*) I found THE dress. It's something my mom did not expect me to like, but I thought I would instantly. Guess who was right :) Also, in a very sneaky sales tactic, the saleswoman dressing me held this one until the end, probably hoping to create some sort of "Aha" moment at the end.

I will probably post a picture of the dress, but not of myself in it, on here at some point. I can't do that yet because I haven't had "The Talk" with Keith about following instructions on this blog when I tell him not to go to specific links. If I think he will follow those instructions, then you will get to see pictures of "The Dress."b

Because I very much believe in sharing wisdom, here are some things I learned from dress shopping: a. Do NOT pay attention to size when you are trying on dresses. It's ridiculous and it will only make you feel bad. b. Bring as few people as possible. I just brought my mom, so the experience was much more relaxed than if there had been several people there. c. If you can afford it and have the time to do the research, find a smaller shop that sells gowns at the same price as the larger bridal warehouses (e.g. David's Bridal). The smaller shop will usually offer the same options for gowns, and the service is much more personal.

3. We are 99% sure of the date: March 20, 2010. We will be getting married on our nephew's 1st birthday :)

4. We are pretty sure that our reception is going to be at Soiree in Historic Downtown Pensacola. Their rates are incredibly reasonable and the space is really pretty. When I am more prepared, I will post pictures of the inside of the space. For now, you will have to use your imagination: The walls are brick, the columns and ceilings are hardwood, and the front walls are glass looking out onto the street. Very cute.

5. I found a photographer that I really like and will probably hire. Her name is Kim Sellers and she fulfills all of my criteria for a photographer: she has shot at our reception location and has a good working relationship with that vendor, she provides a full day of photography in every package, she does not force prints upon you, and, most importantly, she charges an extremely reasonable fee. Keith and I decided that we wanted a photographer that can do a range of photos from more formal, posed shots to detail-oriented, photojournalist-style shots. Kim provides both of those options. Plus, she's available on our date :)

6. I really want to be able to incorporate gardenias into the wedding or what I am wearing. Gardenias are somewhat of a family tradition - my great-grandmother had a gardenia bush in her front yard, as did my grandmother. Since my great-grandmother died about 5 years ago, before any of her great-grandchildren got married, I know it would mean a lot to my grandmother to honor her memory in some way. To that end, I would like to wear a gardenia in my hair during the wedding. Gardenias, however, are really delicate flowers and quickly change color when handled, so I doubt I will be able to wear a fresh one. I will probably scour Etsy for a handmade replica. I know my grandmother will love this, especially considering I will probably be wearing my great-grandmother's diamond earrings as my "something old."

That's enough updates for now. I don't want to post too much at a time. Suspense is a good thing!

Eh, The Beginning..

So this is where I plan to publish all of my ideas for the wedding. It is probably incredibly presumptuous of me, but if anyone wants to see the details of the wedding, this is the place to be.

I am still in the very preliminary phases of planning, but I do have some things worked out:

1. I plan to spend as little money as possible, so cost is extremely important. I think that ridiculously expensive weddings are a shameful waste and in no way a celebration of a future married life, but rather a egocentric display of self, which, in the case of weddings, is a unnecessary. That being said, there are certain things I'm willing to spend more money on, e.g. food & drink (because what would a good party be w/out these?) and photography (because photos are the only thing you have left after "the day").

2. Keith and I will be getting married in March of 2010, on either the 20th or 27th. These days bookend my Spring Break, so I will have to miss a minimal amount of classes. If we do end up getting married on that date, I have approximately 279 days left to plan this wedding. Wonderful.

3. We will definitely be getting married in St. Ann Catholic Church in Gulf Breeze, FL. It's the church Keith grew up in and it's really important to him to get married there. Also, considering he is basically giving me carte blanche on all the other details, making this concession is not going to kill me.

4. We will not be having cake. There will be some sort of dessert there, but basically all sort of cake that would be acceptable for wedding cake is gross. Also, icing is really gross. So...cheesecake, anyone?

5. We are trying to keep the number of people at the wedding to right at 100. With that many people, it's enough to feel both populated and intimate at the same time. If you've ever been to a wedding with 150+ people there, you know what I mean. Also, fewer people means less money. Food, alcohol, table rental, napkins, stemware, utensils, centerpieces, etc. costs are all affected by the number of people, so fewer people means lower costs. This, in general, is the theme of the wedding.

6. I am in contact with a couple different reception sites and photogs, but I don't want to jinx anything, so I will report on those when things are confirmed. For the most part, the reception sites are in Historic Downtown Pensacola, which is preferable.

7. I'm hungry, so I'm going to make some dinner now.