Venue

So I suppose the next thing on my agenda is to figure out how many people to invite and then where I'm going to put them. Well, we figured there will be about 100 people that have to be invited. And that's keeping it small. I have a humongous family. They just keep on reproducing, which is super cute when you get to see all the babies everywhere, but makes it hard to keep my wedding count low. But I wouldn't cut a single one of them, I love them.

So Justin's sister did a ton of extensive research and saved me about 5 hours in hunting time. Here is what she sent me (on the cutest e-stationary I have ever seen)

Phoenix parks and facilities are a great/inexpensive place to hold a wedding. Most park picnic areas are not reservable and are available only on a first-come, first-served basis, but could be great. In fact, if you look at Encanto Park Lagoon & Bridge it’s FREE! For a listing of all parks, visit the Parks webpage. (Reservable sites are available at North Mountain Park, South Mountain Park/Preserve, Papago Park, Encanto Park, Hance Park and Steele Indian School Park.) Beer permits are just $28!! For general information, call the Parks and Recreation information line at 602-262-6862. Heritage Square 115 North 6th Street (N.W. corner of 7th Street and Washington Street) Res. (602) 262-5071 Facility fee: Lath House: $ 1000 for eight hours, $ 125 per additional hour; entire plaza $1,200 for eight hours, $ 150 per additional hour; Rosson House Wedding 2 hours for $500, plus docent fees: 30 people or less only. Docent fees $10 per hour per docent. 2 docents required. Deposit: Minimum $ 250 Staff fee: $40 per hour for events over 100 Liquor is allowed 300 maximum Music is allowed/sound restrictions Off site parking Irish Cultural Center 1106 North Central Avenue (Adjacent to Hance Park) Res. 602-258-0109 Facility fee: Fri/Sat $ 1,250 for six hours, $ 100 per additional hour, Sun $ 1,000 for six hours, $ 100 per additional hour (week days are lower) Deposit required: $ 500 Staff fee: $ 25 per hour per 100 participants Damage fee (refundable) $ 150 Set-Up fee: $ 200 Security fee: $ 40 per hour per 100 participants Liquor is allowed 120 maximum/300 courtyard Music is allowed Parking on/off site Visit the center website Japanese Friendship Garden 1125 North 3rd Avenue (Located within Margaret T. Hance Park) Res. 602-228-0650 Only available for wedding ceremony/no receptions allowed. Facility fee: (FRI –SAT) $ 425 @ hour, two hour min. (SUN – THURS ) $ 275 @ hour, two hour min. Deposit: $ 300 Staff fee required No liquored allowed 150 maximum Music is allowed Parking on/off site Visit the Japanese Garden Website Encanto Park Lagoon & Bridge Outdoor Space: Ampitheather Island 15th Ave. and Encanto Blvd. Monday-Sunday from 5 a.m.-11 p.m. Free of charge (602) 261-8993 Enchanted Island - privately run call (602) 254-1200 Valley Garden Center 1809 North 15th Avenue 15th Avenue, bounded by Coronado and Holly Streets Res. (602) 252-2120 http://www.facebook.com/l/12c07;www.Valleygardencenter.org The Valley Garden Center is nestled in the historic Encanto Park neighborhood centrally located for easy access from all parts of the Valley. This lovely facility has a variety of meeting options ranging from banquet rooms to lush garden settings. There are several rate packages available to meet your wedding plans. To schedule an appointment, please call (602) 252- 2120.

Cool! Time to hunt in person...

So I checked out Encanto Park-










There are already benches! That's minus $200 for chair rentals!





So I love the spot. And I'm set on it. So I called and talked to Tracy at Parks and Recreations who told me that I will have a $28 alcohol fee plus a $10 fee if we have a sound system set up. Which yes, we will. She can't make the reservations until mid March though because the city will be making budget cuts and she doesn't know for sure if they will even be taking reservations. But what they do is close off the whole island for us. Nice! Will definitely be calling back in March. She says I'm ahead of the game, which is always good to hear! Spot down, moving on...

