- The Dallas Arboretum
- Hickory Street Annex
- Winfrey Point
- Marie Gabrielle Restaurant and Gardens
- Crow Collection of Asian Art
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Venue progress
B and I sat down for 2 hours this evening and narrowed down the venue list. We are calling on the following spots. Drumroll please...
Thursday, May 20, 2010
Marie Gabrielle Restaurant and Gardens
I found another spot today while trolling around some wedding blogs. Marie Gabrielle Restaurant and Gardens looks awesome...if only we weren't on such a budget. I think it's worth calling to get a quote at least. From what I understand the food is awesome and it's a really beautiful place. They also throw in free parking which is nice since it's basically downtown.
Some fun stuff
With all the headaches of assembling the guest list and trying to find a venue sight unseen, I decided to do something a little more fun. I started to build our wedding website!
I got a few website programs on Weddingbee and decided to try out Google Sites. It is SO EASY! You can either use templates and then customize it to your liking, or you can start from scratch. Since I'm not a talented crafty "bee", I went the template route and I like it! It's not the most amazing website, but it looks good and serves it's purpose. And it took me about 20 minutes to put together!
Now if only I had all the details to fill in, I would post the link here. *Sigh*
I got a few website programs on Weddingbee and decided to try out Google Sites. It is SO EASY! You can either use templates and then customize it to your liking, or you can start from scratch. Since I'm not a talented crafty "bee", I went the template route and I like it! It's not the most amazing website, but it looks good and serves it's purpose. And it took me about 20 minutes to put together!
Now if only I had all the details to fill in, I would post the link here. *Sigh*
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
More venues...
Ugh, this venue thing is a headache! Especially when you can't see the places in person.
We've solicited some more Dallas friends to send some more ideas, so I have another long list to go through. Add to that all the crazy ideas my parents come forward with. They actually said they were going to book a place yesterday. What? Without discussing with me first? I swear, they're going to drive me cuckoo!!! Of course I did some research last night and almost every single review I read warned not to have a wedding there. UGH.
So here are some more spots:
Dallas Woman's Forum
Dallas Art Center
Dallas World Acquarium
Fair Park
The Women's Museum
Hall of State
Arlington Hall in Lee Park
Aldredge House
Crow Collection of Asian Art
Hickory Street Annex
Belo Mansion
We've solicited some more Dallas friends to send some more ideas, so I have another long list to go through. Add to that all the crazy ideas my parents come forward with. They actually said they were going to book a place yesterday. What? Without discussing with me first? I swear, they're going to drive me cuckoo!!! Of course I did some research last night and almost every single review I read warned not to have a wedding there. UGH.
So here are some more spots:
Dallas Woman's Forum
Dallas Art Center
Dallas World Acquarium
Fair Park
The Women's Museum
Hall of State
Arlington Hall in Lee Park
Aldredge House
Crow Collection of Asian Art
Hickory Street Annex
Belo Mansion
Sunday, May 16, 2010
The big ticket item
Without fail, the biggest expense is the venue and since we're probably going to pay for most of the wedding ourselves, I am trying to find budget-conscious options.
I know that B wants something outdoors. Not so easy in Texas, but doable. It certainly won't be some fairytale ceremony on the beach with the sunset in the background, but I think that is okay. We're simple people and like the outdoors and a natural setting. Ideally, I would like a venue that would allow us to bring in our own caterers and alcohol. We can definitely save money there too.
So with the help of a very close high school friend, I have some venues to look into:
Winfrey Point at White Rock Lake (for both ceremony & reception) - you need some imagination based on the following pics, but I think it could be really beautiful
The Arboretum (for either ceremony or ceremony & reception)
Fort Worth Botanical Gardens
Zander's House (for the reception only)
Winfrey Point is now a front-runner for me. I haven't shared the idea with B as yet, as Dandy just sent the idea to me last night, but it looks perfect. It's an older building set by the lake. The ceremony can be held outside, but if weather is an issue, it can be moved inside. And the reception area is a blank canvas - just one big open space. A big plus is that you can use your own caterers and bring your own alcohol as long as you follow certain rules. The biggest problem is that it will be a lot of work since you do all the decorating, catering, etc...And I understand the kitchen facilities are not adequate. So we'll see...
