This week we got a lot accomplished! We have sent in the contracts and deposits for Phipps, the caterer and the DJ! We should be receiving the contract from the ceremony musicians (a quartet: violin, viola, cello and flute) soon. We have contacted multiple photographers and are setting up meetings to see their albums.
I have set up my first appointment to go dress shopping with my roommates, Dorann, Vas and Jen. Our appointment is at Alfred Angelo (the only bridal shop in State College) on Saturday at 3:00 PM.This will be a warm-up round before I try on more dresses in Cleveland over Spring Break (March 7-16).
Friday, February 29, 2008
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
Chapter 19: Flashback
How we met...
Once upon a time, there was a girl named Lauren and a boy named Joe (they did not know each other...yet). They were both sophomores majoring in business at Penn State University.
It was October 31, 2005 (Halloween) when Joe and Lauren met. Lauren, dressed up as the Human Torch, went out with a few of her friends from her Freshman year dorms. Joe, dressed up as Space Ghost, and a few of his friends met up with some of his high school friends who happened to be the same friends Lauren was out with. What a coincidence. It was superhero love at first sight. Well...not exactly.
For the next 6 months they hung out and became very good friends. They watched TV shows together, had class together, occasionally went to dinner and frequently saw each other on the weekends. Things finally fell into place at the end of the semester. Joe and Lauren started "officially" dating on May 1st, 2006 and are still going strong. And now they are planning to get married and live happily ever after.
The End.
Once upon a time, there was a girl named Lauren and a boy named Joe (they did not know each other...yet). They were both sophomores majoring in business at Penn State University.
It was October 31, 2005 (Halloween) when Joe and Lauren met. Lauren, dressed up as the Human Torch, went out with a few of her friends from her Freshman year dorms. Joe, dressed up as Space Ghost, and a few of his friends met up with some of his high school friends who happened to be the same friends Lauren was out with. What a coincidence. It was superhero love at first sight. Well...not exactly.
For the next 6 months they hung out and became very good friends. They watched TV shows together, had class together, occasionally went to dinner and frequently saw each other on the weekends. Things finally fell into place at the end of the semester. Joe and Lauren started "officially" dating on May 1st, 2006 and are still going strong. And now they are planning to get married and live happily ever after.
The End.
Monday, February 25, 2008
Chapter 18: Your Opinion Counts
We would like you to help us decide on some aspects of our wedding. When we come to a decision that we are unsure about we will post a poll on the right side of the blog. Please give us your input!
Joe and I are trying to decide on a color scheme. We like having a black and white (or ivory - depending on the shade of my dress) and then we would like an accent color for the flowers, invitations, etc. Let us know what color you think would best fit our wedding! If there is a color that is not listed in the poll, post a comment!
Joe and I are trying to decide on a color scheme. We like having a black and white (or ivory - depending on the shade of my dress) and then we would like an accent color for the flowers, invitations, etc. Let us know what color you think would best fit our wedding! If there is a color that is not listed in the poll, post a comment!
Sunday, February 24, 2008
Chapter 17: Vista
We wanted to share this photograph taken this weekend. This is the view from the back deck of our house!
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Chapter 16: Productivity
Today has probably been the most productive day of our entire wedding planning experience so far. We woke up bright and early at 7am to give us enough of a safety net to get to Pittsburgh with inclement weather. It turned out the roads were much better than expected, so we were early for our 9:30 appointment with Chris from Guardian. As we mentioned in a previous blog, he is the one who is going to set up the security, central vacuum, and whole house audio system. We walked through the house discussing where various things were going to go, like the speakers for the audio system and what windows and doors needed security. After signing the paper work (and Chris's continual talking), we had to rush over to our next appointment.
We met my mom and Megan for our 11 am appointment with Rania's assistant caterer. There we got some free lunch and were able to sample some of her food. We all had a few different kinds of chicken and a delicious piece of chocolate cake. We also discussed linens, cakes, etc. and decided we really liked their service so we reserved them for our wedding.
