#27: HitchBlog FAQ-updated 12/28/10

A Comprehensive Guide to All Possible Questions About Our Wedding

What kind of wedding is this gonna be, anyways?

We’re a pretty non-traditional couple, if you hadn’t noticed! We’re looking forward to a small and intimate affair – we hope to create a cozy and laid-back environment for our families and friends to celebrate this special time with us. We want everyone to dress up as much as they want for the afternoon ceremony, and then prepare to kick back and enjoy the evening drinking some fabulous wine and eating some fabulous food. We’re calling the dress code “After Five,” which means dressier than than home/school/work clothes but feel free to wear khakis and a button-down! There will be a professional photographer present to document your fashion choices! (It isn't NECESSARY to consider that a threat...but you can... ha.)

What about the ceremony?

We’re looking forward to having a simple ceremony where someone (TBD) will “read us our rights” as we stand up with our closest friends and families. Logistically: We will definitely have more specific information as the event gets closer.

What kind of reception are you having, and where will it be?

The wedding will be taking place outdoors (TBD), and the dinner/reception will take place at our house. If it’s nice outside, we’ll be celebrating "al fresco." If it’s raining, we’ll set up under shelter or indoors.

How many people are coming?

Out of both desire and necessity, this will be a small family affair. We are limiting guests to the amount of people we feel can fit comfortably into our back yard; the very max number would probably be around 50... .

What if it rains?

Bring a RAINBRELLA and some wellies!

Where exactly is the event located, and how should we get there?

Now that we're having it in Richmond, all of that will be easy-peasy! You can fly into the Richmond International Airport or drive the fairly straightforward highway system practically to our front door. I will recommend a few hotels that I know are nice, but if you search hotels near our address on Expedia you can see the full range and decide based on your budget and accommodation requirements.

Where should we stay the night(s)?

Here are a few nicer hotels in areas near food, shopping, and fun:

Aloft Richmond West, Short Pump
Omni Richmond Hotel, Downtown
The Berkeley Hotel, Shockoe Bottom
The Museum District Bed and Breakfast, Museum District near Carytown/VCU


When should we plan on getting there?

It's really up to you. Please feel free to just swoop in for the day, or come a day or two early and have yourselves a mini-vacation.

As far as our availability to hang out prior to the wedding - I'm sure we'll be doing stuff at various times, but we live here so we'll be around. I'll post some fun Richmond locations/events sometime soonish so that you can explore Richmond while you're here, if that sounds interesting to you!

Where are you registered?

#26: Macaron Mania (i loves them. i must haves them.)

#25: DIY Project #3: Parisian Macarons

I actually experimented a little around Christmas, and it wasn't too bad a start! I made just "plain ole macaron" cookies and filled them with some salted caramel that I made a few days prior. I've read and heard so much about how difficult they are and... I think that's what they tell people so they can charge so much. Ha. It really is kind of a science-project-meets-kitchen-implements exercise, I'll give them that. And PERFECTING the macaron... another story all together. But I started where I always start... with Martha Stewart.

#24: DIY Project #2: Photo Booth

#23: DIY Project #1: Poms - DECOR

Sources:
The Factory Direct Craft Blog
The Wedding Paper Divas
My DIY Chat

#22: Wedding DIY Projects

And now for my new section - DIY projects! ;)

In the spirit of moving onward and planning this wedding (likely to drop off again when the semester starts - You've. Been. Warned.), I'm going to start trying to post all the little projects I intend to conquer for this hitchfest in the late spring.

This should be a pretty extensive DIY journey, as it includes decor, design, baking, photography, and maybe even a little building, who knows! I have carefully sculpted the trajectory of my spring semester as to allow for relative freedom around the end of the semester (I hope) and a little extra time to get things done. This is what I keep telling myself at least. I CAN DO EET!

Let the DIY commence...

#21: Wedding Madness: New Developments and Moving Onwards!

It's been a long time away, but I needed to take some time and get my head together before returning to the blogosphere...

Since my last blog entry a lot of things have changed. After visiting and loving a property in The Sticks in Nowhere, Virginia, the owner heard the word "wedding" and upped her rental fee by over a thousand dollars, adding in clauses for port-a-potty rentals and various asunders. So you know what? Charlie and I decided enough was enough! That's thousands of dollars we'd rather spend traversing and eating our way through Europe this summer, thank you very much! We're re-imagining this whole wedding concept and getting on with our lives.

Bold words aside, we have really decided to focus on how we want to celebrate our commitment to each other, in a way that feels honest and real to us. Somehow I doubt that we'll be writing love poems for public recitation or having anyone sing a song about our feelings. I also doubt that you will see me in a ball gown. Ever. ;)

Why are we even having a wedding? is the first question that pops into my mind. What I dislike about many weddings is that they can end up being kind of impersonal and rigid, as well as being terribly expensive. (According to my homie Martha Stewart, the average "budget wedding" costs $12,000!!! That's TWELVE. THOUSAND. DOLLARS.)

The number one reason to have a wedding rather than eloping somewhere fun and foreign (topping even "I'm a total detail obsessive who needs to minutely organize and obsess over all possible opportunities to throw a good party") is that our families are scattered all over the globe and this may be the One and Only opportunity for them to meet one-another. Really. Just having a "surprise we're married!" party ain't gonna cut it: People need ceremony and circumstance to fully commit to long-distance travel. We want our core group of people to be able to get to know one-another in an intimate and comfortable situation. We both love many many people but that party is for another day.

And we're not spending twelve thousand bucks. nope.

There are a lot of expectations that come with the modern concept of a marriage. We're supposed to register for a bunch of stuff. We're supposed to invite everyone we've ever met, and then everyone our parents have ever met. I've watched hundreds of episodes of My Fair Wedding, Whose Wedding is it Anyways?, Martha Stewart Green Weddings, My Big Friggin Wedding, Rich Bride Poor Bride, Platinum Wedding, Bridezillas... and every one of those weddings followed a pretty standard structure, there was cake and the tossing of bouquets to the "unfortunate single women," and so on.

What does the term wedding mean to us as a couple? Welllll.... It might be easier to talk about what it doesn't mean to us. We're not getting a band or a dj, having a cake cutting or garter/bouquet toss, and when I say SMALL, I mean absolutely that. Because we're having it at our house now. We don't want to offend or leave anyone out, but we just can't possibly fit more than a small, set number of people into our back yard (or inside, if it rains).

And in order for an intimate and personal back yard affair to meet my detail obsessive needs, it's going to have to be whittled down enough to obsess over and execute in the amount of time left after graduate school and its various outlets this spring (and I'm directing a show too! Augh!).

Deep breath.

Charlie and I will be getting hitched in Richmond somewhere outside sometime in the later afternoon at an exact location that will be revealed at a later date. We will then commence to our back yard, which will be tented in the event of rain, for eating, drinking, and merriment. Bringing umbrellas and rain boots just in case will be encouraged. We won't let the weather WET our appetites, heh heh.

Additionally, we cannot possibly invite everyone we like or love, for reasons stated earlier. Please help us out by being understanding (we'll post photos!). It breaks our hearts not to include the many who have touched our lives over the years... But we'll be happy to attend a slew of parties/bar outings/picnics if people want to celebrate.

So on with the planning, now that's all cleared up! :)

#20: Checking out a new place today...

Grand View Manor...