I hope B likes it and we can start making some calls. At some point we'll need to run down to Dallas to have a look at these places. I don't like the idea of planning things sight-unseen.
I know that B wants something outdoors. Not so easy in Texas, but doable. It certainly won't be some fairytale ceremony on the beach with the sunset in the background, but I think that is okay. We're simple people and like the outdoors and a natural setting. Ideally, I would like a venue that would allow us to bring in our own caterers and alcohol. We can definitely save money there too.
So with the help of a very close high school friend, I have some venues to look into:
Winfrey Point at White Rock Lake (for both ceremony & reception) - you need some imagination based on the following pics, but I think it could be really beautiful
The Arboretum (for either ceremony or ceremony & reception)
Fort Worth Botanical Gardens
Zander's House (for the reception only)
Winfrey Point is now a front-runner for me. I haven't shared the idea with B as yet, as Dandy just sent the idea to me last night, but it looks perfect. It's an older building set by the lake. The ceremony can be held outside, but if weather is an issue, it can be moved inside. And the reception area is a blank canvas - just one big open space. A big plus is that you can use your own caterers and bring your own alcohol as long as you follow certain rules. The biggest problem is that it will be a lot of work since you do all the decorating, catering, etc...And I understand the kitchen facilities are not adequate. So we'll see...
I hope B likes it and we can start making some calls. At some point we'll need to run down to Dallas to have a look at these places. I don't like the idea of planning things sight-unseen.
To invite or not to invite...
According to my All-In-One Wedding Planner from Google Docs, I am supposed to assemble my guest list first because it is the biggest driver of the wedding budget. Easier said than done.
My list and B's list were easy. We have only so many close friends. The parents lists are more complicated, particularly my parents. You see, they expect to invite every single person they know, anyone who has invited them to their or their child's weddings, and of course anyone that they have ever talked to. Ever. In my dad's words, Tradition = Family Pride. What does this mean??!!?? So I have had to control this process closely and asked my parents to compile their list with priority rankings. If you don't make the A-List, you probably will not be getting an invitation (but I didn't tell them that part). 'Nuff said.
The wedding planner formula goes something like this:
80% that you invite will show up
10% of those that said they would show up will actually not show up
I don't know what this means. Lets put real numbers to this. Say we want to invite 100 guests (in reality it will be more, but this makes for easy math. As Professor Granoff says, it's a pedagogical example). Okay, back to the example. 80 of them will show up. But then 8 of them won't show up? Or 80 of them will come. Period. And ~90 people will RSVP that they will come, but 9 or so won't so we're back to 80 people? Oh gosh, confusing. I think these are 2 separate rules. I can think of so many ways this doesn't work. I guess I will be counting RSVPs carefully.
As it is, not including the parents lists, we are at 85 guests plus their +1s. We considered not doing +1, but having been a single guest at a wedding where I didn't know very many people, I would have appreciated bringing a companion along. Maybe we should reconsider. Needless to say, I think we are going to have to pair this down significantly, especially after my mom's email saying she was "only going to invite 100 of her closest friends". And I guarantee every single one of them will show up for the free food. :) EEK. Let the chopping begin!!
My list and B's list were easy. We have only so many close friends. The parents lists are more complicated, particularly my parents. You see, they expect to invite every single person they know, anyone who has invited them to their or their child's weddings, and of course anyone that they have ever talked to. Ever. In my dad's words, Tradition = Family Pride. What does this mean??!!?? So I have had to control this process closely and asked my parents to compile their list with priority rankings. If you don't make the A-List, you probably will not be getting an invitation (but I didn't tell them that part). 'Nuff said.