Next, we went to our 1:30 appointment with the florist, Allison McGeary. This was a husband and wife team, collectively called McGeary Creative. What is special about their service is that they provide design ideas along with their floral expertise. They asked a lot questions to get a feel for what we wanted and they seemed to have some good, creative ideas. Overall, we really liked them as well and are most likely going with them.
Our most important meeting was at 3:30 at Phipps Conservatory. The conservatory was packed with people because it was the last weekend for the Chihuly glass exhibit, and everyone was cramming it in at the last second. Luckily, our Phipps representative, Ansley, was able to have us bypass all the lines. We took a nice walk around the tropical forest room and special events hall, with Ansley answering all of our questions and helping us envision the layout. After we completed our walk through, we agreed to finalize the reservation and booked Phipps.
Tomorrow we are stopping at a Bridal Showcase just outside of Pittsburgh before we head back to State College. Good weekend!
We met my mom and Megan for our 11 am appointment with Rania's assistant caterer. There we got some free lunch and were able to sample some of her food. We all had a few different kinds of chicken and a delicious piece of chocolate cake. We also discussed linens, cakes, etc. and decided we really liked their service so we reserved them for our wedding.
Next, we went to our 1:30 appointment with the florist, Allison McGeary. This was a husband and wife team, collectively called McGeary Creative. What is special about their service is that they provide design ideas along with their floral expertise. They asked a lot questions to get a feel for what we wanted and they seemed to have some good, creative ideas. Overall, we really liked them as well and are most likely going with them.
Our most important meeting was at 3:30 at Phipps Conservatory. The conservatory was packed with people because it was the last weekend for the Chihuly glass exhibit, and everyone was cramming it in at the last second. Luckily, our Phipps representative, Ansley, was able to have us bypass all the lines. We took a nice walk around the tropical forest room and special events hall, with Ansley answering all of our questions and helping us envision the layout. After we completed our walk through, we agreed to finalize the reservation and booked Phipps.
Tomorrow we are stopping at a Bridal Showcase just outside of Pittsburgh before we head back to State College. Good weekend!
Thursday, February 21, 2008
Chapter 15: Change
We have mainly been addressing house and wedding issues, but this post we wanted to talk about school and work. Although wedding plans have been consuming most of our thoughts, school is still on going and sometimes it feels as though it takes the back burner. Joe and I both have a pretty light load, which is nice for our last semester. We graduate in May and our situation feels different from most of our friends who are searching for jobs or applying to graduate school. Joe and I will be working for Cityzens, a year old real estate group in the Mount Washington area. There is so much change going on in such a short period of time.
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Chapter 14: Moving Forward
Joe and I have been moving forward with our search for vendors. We have contacted at least two different vendors for catering, ceremony music, DJs and florists. We have heard back from all of them and have started to narrow down which vendors we like best.
We are making a trip to Pittsburgh this weekend and we have three meetings set up:
The only difficulty we are having right now, is in finding a DJ. The first DJ we were interested in was already booked on September 13th. We have continued searching but many of the websites are corny. It is hard to judge how a DJ will perform without having already heard/seen them play. I guess we will hope to get a good vibe from one of them and hope for the best!
We are making a trip to Pittsburgh this weekend and we have three meetings set up:
- We are meeting with Rania Harris for catering. I've talked to her via email and on the phone; she has seemed very nice and professional.
- We are meeting with Allison McGeary. She is a florist and specializes in event design. She has a very impressive website.
- We are meeting with Ansley Santarcangelo from Phipps to look at the venue one final time and possibly even sign some contracts to make it permanent!
The only difficulty we are having right now, is in finding a DJ. The first DJ we were interested in was already booked on September 13th. We have continued searching but many of the websites are corny. It is hard to judge how a DJ will perform without having already heard/seen them play. I guess we will hope to get a good vibe from one of them and hope for the best!
