Planning Begins!

The first 5 days of our engagement were spent relaxing with each other and spreading our news. I really think the vacation proposal was perfect, because it really gave me a chance to let everything sink in and enjoy my excitement. If we hadn't been away I'm not sure I would have been able to do that, as I sometimes have the tendency to plan future events and forget to focus what's happening in the present. (I definitely remember scouring college guides as a freshman in high school, and made sure I had a job offer 15 months before college graduation...)

The 2nd to last day of the cruise was another day at sea, and Arthur mentioned discussing our wedding thoughts before we got home. I was off! Now I don't recall planning my wedding as a little girl, but I had a lot of thoughts right away (although I did play dress up a lot with my cousin Amanda, but the family always called us little floozies, but I'm pretty sure that's the opposite of a bride, so I don't think that counts) We talked a little bit about what we wanted that day, and tons on the trip home (when else we will have 10+ uninterrupted hours together?). It was wonderful to brainstorm together and figure out our priorities.
And I got to purchase my first bridal magazines in the Fort Lauderdale and Dullas airports!

What we decided:
-Summer 2011 (hopefully late June/early July, but not 4th of July weekend)
-Mid size (more than 100, less than 150)
-Catholic ceremony, so must be in a church
-big(ish) wedding party
-will incorporate lots of traditional elements
-open to Sat or Sunday wedding, depending on our venue choice
-will take place on East Coast, somewhere with meaning to us. Currently looking at coastal Maine (my home state), southern NH (traditionally wedding is held near the bride's family, and my parents currently live in Manchester), or Martha's Vineyard (Arthur spent most of his summers there)

That's really about as far as we've gotten. Top priority right now is to find our reception venue. We don't have that many restrictions on our date, so once we find a place we love then we can set a date. I'm trying really hard not to think much farther out than that, although I've been thinking about my bridal party a lot, and might have to start asking people soon :) Yesterday I caught myself checking out bridal dresses online and thinking about what kind of bridesmaids dresses I would consider, but I did manage to get myself back venues long enough to email 4 more places. Then I called my mom and talked for 2+ hours about EVERYTHING weddings. I'm so happy she's excited about planning too! So today is back to venues.

About a month ago it was getting close to the end of busy season, so I was anxious to actual have a social life again. As I was emailing people and planning all these things to do, Arthur encouraged me not to overbook us. Did I listen? Nah, too much stuff to do and people to see! I planned something every weekend from April 16-June 4! I had no idea I was going to have wedding to plan. Luckily my Mom is the best, and is letting me cut into our Mother/Daughter weekend to visit some venues. Saturday we are concentrating in NH and have appointments to see 2 wine vineyards (not to be mistaken with Martha's Vineyard, we keep confusing ourselves), and one CASTLE! I absolutely adore the idea of a reception in a vineyard. It's so the casually elegant feel I want. Last fall when we got back from our roadtrip (which included 2 days in Napa), I was looking for vineyards in our area, and had found this really cool place in CT, and saw they did weddings, so that seed had been planted awhile ago. (We eliminated the Jonathan Edwards Winery, because CT is kind of a random place for us to get married. Might as well go to Napa!) And then I found the castle, and thought "what girl wouldn't want to get married in a castle?!" I have mixed feelings though. I want my wedding feel/theme to work seamlessly with my venue, and a castle might call for a more formal feel, and I'm not sold on formal. A month or so ago Arthur had also mentioned this hotel in Edgartown, Martha's Vineyard that he had always thought would be the ideal place to get married, (hmm that wasn't a big hint or anything...) so that got me started on a very nautical/preppy/Ralph Lauren/J. Crew/etc feel, which really is so me. But I think I could do that in a vineyard (minus the nautical) too.

So the search for a natural and casually elegant venue is on!