Searching for the clues IV

"Sorry ma'am but we close down in November"

-front desk at the Holiday Inn

clue #5

look for a place that will stil be open next year

Searching for the clues III

"Some things are for the rich and the famous"
-my wedding planner

Well, atleast on my budget...

clue#4

look for a cheaper place

Searching for the clues II

Close to my church is the Bide-A-Wee golf course. I had high hopes with this place the golf course is so pretty. They have an on-site caterer but you have the option of bringing in an outside source. When I finally got in touch with the event manager (she is a hard lady to get in touch with) she informed me that with my guest list I would pushing the limit for a seated dinner and my date was not available :(

clue #3

look for a bigger place

Searching for the clues

The next place I looked at to have my recption was my church. The sanctuary doesn't have pews so you could remove the chairs and use it as a banquet space but they don't let anyone do that (unfortionitely, i tried). The sanctuary is really nice and can sit close to 900 people (i think) but they never expanded the fellowship hall. The fellowship hall can only sit 100 (with no room to move). No help there...

clue #2

look for a banquet hall

Let the game begin

The original plan was to have the reception in my parent's backyard. This can be a budget friendly option (if you want to be casual or have a standing reception with just cocktails and dancing) but with my vision of my reception (and guest list) it was not:


I had to have tents but I couldn't get one huge one because of the pool in the back I needed three tents to form a 'U' around the pool. ($)


I like to wear heals but they like to sink in the grass so I wanted to rent floors (usually you just have to rent the dance floors). ($$)


I also would have to rent the tables and chairs (usually you just rent the table decor). Oh yeah plates, cups, silverware, and a serving set because my mom didn't want to hire a caterer (who would come with these supplies). ($$$)


Then there was the issue of parking. My guest could park at the school and we could shuttle them to the house but then gas prices went up so even a school bus was out of the question. They are still building up my parent's neighborhood (they build streets before the houses) so my guest could park in the back of the neighborhood and I could rent golf carts or valet parkers. ($$$$)


There are extra things you could rent like sides to the tents and air condition units. ($$$$$)


You always need a plan b if there is a thunderstorm or strong wind. You can only fit so many people in the house and you have to pay whether you use a banquet hall or not. (Oh no...this is not going to work)

So off I went on a scavenger hunt for the right place

clue #1

look for a building

The word for today (yes today)

Repeat after me (repeat after me)

Motif (motif)

According to dictionary.com a motif is a distinctive and recurring form, shape, figure …

A wedding theme can be more than the color scheme; you can also have a motif. Since fall is around the corner popular motifs are fall color leaves, pine cones, oak trees …

(source)

Monogram motifs are great too, whether it’s your combine initials or just his last name initial.

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For me I didn’t want to just use the usual spring or summer motif. I also didn’t just want to use the usual monograms. These ideas inspired my motifs (but I need to meet up with a graphic designer who will make it more professional):

(source)

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She used a variation of motifs with their favorite love song, names, wedding date, and a simple flower head. I love this idea

I too want to use a variation of motifs. For the STD, wedding programs, wedding party itinerary, and welcome letter/card I will use something like this motif:

For the wedding invitation and maybe the cocktail napkins I will use something like this motif:

For the gift tags, wedding favor tags, cake topper, and maybe cocktail napkins:

I choose “Hallelujah to the King” because God deserves the honor for us meeting, dating, and getting to spend the rest of our lives together.

What is your motif(s)?

Goal: a combine guest list of 100 people for the reception

One day I wrote a guest list and came up with 285 names. Now you know how to pray for me because I can't invite them all to the reception and I'm sure Mr. Josh wants to invite people, too.


any advice? (I'm thinking list A, B, and C)

What do you think STD stands for?

In my internship we learned to use “children-ese” which is using words and phrases that children can understand. In the wedding world they have their own terms, abbreviations, and acronyms (STD) that could make your head spin if you don’t study up (or roll on the floor laughing).

STD: save the date(s)

It takes awhile to get use to reading this acronym and not laughing (or maybe for some gagging). So put on your serious cap (that is what I tell the kids) and learn on.

Mailing out (or even emailing) STD information is a great idea. They force you to make a guest list, it’s helpful for family or friends who need more than a 8 week notice, and for a family as spread out as mine (or a family that is not close) it’s nice that they get to see how Mr. Josh looks (and his family can see me).