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Chapter 13: House Amenities
Joe and I have decided to add a few extra amenities to the house and it is a convenient time since the dry wall has not yet been hung. We are using Guardian Protection for our security system and found out that they can also install central vacuum system and whole house audio system. The central vac will be a great addition to the house since we do not have a place to store a vacuum on the first floor. It would be a pain to lug a vacuum from the basement to the first floor. It may have even deterred us from cleaning as often. Joe loves music so he will really enjoy being able to play the music from his iPod anywhere in the house. Hopefully they will be able to install all of the systems and hang the dry wall in two to four weeks. We're excited to see the dry wall up since the interior of the house will really take form. We look forward to decisions about cabinets, flooring and eventually appliances...
Friday, February 15, 2008
Chapter 12: <3
To start out the Valentine's Day, I woke up at 7:01 AM. Joe has an 8:00 class on Tuesdays and Thursdays so I decided to surprise him with a Dunkin Donuts hot chocolate and a card. After that I told him I wanted to rest while he went to class. However, this was deceitful because my real plan was to decorate his room! I hung hearts from the ceiling, blew up 12 red and pink balloons, and scattered 50 tea candles and assorted chocolate hearts around the room. I also made banana bread which came out of the oven a few minutes before Joe returned from class.
Joe returned with a coffee from my favorite cafe and a dozen red roses! He was surprised to see his room covered in pink and red. We enjoyed some warm banana bread but I couldn't stay long since I had class.
This all seems nice, but the following was the highlight of Valentine's Day! During Joe's last class, he had a surprise visit: a singing telegram! Eight men from "the dreamers" a capella group brought Joe a single red rose and sung him "Unchained Melody" during the middle of his English class. Meanwhile, my roommate, Vas, and I stood outside the classroom door listening. We wish we could have seen Joe's face.
To end the day, Joe treated me to a lovely dinner at the Tarragon Restaurant in the Atherton Hotel and then we watched The Notebook. Overall, it was a wonderful Valentine's Day!
Joe returned with a coffee from my favorite cafe and a dozen red roses! He was surprised to see his room covered in pink and red. We enjoyed some warm banana bread but I couldn't stay long since I had class. This all seems nice, but the following was the highlight of Valentine's Day! During Joe's last class, he had a surprise visit: a singing telegram! Eight men from "the dreamers" a capella group brought Joe a single red rose and sung him "Unchained Melody" during the middle of his English class. Meanwhile, my roommate, Vas, and I stood outside the classroom door listening. We wish we could have seen Joe's face.
To end the day, Joe treated me to a lovely dinner at the Tarragon Restaurant in the Atherton Hotel and then we watched The Notebook. Overall, it was a wonderful Valentine's Day!
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Chapter 11: 7 months
As long as Joe and I do not change our minds again, we will be getting married just in 7 months! This brings us to the realization that we have a lot to do in a small amount of time! Choosing specific vendors (catering, flowers, photography, etc.) needs to be done soon!
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
Chapter 10: 95% sure
After our last post, you would have thought that we would have chosen either Mooreland Mansion or Manakiki Ballroom. But, no, we are keeping you guessing. We have not gone with Option A: Mooreland or Option B: Manakiki, we are going with Option C: Phipps Conservatory! Yesterday we were contacted by the Phipps representative who informed us that there was an availability for September 13th. We now have this date on hold until we visit it on the 23rd. We are about 95% sure that this is the venue!
We decided that Phipps was "the one" for us for multiple reasons:
1) We have liked it from the beginning of our search.
2) It will be a different and therefore memorable wedding venue.
3) The setting is beautiful.
We decided that Phipps was "the one" for us for multiple reasons:
1) We have liked it from the beginning of our search.
2) It will be a different and therefore memorable wedding venue.
3) The setting is beautiful.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Chapter 9: The Big Choice
As of now, Joe and I are leaning toward the Manakiki Ballroom over the Mooreland Mansion. However, this is a big decision and we want to make sure we have the right place for us. We thought that writing down our thoughts would help us to organize the pros and cons.
Reasons we like Manakiki over Mooreland:
· Manakiki has more of an elegant atmosphere and Mooreland is more of a homey feel – Joe and I prefer elegant.
· At Mooreland, the reception would be held in multiple rooms (because it’s more of a house). Joe and I disliked that people could feel distant.
· Mooreland had a dominating green theme throughout the house which would clash with the color scheme I have in mind.
