3 = perfection

Today (well, yesterday, but we celebrated today) marks the third anniversary of our first date. As always, we commemorated the event with dinner at Jalapeno's in downtown Orange. On the one hand, I can't believe it's already been 3 years, and at this time last year we weren't engaged quite yet. On the other hand, with everything that has happened in both of our lives since we've known each other, it seems more like at least 5 years. So I guess it evens out.

I love you, D! Cheers!

Where, oh where, shall our wedding be...

The search continues for our wedding venue(s). Crestmore Manor is still a major contender, which we visited last weekend to have a look around. I still have some questions on specifics for that location, but it definitely looks like it could work. I am trying to keep an open mind, however, dating around with different locations before marrying the first one that comes along. So to speak.

Last night I came across an interesting option:
Hidden Creek Lodge at Pinerose Cabins, Lake Arrowhead
http://pineroseweddings.com/hidden-creek.shtml

These are from greenweddingshoes.com, which has more pretty pictures.

I had looked at places in the Big Bear area before, but the pricing on this one is much more reasonable than the other ones I found, and seems to be a bit more flexible with vendors. Plus, we could spend a little more and have everyone in the bridal party stay the night before and after the wedding, so no one would have to make the long drive up and down the mountain that weekend. I still want to go up there with Darryl to check it out ourselves sometime, but most of the pics I found online of weddings there are pretty impressive. And we got engaged around Lake Arrowhead! So... a good sign, perhaps?

Let the Search Begin...

Over the past few days I have accepted, and even perhaps embraced, the fact that we will not be having a Mission Inn wedding. It could, in fact, be for the best. For starters, I can take another look at places which are (as we now know) much cheaper and more flexible than the Mission Inn. Also, since we still have the luxury of time, I can search around for places more off the beaten path which allow for more creativity and a different style.

I've been pouring over my favorite wedding blogs, in particular Green Wedding Shoes and Junebug Weddings, as well as some photographers' blogs such as Jagger photography, for venue ideas. So far two have stuck out as good candidates:

1. Crestmore Manor, Riverside

These are from the wedding of Heather Jagger, one of my most favorite photographers, taken by Dana Grant. I like that this venue is in a pretty convenient location, near Mt. Rubidoux, that it is pretty inexpensive to rent, and I would have complete creative freedom with both design and in choosing vendors. That being said, it does create more of a challenge when every tiny detail needs to be addressed, which is where a wedding coordinator (or perhaps a very good friend who takes on such a role!) may become necessary to help run things.

2. Marvimon House, Downtown Los Angeles

So with this one, the location isn't quite as ideal, and I actually haven't found out the cost of it yet, but it seems really unique and interesting. Outside vendors are allowed, but they offer their own caterers. Maybe not the most feasible place, but I think it's worth looking into at least for the fun of it.

We still have a lot to think about and consider over the next few months, but at least I've found some interesting possibilities for our wedding location. Anything could happen, and that just makes things all the more exciting.

A Sad Day on Mission Inn Ave.

I have been looking forward to today for quite some time. Today was the wedding open house at the Mission Inn Hotel, the planned location for our reception. Since before we were even engaged, we have been saying that we were going to have our wedding here because it was the best value for the money and it is uniquely gorgeous and historic-feeling. We have been to the expo twice before and were never disappointed in the venue itself, although the vendors on display weren't always the greatest. And besides, the cake samples, chocolate fondue fountains, and champagne are always there in abundance. This year I was all set to put down our deposit for our special day in June, 2011. Sure, it's still 18 months away, but I figured better safe than sorry since that is the peak of wedding season. I was also excited since this time I actually had my ring and could legitimately ask questions and inquire about more specifics since I've already had about a year to plan.

We arrived and immediately noticed new details added to the hotel, including a giant vintage cage with two macaws at the entrance, which was neat. We entered the biggest room, the Music Room, and I immediately noticed that the color scheme the florist had used was one of the same ones I was considering, taking it as a good sign. We chatted with a couple of vendors, and on our way into the next room a DJ company stopped us and mentioned during their promotion that the hotel has a new wedding policy that people are only allowed to use Mission Inn preferred vendors, not just for food and such, but EVERYTHING from lighting, to DJs, to photographers. Everything except the invitations and the wedding dress, basically. This immediately worried me, but Darryl insisted that this could not be the case, maybe they were just saying that to get us to sign with them. We moved on to the Spanish Art Gallery, the room we were planning on using, and got some more cake, and talked with a couple more unenthusiastic vendors.

We continued on to the spiral staircase and went up the the third room which had refreshments and tables to meet with the coordinators to put down deposits. After nibbling nervously on an orange cupcake, we sat down with a consultant who inquired about our date, and then said that they no longer book weddings more than a year in advance. And then the second question, about the vendors: it is true, they do not allow outside vendors unless we pay a $300 fine and get them to sign up for the hotel liability insurance. In addition, they have raised their prices for the meals about $10-20 a plate. Well, shoot. We got up and I grabbed another glass of champagne with which to drown my sorrows and made our way to the fountain to sit and have another look at their new packets of information. How could it be? We have always planned on having our reception here, for over a year if not longer, have told everyone, and put it up on the website, that this would be the itinerary, and now...

