Reception search...and which Church?

Yesterday I spent a lot of time online looking at different venues. So, this weekend we should be seeing a few (I hope it does not snow!).

I also have a new approach to the vendor search. Instead of just focusing on the short list and wanting to see the place to see if I am in love with it (who has time for this anyway?!), I am just at the point of emailing and calling to find prices. Oh, and if someone emails me back, they get a "+1" because it is so much easier than having to deal with personal calls during the work day.

So, I already received a few responses with menu options. And, how did I respond? Asking if they could do something for a cheaper price to stay within our budget. Surprisingly, most came back with a revised menu!! Now, I am not saying I like the revised menu...but I am happy to see people actually are willing to work with you.

The location of the reception is one of the hardest things now. I want a place with windows, high ceilings and pretty decor. I want this place to have delicious food, and very glowing reviews from previous brides and guests. I would LOVE this also to be a place close to Downtown Brooklyn/Lower Manhattan, just because the Church I want to get married is in that vicinity. But so far.....that is not looking to good.

How do brides pick where they will have the ceremony? Based on the reception site? or do they travel far distances?

We plan to have a Catholic ceremony, so we need to get married in a Church. Yesterday I saw a few nice-looking reception sites that were located on Long Island. Now, originally I was VERY against looking at Long Island because I thought they all looked the same. But, some on the south shore are very beautiful -- and the prices are much more affordable than a Manhattan wedding. So, we will probably take a look at some soon. But, where does that leave the Church?

The distance between the Church I want to marry in and these LI reception sites can be 2-hours in traffic. That is just too much!

What is the farthest you will travel between a Church and a reception?

happy dreams and weird days

So, I woke up this morning with a big smile on my face. And, no it's not why you are thinking! (I was sleeping alone last night!) But, I did have a pleasant dream....about...wedding colors :) It was so pleasant and serene...and, well, it just made me happy!

Of course that feeling didn't last too long...as I realized I was running late for work. So, of course I did get in late. And apparently the BIG BIG BOSS MAN was looking for something for a 9am meeting. YIKES! Needless to say, I was not a very happy camper until about lunch!!

Well, tonight is the office holiday party. Honestly, I wish I didn't have to go. I am just not in the mood! Big J will be meeting me and we will go together. I guess it will be okay....this is the first time the office staff meets Big J. Uggghhh. I can only imagine what questions they will ask.

Just as an FYI - I have been in this job for a little over 11 months, and I feel so antisocial. Which is strange, because my last two jobs I was very social -- and still got my work done. I am thinking I am still adjusting, so we will see. We moved offices about 3x since I started, so I think that has an effect on my office vibe and environment.

But, good news, we are officially settled in our new offices (they were being created for us). Soooo....I guess now is the perfect time to start being more social. THANK GOODNESS BIG J IS COMING. I am so impressed at how good he is at small talk and stuff sometimes!

Alrighty, wish me luck. I hope I am not the first one going to the wine bottle! :-)

update, update

Okay. So last week I casually asked my friend, and she said she is good to be BM. In fact, she forgot that we previously spoke about it. Ugh. So I felt kind of stupid for bringing it up again. But, whatever.

More updates....we saw two venues this week. Well, actually 3 if you consider a restaurant that is also known to handle weddings. Only 1 is staying on the list. I will give more reviews in later posts.

As for now, I am the last one left at work. I have a stack of papers on my desk that have been getting dusty!!! Ugghhh...time to tackle that....uugghhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Asking my bridal party (Part I)

Tootles...

Frugal is the new "Black"

I heard this quote a few weeks ago during an interview National Public Radio, and I thought it was such a classic phrase - especially given the financial state our country is in now.

Well, I was quickly reminded by this phrase when tonight I came home to relatively bare cupboards.  But, instead of going out to buy dinner or a few other wish-things I thought of (get pedicure, get car washed, buy new undies), I stayed home.  I thought, "I shouldn't be spending money."  

Do all future brides go through this? And how long does it last?  I know, I know...it's important to save and to think twice before splurging.  Especially given the....recession (there, i said it!) we are in.  

But, I still feel a bit saddened that my toes are left un-pampered and my white car has been taking on a shade of light grey.....

The Baby Memo

Perhaps it's just me...but now that people know we are engaged, aside from asking the obvious question of "when is the date?" to which we answer, "we don't know...", we are now hearing people talk more about when we will be having babies.

Umm, did I miss a step hear? not read the morning memo? or did time just fast forward a few years?

I mean, we don't even have a date set. Why would people even think to ask about when we will start procreating?

Do I look old or something? haha. perhaps they hear the "clock" that I dont?

Anyway, I figured on a cold, cold Monday this might be a good post.

Hello Blog; Good-bye Work.

I just realized that tomorrow is Friday. OMG. Where did the week go? Is this an early symptom of a Bridezilla? Yikes. I sure hope not. But, I must say that my mind has been a bit preoccupied this week...reading posts on wedding sites, like indiebride, and other blogs. It has been fun. But, the work is still piled on my desk.