The wedding planner formula goes something like this:
80% that you invite will show up
10% of those that said they would show up will actually not show up
I don't know what this means. Lets put real numbers to this. Say we want to invite 100 guests (in reality it will be more, but this makes for easy math. As Professor Granoff says, it's a pedagogical example). Okay, back to the example. 80 of them will show up. But then 8 of them won't show up? Or 80 of them will come. Period. And ~90 people will RSVP that they will come, but 9 or so won't so we're back to 80 people? Oh gosh, confusing. I think these are 2 separate rules. I can think of so many ways this doesn't work. I guess I will be counting RSVPs carefully.
As it is, not including the parents lists, we are at 85 guests plus their +1s. We considered not doing +1, but having been a single guest at a wedding where I didn't know very many people, I would have appreciated bringing a companion along. Maybe we should reconsider. Needless to say, I think we are going to have to pair this down significantly, especially after my mom's email saying she was "only going to invite 100 of her closest friends". And I guarantee every single one of them will show up for the free food. :) EEK. Let the chopping begin!!
Saturday, May 15, 2010
Desperation calls
If it were up to us, we would elope. At most, we would have a destination wedding surrounded by close family and friends. But alas, my parents are DESPERATE to throw a wedding. You see, both of my older brothers eloped the first time around and I am the last hope to have a wedding to repay their friends for all the weddings they have attended over the last 35 years. It's silly, I know, but I do want to do this for them. What that means is that both parties are going to have to compromise. At the moment, what it's looking like is a small intimate ceremony for us and a big reception for my parents. I think that's fair, don't you? So, to answer those 2 pesky questions...
Do you know where it's going to be?
I've given into my parents wishes and we're going to get married in Dallas. They are getting on in years and travel will be difficult for them. So although I haven't lived in Dallas since I was 18 years old, I am willing to do this for them. The problem that arises is planning the darned thing from NYC. Thank goodness for the internet! What did people do before the internet??
Have you set a date?
The answer to this is still no, but we at least have a little bit more direction now that we have a city. We would like to get married sooner rather than later -- I mean, let's be honest, I'm no spring chicken! So our considerations are:
Do you know where it's going to be?
I've given into my parents wishes and we're going to get married in Dallas. They are getting on in years and travel will be difficult for them. So although I haven't lived in Dallas since I was 18 years old, I am willing to do this for them. The problem that arises is planning the darned thing from NYC. Thank goodness for the internet! What did people do before the internet??
Have you set a date?
The answer to this is still no, but we at least have a little bit more direction now that we have a city. We would like to get married sooner rather than later -- I mean, let's be honest, I'm no spring chicken! So our considerations are:
- Timing - can we pull something together in 6 months? Or will waiting a year allow us to plan something nicer with less stress?
- Weather - in Texas, if you wait 10 minutes the weather will change...at least that's what people say. Judging by the winter they just had, Texas is getting colder, so I don't want to chance a winter wedding. Also, for those of us traveling from less sunny climates, I don't want to get stuck at the airport for my own wedding! And a summer wedding in Dallas? Fuhgeddaboudit! So that leaves FALL and SPRING, just like everyone else planning a wedding in Texas.
- Venue - will we be able to find a place with availability given the above constraints?
Friday, May 14, 2010
Let the planning begin!
My head has been all over the place these days. Forget enjoying the glow of being newly engaged. As soon as you tell someone, inevitably the first question is "So have you set a date?" Ummmm, no, we just got engaged. "Do you know where it's going to be?" Ummmm, no, we just got engaged.
So it's been about 3 weeks now and about all I have done is bought a handful of wedding magazines that all more or less tell you the same things and of course post photos of beautiful (and expensive) weddings that make you think you really really really need to have those super cute wedding favors. I guess it's time to start making decisions!
In a word, planning a wedding is OVERWHELMING. Hopefully this blog and the amazing wedding planning templates on Google Docs will help me stay focused and organized!!
So it's been about 3 weeks now and about all I have done is bought a handful of wedding magazines that all more or less tell you the same things and of course post photos of beautiful (and expensive) weddings that make you think you really really really need to have those super cute wedding favors. I guess it's time to start making decisions!
In a word, planning a wedding is OVERWHELMING. Hopefully this blog and the amazing wedding planning templates on Google Docs will help me stay focused and organized!!
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