Wedding Websites

So I joined 2 different planning websites and I like them for different reasons.
theknot.com -
lots of funding for this site, so there are lots of options and little details. On my guest list, I can add the addresses. I like that. At first, I liked all the different links on the site. But after perusing some more, I realized that they are all "wedding sites" which translates to way overpriced, unnecessary stuff. No, I don't need little metal Ms sitting on each table. Because I've gotten one of those before and felt so bad when I threw it away because it didn't match anything in my house, and it collected dust. Also, in the "notebook" I can't make my own notes. I have to choose one of their listed vendors. Like for photographer, I can't type in "frenchy" because that's the guy that's doing it, and he's not listed in there, he's just a good friend.
WeddingWire.com -
I really like this site, but it doesn't let me save the addresses. So I just put them in the "phone number box". It's not as organized as theknot, but it does let me make my own notes. I like the intro to the website too. It has this little flash page that comes up and you have to hit "enter". I think that's cute.

So I still haven't decided which one I'm going to use. I'm kinda leaning more toward theknot just b/c I kinda like the design of the website a little better, even though it doesn't have the intro. For now, I'm entering everything in to both sites and I'll decide later which website I will tell everyone about.

It's a celebration, not a royal induction

Define Unorthodox:

• irregular: independent in behavior or thought; "she led a somewhat irregular private life"; "maverick politicians"
• breaking with convention or tradition; "an unorthodox lifestyle"

So my boyfriend (who happens to, unconventionally, be the father to my 2 gorgeous children) asked me to marry him. So now it's time for me to plan a wedding. I love planning parties, I've planned farm themed birthday parties with hay rides, 3-d barn cakes surrounded by hay bale cupcakes, and pigs in a blanket; A Runway Show birthday with a runway, dressing room, and a shimmering tiered cake... and I've done it all at a pretty good budget. I tend to have a knack for working on a budget. It's more of a challenge, and I have more fun. How fun is it to place an order for all the matching accessories and receive it all in one big box?
So when it came to planning my wedding I was really excited... until I turned to the 'net for inspiration. Wedding gowns, 2grand... WHAT?! Average cost of a wedding... 25 gs holy crap! That's not even including the rings and honeymoon. Okay, I'm thinking, I am not going to spend more money impressing and feeding a bunch of people then I do on a honeymoon with me and my new husband. And I'm not spending a typical year's salary on the ordeal either.

So I set out on my quest for a beautiful, memorable, "just like me" wedding and my budget is $3,000.
One more thing, why is it that I go to all of these forums and chats and I'm talking to these women who sound like they have been doing this wedding thing for years! Why do I feel so new at this?? And why does it all seem so cookie cutter? "so now's the time where you and your mother in law go pick a venue" "now's the time where your maid of honor has this ready.." and after that is the time when you turn in to bridezilla because you expected everyone's world to revolve around your wedding. Seriously. Don't these women realize that so many big things are going to happen in their lives? I just don't get it. Personally, my maid of honor works graveyards. And I'm not going to have someone other than my sister standing next to me as my maid of honor because she doesn't have time to drop everything and be my personal assistant. She has shit to do! And I don't don't expect my mother in law to take a second out on her house so she can pay for "her part". I don't they expect that either. Do these other women just come across as completely uncapable girls who are not complete until they have married, so that occasion has to be huge, like the induction in to life. Welcome to life ladies, now you can finally live... Pfff... Maybe it's because I'm a mother. I'm a fully capable woman who can, not only plan my wedding, but can also raise 2 amazing children along with the man of my dreams. So we celebrate that love and that bond with a ceremony. And that's what it is, a celebration of our love. And there are lots of people in love. So unless we want to turn this whole town in to a huge celebration (which I'm not opposed to), I will treat the day as it should be treated- A really exciting day to introduce my whole extended family and friends to my amazing other half.