Arg. I hope I can channel my inner student and pull out a work-cram-fest tomorrow.... We shall see.

The Easter Bunny bumped me

So, Big J and I have been considering a March 2010 wedding for a few reasons:

1. Anything sooner will probably be stressful to plan within 12 months. (We are also looking at buying a place to live; he needs to study for a big certification test coming up this Spring; and I need to seriously commit back to my gym routine before I start dress shopping!)
2. It is hopefully after any snow falls in NY, and spring is beginning to arrive.
3. We both are not feeling summer weddings because of the heat and bugs (I hate bugs!!)
4. March is before the official "wedding season" starts in April, so it is a bit more affordable.

But, I just realized yesterday that in 2010, Easter is in early April. Which means that in the Catholic church, March is during Lent. During Lent, most Catholic church traditions do not approve of weddings and/or celebrations during this time. Easter is the most important date in the Catholic calendar, and the period of forty-days before are a time of solemn reflection.

We have not yet spoken to my/his Church to see if they would be unwilling to do it. But, from what I have seen online, even if a church wedding takes place during Lent, the rest of the celebration should take the Lenten season into account. For example, it is suggested that meat/poultry dishes are not served in observance of those fasting.

So, I am not even sure if we will ask our churches. I am so confused!

Anyway, if we do follow the idea of no weddings during Lent, then this leaves us with either before February 17th or after April 4th. And, since April is the beginning of wedding season, I am sure we will soon learn of a price difference.

But do I want to be a February bride? Valentine's Day falls on a Sunday in 2010, so if we were to have the wedding on the 13th would I be ruining plans for anyone who maybe wanting to plan a Valentine's weekend? And, what about a few years back when NYC got the "Valentine's Day snowstorm." I am not sure I could handle having a big storm on our wedding day.

I am clueless...any ideas?

"You won a honeymoon!"...

...Ok, but seriously, what is the catch, right? I wonder how many brides-to-be get that random call saying that there name was pulled at random in a lottery drawing that they don't remembering entering. As I mentioned yesterday, I have been engaged for a little over two months now, and I've already received two of these phone calls.

And, no, they swear it is not a timeshare...instead its a cookware show. Just sit for 90 minutes, taste some food which will be cooked during the presentation, and if you want you can buy. But no strings attached. And in return...an all-inclusive paid vacation to the Caribbean!

Well, the first call/invitation I got, my fiance and I planned on going. But it was out of our way that day, we figured that there must be a catch, and we didn't bother going. About two days after cancelling on that first show, RING, RING...there is an invitation for another show! This time, a different company (or is it?) and a slightly different prize.

It was after work on a weeknight, instead of during the weekend, so this time we actually did go. The presentation started at 8:30 last night. First, thank goodness we ate dinner beforehand and did not count on tasting all those free samples that would be provided by the "chef." The free sample was some steamed carrots...and they didn't even offer that till after 10PM at night!

I must say though, the cookware did look interesting. But, I am not a fan of the high-pressure sales tactics and scare-tactics that they used. The sales angle was buy TODAY for the discount. If you don't buy today you will never get the discount again. My and my fiance, "big J," did talk it over quite seriously for a few minutes. But, we didn't know anything about the company. And, I, an admitted Google-lover, wanted to research this further. After all, it is probably not a great idea for a few THOUSAND dollar purchase to solely rely on a sales person in a 90-minute live "infomercial" as the only source of information. We even asked if there was like a 24-hour cancellation policy in case I did do research and decided i didn't want it. Well, that question was not received well...so we declined.

As for the "door prizes"....so far it looks like a bunch of I.O.U's that we need to mail out and wait for vouchers and such to get mailed back to us. I will do it. What is $0.42 postage compared to the 90+ minutes I already wasted?

How many other people have gotten these calls? Did you go? Did you buy anything? And...most importantly...any luck with the FREE vacation and other door prizes??

Of course, I will post an update if anything noteable happens to show up at my doorstep....

I think it's time to start blogging..

Okay, so I have seen the wedding shows on all the pro-estrogen channels over the past few years, and I wonder:

• when did planning a wedding take on such a negative image?
• when does a bride-to-be become a "bridezilla"?
• and how much planning is too much planning?

Basically, my loving fiancé popped the question to my complete surprise (I knew it was coming...just had NO CLUE when!) on September 20, 2008. And, here it is...eary December...and we have not done any planning.

Shortly after we got engaged there was a bridal show, sponsored by a local radio station, that offered a chance to win a fully paid for wedding. So, of course, we attended. Unfortunately, we did not win. So, the planning must begin...

And, since then I have been receiving postcards and catalogs in the mail. It took me about a month of acquiring this mail to suck it up and head over to Staples to buy a binder to begin organizing this information.

Sure, organization is good, right? And it is necessary when planning any type of large event, right? But, in the back of my mind...i feel like I am a snowball picking up speed...and more catalogs, more details, and more planning...may eventually turn me into a bridezilla. eek.

So, I have decided to start this blog. To document the entire process, and to hopefully keep myself in check and far away from the "B-Z" labelling.

We'll see how it goes...