Say Yes to The Dress

OK... so not yet... but it has started!

I went to my first wedding dress appointment yesterday and was partially nervous, but also excited. I know the type of dress I'm looking for and know that I don't want to spend a ton of money, so that helps some. It's also nice to see what some of the dresses look like on and in person than what I may have seen online. What a difference!

I was mainly looking for lace, but did opt to try on some satin ones as well. The satin ones weren't horrible, but boy were they heavy. There was one that wasn't so much, but I just feel like I would be carry around that extra weight all day/night and want to be free to move.

I ended up really liking a couple, although a few others could have been added to that list as well. It was my first time, so I was open to a lot - as long as it was in the style that I was looking for. The two that were written down each had their own pros and cons.

#1 - The Good: just enough lace, a great v-neck neckline, fit loose but was still form fitting, and very lightweight. The Bad: low back, so not sure what I would do with a bra, and the slip underneath sits weird in the chest area (but could have just been the size too).

#2 - The Good: fits AWESOME (fits my body perfectly), has a nice corest that would hold up to anything, just enough lace, not much for alterations, and not heavy at all. The Bad: strapless and isn't able to get straps.

Both are the same price, or relatively close. They are also both a tish above the maximum price range, but the first one is on a 25% off sale too... so that is a bonus. I have another appointment tomorrow with a small boutique in town, and plan to call 3 more places for next week before another appointment in St. Paul next weekend. They all have about the same designers, but it'll be nice to see what is all out there to make a decision.

In other news... our venue for the reception gets booked on Monday!!

Some progress!

We have a meeting with one of the venues today, mainly to get more details about the information we got and to ask any questions we may have. We are aiming for an October wedding, and this place had some more dates available compared to other places... and is a little cheaper for what they offer. Besides the normal rental fee and food and beverage minimum, the included offerings aren't horrible and the only thing we'd need to pay extra for (besides late night snacks, a keg and some punch) is having some audio/visual for a slide show.

Some places didn't include the cutting cake service, or included that in an a la carte option for a couple hundred bucks. Seriously?! Other places offered a lot of additional decorations, but really... I just want something simple so whatever is included in the wedding package is fine by me (mirroed tiles and some glass cylinders and floating candles).

So, I am crossing my fingers that the date we want (or I want... and both moms would like to see a Fall wedding) is still available and we can put a deposit down and make the date official. Big step! Next up will be figuring out what we want to do for a ceremony (if we are not able to rent a smaller room at the reception venue), and then work on the music and a photographer.

I have also scheduled a couple appointments to try on dresses in town here, and then another place in St. Paul next weekend. That place is supposed to have a lot options, so I am hoping I can find something I like and is still affordable. Yes, I want a nice dress but it doesn't need to be super expensive. Hopefully trying on dresses will be just like 'Say Yes to the Dress'!

I am happy that things are starting to roll, especially since this wedding is a little less than 7 months away. I have had plenty of friends do it in less time, and their wedding festivities were great. Once the main things get booked (reception, decision on ceremony, music and photo)... the rest will be easier.

Venue Selections - such a choice.

I requested a bunch of information (pricing, availability) from various venues in town to have our reception. We agreed that having it at a hotel would be best, that way people staying at the hotel can stay there instead of driving. Yes, it would be their choice to drive - but, this is what we want. So far, after combing through every detail and comparing every detail... not one of them stands out as a front runner. It's weird. I know that we only have 3-4 places in town, and most give you a lot of options for food, decorations, and additional inclusions... it's almost like you need to preference what is more important to pay for over another, and hope the place you pick in the end is giving you the bang for all the bucks.

Pick #1 - It's had receptions forever, and I have been to many, as well as other non-wedding events. I'm sometimes impressed with the food, and other times not. The good thing, is that if you don't want to pay for the single shot mixed drink inside the Hall, you can always go to the Bar located within the hotel and get the same drink (more alcohol) for the same price. Will some people do that? Maybe. The place is also outdated compared to some others, so that's another thing. However, the list of inclusions is awesome and gets my vote for that. You can also have the ceremony, for a fee. What doesn't get my vote? The choices for plated dinners, which is the most expensive. Their buffet options are better, but again, more expensive. Oh, and there is plenty-o-parking.

Pick #2 - I've also attended many weddings and other functions at this place. It's nice, it's roomy and has plenty of parking. At first, reading through the information.. this places wasn't bad. The prices were right fr the food, and were the least expensive. The inclusions were alright, and would do for what we would need. Unfortunately it would be another $1K to have the ceremony there, so that was a bummer. BUT, even with estimating costs and gusts, including the ceremony (and audio/visual) is still cheaper. Funny, how that goes.

Pick #3 - This is my top pick. I have loved every wedding reception I've been to at this place, and have loved every other function I've gone too as well. The food never disappoints and its’ newer, so it looks nice. The main downfall is parking – the lot is small. The pricing is comparable on all aspects, but doesn’t include a ton of stuff like Pick #1. They do have a separate package that you can get for $1K, which includes some stuff that’s needed… or do a la carte for those items if you don’t need/want them all. A ceremony is also possible, and for a decent price. Plus, buying that package allows you to take $1K off the F&B minimum. So, it’s something to think about.

Pick #4 – A very new hotel. So new, that it’s not even completed yet! My dad told me about this place, so I called the General Manager up and had a lovely 10 minute conversation with him. The only information he had was the pricing, which wasn’t horrible. It stinks because until the food pricing comes out; I can’t really include it in my venue choices. Plus, I’ve never been there, and although the 3D images that he supplied looked great, you just don’t know. He offered a tour sometime this month, so we’ll see.  If the price is right, it could definitely be a contender.

Decisions, decisions.! I’m on the right path though, and hope to get a venue narrowed down within the next few weeks… and crossing my fingers that whatever day we decide will be THE day, the place will still have an opening.