Your Love is Like a Roller Coaster Baby Baby!

Yup, that's the song that has been playing in my head for the past couple days... Wedding planning, with all it's uncertainties, family obligations, and ridiculous budgets is like a freakin' roller coaster!

We've been planning all along to get married at the Sheraton Anaheim.



How can you not love the English garden courtyard and white gazebo? Plus the Mr. and I stayed there on our first vacation together, and it's a great hotel close to Disneyland. Then I started figuring out our budget using Southern California vendors and including the things that matter most to each of us: gorgeous flowers and Chaivari chairs for me and prime rib for him. Really is that to much to ask? I stopped planning when I estimated $20,000 and just about gave myself an aneurysm... Since we're paying for this wedding ourselves, and I will be quitting my job to start grad school the same summer we get married, we have got to find a cheaper way to do this!

This past weekend the Mr. and I had the brilliant (and stress induced) idea to get married on October 18th. As in two and a half months from now. At an Elvis chapel.

That lasted for about a day before I realized that I was close to tears from the thought of not being able to have at least bits and pieces of the wedding that I want. We talked things over like a good soon to be married couple, and decided that getting married in Las Vegas wouldn't be so bad if we could find a budget friendly, yet classy place to do it.

Now the venue search continues...

Yes, I'm a Nerd, but...

Is this not the most adorable vintage schoolhouse? I would love to be married on these front steps with the crisp autumn air and changing trees!


Huffaker Schoolhouse from Flickr
The best part is that it is in a county park and the rental fee is nominal. Oh how I wish that I could plan an autumn wedding! I just don't think polka dots and white organza would fit very well...

Midsummer Glamour

One of my earliest memories growing up is of attending a wedding reception in a beautiful white ranch house with acres of rolling grass and a string quartet playing in the courtyard. Talking to my mother the other day, she guessed that I must have only been two or three at the time, but apparently it made quite an impression because I've always felt that string quartets and garden receptions are the height of elegance and sophistication. Fast forward twenty-something years and I have the opportunity to book that same venue. I think an evening cocktail reception in the courtyard and dancing to a jazz orchestra in the large main room would be perfect. Butter yellow and gray have a sophisticated, yet whimsical quality that's perfect for a garden scattered with candlelight... Throw in a few vintage touches and I think we might have a wedding that is uniquely us.


Photo credits: Style Me Pretty, The Lettered Olive, Martha Stewart Weddings, Style Me Pretty, Martha Stewart Weddings, Arriella Chezar tables, After Six dress, monogram cake(???)