The issue with hiring preferred vendors is that there are only 2-4 vendors available per category (flowers, photography, etc.), they tend to cost way more than outside vendors (about $2-3,000 more, each) at least compared to the ones I had already chosen, and they are quite frankly not nearly as talented or creative as other, better professionals (in my view, anyway). The wedding schemes I saw today were pretty cookie-cutter, and it seems that this is all that is allowed in such a place as the Mission Inn because of liability issues, perhaps since it is a historic monument. Some may be OK with this, but someone like me who has spend countless hours, months, planning a more personalized, creative vision for my wedding, could not be so satisfied.

So. Now we are back at square one. Needless to say, I'm kind of pissed. I'm cursing internally, to be honest. This was the one thing since the beginning which was set in stone. I bought my dress to match the Mission Inn style, in my own vintage kind of way. The kinds of colors and flowers I have looked at and saved files of pictures of may be for nothing. Who knows, maybe six months from now we go back and they've discovered that raising their prices and allowing only in-house vendors during an economic depression in the middle of a hot-bed of foreclosures wasn't the best idea and would maybe cut us a deal, but I doubt it. In the mean time, I'm relying on my inner wedding coordinator to find us a new, better place, possibly much different from my original ideas. Regardless, in 18 months we will be married, whether it may happen in Riverside or the Redwoods, we shall see.

Hello 2010

Right now I am with Darryl, our laptops side-by-side, sitting at the kitchen counter at Reesa's house with the whirl of the new Cuisinart ice cream maker my parents gave Darryl for Christmas in the background. Last night he made spearmint ice cream, tonight we are having cookies n' cream. Either one combined with the from-scratch dark chocolate brownies I made yesterday could possibly be the answer to world peace.

So. Happy New Year once again! We had a blast ringing in the new year with old friends at the Carmona's (and at the neighbor's across the street) in Corona. I think this is the first time one of our friends has thrown a new year's party and it was a huge success. Rockband, lasagna, sparkling cider, a bonfire, loud salsa and techno music, and illegal fireworks make for a fun party any day.

Every year I make a mental list of goals and dreams for the new year. This year is pretty much the same as always: spend less, save more, work out, eat better, cut back on Starbucks. I guess they are all kind of interrelated. This year though, is serious business. I have a rough estimate of how much I really, seriously, need to save up for the wedding by this time next year to avoid mountains of wedding debt. Also, now that I actually have my dress, and since I'm fairly certain I've already gained at least a couple of pounds since I bought it, some kind of self-control should probably begin to take place in terms of food and espresso drinks. Working out would probably also be a good idea. I'm still working out the specifics on how I'm going to approach these things in a more effective and realistic way than I have tried in the past. Perhaps bringing up a need for more self-discipline in my prayer circle. Then again, that's one of those things you should really be careful about asking for.

My biggest issue is that in theory going grocery shopping and cooking instead of eating out everyday should save money, and be healthier than restaurant food, especially fast food. However, I tend to be kind of picky when it comes to buying ingredients with which to cook or bake things since if I tend to not think as much about what goes into restaurant food as much as what I'm consciously allowing into my own culinary creations. If I'm going to get meat or poultry, it's going to be organic or at least antibiotic/pesticide free, which can often cost a great deal more than conventional meat, for example. Also, it's harder than you might think to buy a week's worth of groceries for one person and have just the right amount of things without perishible items going bad and still having enough of a variety of things to eat every day. When Darry was living on his own, he could survive on peanut butter, whole wheat bread, instant oatmeal or cream of wheat, protein shakes, bottled water, baby carrots, and bananas. Of course we would still end up eating somewhere for dinner almost every weeknight. During our 3 day attempt at the South Beach Diet, we had to buy groceries for us to share, which was quite the task because of both budgetary and dietary considerations; part of the reason it only lasted 3 days. I know that it should be a fairly simple task to plan out meals for the week, make a list, and stick to it, but it always seems like I end up spending way more than I would just getting my southwest chicken salad from McDonald's for lunch at work (or Flamebroiler, or Subway, etc.). However, healthwise, I know cooking more often would be best for my heart function and blood glucose levels, and obviously when Darryl and I get married, I hope that we will eat at home as much as possible (especially if I get at least half of the stuff on our registry). So. I'm working on it. If I can make this work for myself my hope is that it'll be much easier when I'm shopping and cooking for two. Or maybe I'll just save my grocery money for baking more things.

Speaking of which, Darryl's ice cream is done, and it kicks store-bought cookies n' cream in the butt.