Reasons we like Mooreland over Manakiki:
· At Mooreland, we would be the only event going on. At Manakiki, there could be a second event going on in the other half of the property.
· The veranda at Mooreland was really nice. We like having the option of being able to be outside for the reception. Manakiki has a much smaller outside patio.
· The Mooreland rose garden for the ceremony would be very pretty. For Manakiki, you have to cross the parking lot to get to the Ceremonial Grove.
Overall, both venues have upsides and downsides. Joe and I just need to pick the right location for us.
Saturday, February 9, 2008
Chapter 8: Spontaneity
Today was a hectic day. My mom visited Mooreland Mansion in Kirtland, Ohio this morning as a possible venue site. She called me at 10:15 after her tour to report that she loved the site and was considering putting down the deposit to reserve a date in September. Although I trust my mom, I was not willing to choose my wedding ceremony and reception site without seeing it first. The woman was only going to be at the house until 2:00 and it is a four hour drive from State College to the Cleveland area. Needless to say Joe and I were on the highway by 10:30 heading West. We met my mom and dad at Mooreland around 2:30 and we were lucky that the representative was still there and willing to give us a tour. We really liked the site, however we wanted to visit another venue while we were in town.
Manakiki Ballroom was our next stop. Manakiki is a golf course located just east of Cleveland. We did not have an appointment to tour the building but decided an impromptu visit would at least let us know if it was worth considering. The catering coordinator happened to be on site and gave us a brief tour and answered a few questions. We really liked this site as well.
Our trouble now is deciding between the two venues. Our next post will layout our thoughts of each location.
Manakiki Ballroom was our next stop. Manakiki is a golf course located just east of Cleveland. We did not have an appointment to tour the building but decided an impromptu visit would at least let us know if it was worth considering. The catering coordinator happened to be on site and gave us a brief tour and answered a few questions. We really liked this site as well.
Our trouble now is deciding between the two venues. Our next post will layout our thoughts of each location.
Friday, February 8, 2008
Chapter 7: Branching Out
Since we have been struggling to find the perfect site for our wedding and reception in Pittsburgh, Joe and I have decided to branch out. We initially chose the Pittsburgh region for our big day because we thought it would be nice to hold it where we were going to be starting our lives together. We didn't consider other cities until now. We like the looks of some of the Cleveland venues that we have researched online. However, the pictures could be deceiving. My Mom has been helping a lot with the research and she is even going on a reconnaissance mission for us tomorrow morning. Joe and I plan to travel to Cleveland next weekend to visit some of the potential venues.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Chapter 6: A Work in Progress
This is the only picture of the house we have so far. If you look closely, you will notice that the windows are brand new and they are in the process of putting up the siding. To the left is a very large, modern house and to the right is a church, so we have some interesting neighbors. Next time we visit, we will be sure to take a picture of the view from the rear side of the house. Oh and the car doesn't come with the house...
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Chapter 5: Venue Stalemate
This past weekend Joe and I visited 5 more venue options. However, we cannot find dates that seem to work well for us. Many of the venues do not allow for events to begin before 5:30PM and we would prefer an earlier time for the ceremony. We were hoping to set a date for this Fall, but Saturday dates are not available for many of the places in which we are interested. We may push the wedding to the Spring which would give us more time to plan and more options for available venues. We'll see...
As for the house, we walked through the basement and discussed our plans to have a workout room and a large storage closet. We went over fireplace design and decided to have a recessed TV above the fireplace on the second floor. It should look nice! We also need to pick the design for our spiral staircase (metal, wood or a combination).
We do not have anymore trips to Pittsburgh planned, but we will still update the blog with our progress on our wedding dilemma and house construction.
As for the house, we walked through the basement and discussed our plans to have a workout room and a large storage closet. We went over fireplace design and decided to have a recessed TV above the fireplace on the second floor. It should look nice! We also need to pick the design for our spiral staircase (metal, wood or a combination).
We do not have anymore trips to Pittsburgh planned, but we will still update the blog with our progress on our wedding dilemma and house construction.
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