Have you seen this?

http://www.mydiyweddingday.com/

We decided to have the reception in Milwaukee and the Palm Garden at Lakefront Brewery!

We went here for a brewery tour when Chaperone played in Milwaukee last winter, and it was really fun. We have a lot of great memories from Milwaukee in general, so it feels like a great place to celebrate our marriage!

And, we're no longer going to North Carolina for the ceremony. Instead, we're going to find a pretty spot at a forest preserve near Milwaukee (we're going to go check out Wehr Nature Center in a couple months) and have the ceremony there. We're still going to be keeping it small, with just immediate family and close friends. Then, we'll all hop in a limo and head to the brewery!

I think this looks cute and simple. I can't believe Anthropologie is charging $200 for it!

Latest obsession: Costello's Old Mill

World's Ugliest Wedding Reception

Another dress:


BCBG Max Azria Ivory Sleeveless Rhinestone Cutout Dress

Ann Taylor has some pretty dresses! I couldn't grab the pictures, so here are links to them:








Strapless Silk Georgette





Juliet Gown

I still have to decide whether I should wear the same dress to the ceremony and reception.

I like the idea of potting plants in unusual containers for the table centerpieces and to display the table numbers. This is a lot simpler than making terrariums for each table, and it's more sustainable because they'll keep growing. So I will start collecting containers and potting little plants.

I'm really excited to visit White Pines on Sunday, and I hope it feels right (I'm pretty sure it will) because once we're settled on a venue, we can start focusing on the details......And the dress(es)!

Have you thought about "Engagement" invites yet? Tomorrow I'm going to look into the cost of renting a tent, table, and chairs. There's a place here in Crystal Lake that people use.

Here are two barn venues located in Michigan, just on the other side of the lake (about 2.5 hours from Chicago)

Blue Dress Barn

(once featured on Martha Steward weddings!)

I really love this site. According the the website, a lot of stuff is included. We would have to provide the food and alcohol. I like that they include the clean up afterwards. And - they have a firepit at the Millcreek location!

Millcreek Barn

This is 20 minutes away from Blue Dress Barn, and run by the same people, who I emailed.

You can view more pictures on the website.

Watch Tower Lodge at Black Hawk State Historic Site

Rock Island, IL

(I don't like these chairs, but I suppose I shouldn't be obsessed with such little details. I love the rustic feel of this space, I like the light, and I love the Indian murals! Also, it's super cheap.)

apparently, places are already starting to book for May 2012, which really freaks me out, so our number one priority is picking a venue.

Shaun and I are going to narrow it down to 3 or 4 places this weekend, and then I'll contact all of them. Here are my preliminary questions:

1. What's the cost, first and foremost.
2. How long will we have the space?
3. Are tables and chairs provided?
3. Do you have preferred vendors? And, if I don't like them, can I bring in my own?
4. Alcohol is ok, right?
5. Is set up and tear down provided by your event staff?
6. (I guess a better question is:) Do you provide event staff?

Can you think of any other specific questions I should ask?



Second priority is making sure everyone gets invited to the engagement party. I think email and facebook and phone invites are ok for that, don't you? Should I let y'all handle that?


When I see all of you next, I want to talk about the ceremony. We have an idea that will make it very interactive :)


Then...next thing...let's go dress shopping soon!!!

SEED BOMBS!

SEED BOMBS!

SEED BOMBS!

I have been obsessing over this tent all day. If I was rich I would buy it and bring it to your memorial day engagement party.

I sent an inquiry to the folks at Orchard Ridge Farms.

Reception

Ok, first of all, shame on me for not doing any work the past two days! I am really good at pretending to work, though, while I'm really just obsessing over wedding stuff. I just minimize the window real quick-like when anyone walks over by my desk.

In my obsessive perusing of wedding blogs (my blog of choice today has been green wedding shoes), I'm actually taking the time to read bride testimonials on the 'real wedding' sections. I enjoy reading the advice that the brides give. One thing I thought was interesting was the option of not serving dinner at the reception. What if it was just hors d'ouvres, desserts, and drinks? Would this be seen as cheap by our guests? (Should we care?) I feel like this would save us an incredible amount of money, especially if we make some of the food ourselves. I'm certainly not opposed to hiring a caterer, but the more things that are DIY (DITogether!), the more personalized the day will feel.

Thoughts?

An affordable J Crew dress. I would totally wear this for the beach ceremony. It's a wedding dress that doesn't feel like a wedding dress.

This J Crew dress is way too expensive, but I love the style and maybe I can keep my eye out for a used one on Once Wed.

A terrarium for each table at the reception!

This color palette for flowers is ideal. I'd like to be able to pick some of the flowers the day of, but I realize that might not be feasible - however, since it will just be the reception we're worrying about, maybe it would be possible! At any rate, I'd like to do jars for my flowers, too. Jars and bottles - clear, green, brown, blue. I'm also going to start collecting vases and bottles from thrift stores.
I like these flower garlands for the reception, the colors are perfect! I think they'd be fairly simple to make out of paper and floral wire or something..... But I'll need to enlist Alice's expertise on this.

Two dresses from the Anthropologie line that I could wear at the reception. I'm not restricting myself to white for that day. For the ceremony, I'd like to find a white or off-white dress that is reminiscent of sirens.

the search for a venue!

I love the shape of this tent.

Oscar Swan Geneva.

I've read some reviews that the owner of this place, Nina, is difficult to work with, but I guess I'll just have to go meet with her and see for myself.