I love magnet STD. I like this design:

Post card STD is great, too. Postage is cheaper, on the back you can write the accommodations information (that is one less insert for your invitation which means less weight), and you can make on them yourself on your computer.



STD gives couples the opportunity to show their personality. I have seen couples who enjoy playing the wii together use their miis instead of a picture of them. Couples, who love to read, write books, or full-time students would send their guest a book mark with the STD information. If you are having a destination wedding, you can send your guest STD using post cards from your destination (who would not want to get a STD with a beautiful picture of a beach). I could go on and on.

For me and Mr. Josh I tried to think of a creative STD that would show our personality. The only thing I could think of is a movie theme (a picture of us in the movies/concession stand, a movie ticket shape with our info, or a movie poster) or basketball theme (take a picture with Kevin Garnet, do you know him personally? If you do, hook us up…or take picture on the Celtic’s court, another hook up is in order for this). I have to think about it some more.

Oh yeah. In order to send out STD you have to have a solid date. Well, we don’t have a solid date we have perspectives dates:

June, 2009
September, 2009
December, 2009
March, 2010
June, 2010

I’m praying that the first date will work out (and that I will know early enough to send STD)but if it does not I have back up dates.

Have you seen an amazing and/or creative STD? If so details please.

I knew it was coming

So that night we went to the movies. I paid close attention to the advertisement the movie theater shows before the previews. I was thinking that “Miss. Meme will you marry me” would pop up on the screen or they would show a picture slide show of us then he would get down on one knee but nothing happened. We went out to eat and I just knew that he was going to ask me there because then we could watch the fireworks as a newly engaged couple. He did not propose before, during, or after the meal. We went up the mountain to a park to watch the fireworks but everyone in the city had the same idea. So the park’s small parking lot was full and so was the street that led up to the park. I was running out of patience as we are looking for a place to park. He got mad at me when I told him to park right in front of a no parking sign (please forgive me). We walked to the park and watch the fireworks. It was so pretty because you can see city lights and 3 different fireworks sites going off at the same time. I wasn’t sure if he was going to propose there because there was a lot of people (and it wasn’t the great of an atmosphere as in some people were smoking and some people were really loud). At the end of the fireworks it started to rain on the mountain. So I had to speed walk to car because I didn’t want to mess up my hair (you know I made sure to have it done). I could tell that really bothered him so I just knew that it would not happen that night. So on the way down the mountain traffic was really bad. I tried to talk to him but I was really tired so I went to sleep in the car and I thought I would wake up at his family’s house. He woke me up and we were at a pond (It wasn’t raining anymore). We walked around the pond and over a bridge to the gazebo. In the gazebo I was trying to take pictures with my cell phone but I couldn’t take any good ones because I had no flash. I think he said something like use my cell phone and I turned around. He was on one of his knees. I don’t remember everything he said before he asked me to marry him, I think because I was crying. We dated for 2 years and 5 months and we have been engaged for 2 months, 2 weeks, and 2 days.

I have a confession: I picked out my ring. So I really like my ring and yes to this day I still catch myself staring at it.


Ladies, did you pick out your ring?

Meet: My Fiance

On here we’ll call him Mr. Josh. He is a Man of God (MOG). He is also tall and handsome. He joined the Navy so in November he heads to boot camp (another cause of my wedding nightmares and I guess reality).

He is so funny, always telling jokes, and being silly. Basketball is his favorite sport (insert kamp cheer here). He is also an introvert and would prefer to stay at home and chill with family and friends (Why must you test me, Lord…just kidding). So he brings laughter to my life and I take him to the outside world.

How opposite are you from your significant other?

Meet: The Writer

I am in love with God because He first loved me (1 John 5:6). I graduate in May with my bachelor's degree! I would like to be a children's director at a church after I finish school but we'll see what God has planned (His plans are always better than mine).

I am an introvert but I do not enjoy staying home, curling up in a blanket, and reading a good book. I enjoy people and doing fun things by myself, with family, or friends.

Are you an introvert or extrovert?

Buckle Up!

I love (maybe obsessed) with reading wedding related blogs. I am here to give it a try.

Let the planning begin!