Venues that Weren't - The Mansion at Maple Heights

A few weeks before getting engaged, the FI and I attended a friend's wedding.  It was the first wedding I'd ever been to where the reception followed the ceremony immediately at the same location.  We both loved this set up and decided right away that we wanted something similar.  This would be especially good for us because neither of our families are familiar with Pittsburgh.

And, to be honest, I started researching venues a couple days after that wedding, even though we weren't engaged yet.  Soon after, I had our entire wedding planned.  It would all take place at the Mansion at Maple Heights and it would be fabulous.

Seriously, this place looked amazing:

From the Mansion's website

After our tour of Phipps, and a quick debriefing in the cafe, we all piled into the FI's car (we weren't going to chance my mom getting lost again) and headed to Shadyside to see the Mansion.  We headed up a steep hill, used the intercom to let them know we arrived, waited for the gate to rise and drove up to the Mansion.

This venue offers some very cool options for a wedding.  First off, it's a bed and breakfast.  So, bridal parties, close family guests and the bride and groom are able to stay in the rooms the night of the wedding (the rooms can be booked for the night before for an extra charge).  

There is an amazing entertainment room upstairs, that would easily occupy younger guests (supervised, obviously) or the groom and his buddies.  It has a huge projection TV, theater style seating and a couple game consoles.  We were shown a brief promo video while in this room.

The ceremony would take place outside, somewhere in the yard, which is beautiful.  The reception would happen under a tent (like the picture above).  And, the catering?  They work exclusively with Big Catering!  So exciting.

There were so many amazing details throughout.  And, I had such an emotional response to the idea of getting married there.  Seriously, at one point, our guide was leading us back downstairs, describing how the FI and I would be presented as husband and wife coming down the steps.  I welled up and started crying.  I was shocked at the response, but I could see us and imagine how I'd feel.

So, on our drive back to my mom's car and later that night, we discussed the venue:

Pros:

- This place is impressive, from the first moment people drive up to the gated drive to the beautiful rooms and grounds

- Close family and friends would have a place to stay the night of the wedding (so would the FI and I if we wanted to)

- The bridal suite was amazing and would be a great place to prepare for the wedding and/or unwind afterwards

- Alcohol is purchased by the couple, not the caterers.  This is a great opportunity for savings

- Speaking of the caterer, it was the ones I wanted to use: Big Catering

- Everything was customize-able, down to the curtains and salt & pepper shakers

- The feeling of this venue, while impressive, is homey.  Its relaxed and private and there are plenty of spaces for people to sit and chat (besides their dining table)

Cons:

- Everything was customize-able.  For a couple who has a hard time picking out salad dressing, this was incredibly overwhelming.  How in the world would we be able to make all those choices on linens, flatware, etc.?  And, did we really want to?

- The customization could lead to $$$.  Although the basics were covered in the main package, upgrades could add up quickly

- And, on the subject of money, the price was higher because of the included night's stay in the B&B rooms.  Our original budget hadn't incorporated this extra expense

That's about all I can think of for cons.  The Mansion was definitely a gorgeous venue and stayed in the running for awhile.  It wasn't until our next venue tour, the Heinz History Center, that The Mansion fell off of our maybe list.

Venues that Weren't - Phipps Conservatory

Phipps Conservatory has long been one of my favorite locations in Pittsburgh.  It's a peaceful, beautiful excursion year round.  It's a chance to see some exotic plants, beautiful sculpture/glass/trains (depending on the season).  And, I always thought it would be an amazing wedding venue.

Photo from the website of Phipps Conservatory

My mom, FI and I planned on meeting at Phipps to take a tour and talk with one of their events coordinators.  Unfortunately, my mom got lost on her way and the FI (a.k.a. knight in shining armor) had to drive around Oakland a bit to find her and lead her back.  This experience showcased one early issue with the venue: standard GPS's were not able to locate/direct people to the botanical gardens...  There was an alternative address we could give guests, but this seemed like it may cause some confusion.

Once we had all arrived, we started the tour in the Outdoor Garden.  It was gorgeous.  A tiered garden with fountains, walkways and a great view of Oakland, it was easy to imagine our ceremony and reception taking place here.

Potential Outdoor Gardens Ceremony Site - Phipps Wedding Site

Next, we took a quick walk through the conservatory to reach the Tropical Forest and Special Events Hall. This is where I really wanted our wedding to take place.  It is one of the most impressive parts of the gardens: a walkway through giant plants, ending at a fountain and giant fish pond.  The hall itself was a blank canvas, not much different than other halls except that the windows (when not covered with floor to ceiling curtains) show the Tropical Forest.  Plus, there is a great patio area off the hall where guests could enjoy the outdoors.

The Special Events Hall - from Phipps Events Page

As our tour wrapped up (we didn't see other parts of the gardens because our guest list would be too large) talk turned to catering.  As a self-proclaimed foodie, one of the things I was most excited about for the wedding was picking a great caterer.  I had my heart set on Big Catering from the moment I saw their menus and I knew that Phipps was listed on their preferred venue list.  So, it came as a bit of a surprise when I learned that Phipps has their own caterers that have to be used for weddings.

After thanking our guide for her time, we sat down with some cold drinks in the cafe area.  We had a bit of time before our next appointment and decided to review the menu and discuss the venue.  Below are a few of the talking points that came up:

Pros:
- Phipps is, hands down, one of the most beautiful venues in Pittsburgh
- We could purchase tickets for guests ahead of time - tours to Phipps would be a great favor
- The catering menu was impressive, full of sustainable/trendy/yummy sounding items
- The events group knows what they are doing and a lot of the decision making would be negated by standard packages, etc.

Cons:
- May be hard for people to find (only for GPS users, not for people with smart phones)
- The Tropical Forest & Special Events Hall wasn't available for any Saturdays in 2012.  We'd either have to agree on a Friday/Sunday wedding, be willing to have the wedding in the Outdoor Gardens or wait till 2013 to get married (I don't think so!)
- Catering would be expensive and was not exactly what I'd hoped for

Phipps would have been an amazing place to get married and allowed us to share one of my favorite places with all of our out of town guests.  But, it was not "The Venue" for us.

Next up - our tour of the Mansion at Maple Heights.

Not so much for the picture taking...

Usually, photos of me look like this:

Well, if I'm lucky...  The alternative is a silly face of some sort:

Obviously, this is something the FI agrees with...  We never take photos too seriously because neither of us ever really likes the way we look in them.  So, when the engagement shoot loomed, we were both a little anxious.  

We both got a bit of professional grooming.  Him a haircut at a salon (instead of the clippers, at home).  I got my eyebrows done and a french manicure.

Then, we shopped.  For hours.  I don't even know how long we were at the mall.

I had been hoping to find a "dressy" look and a "casual" look for the photos.  It was a bit much to hope for in one day of shopping.  I did find a couple skirts and a nice sweater.  But, the second costume had to wait till a couple hours before the appointment.  A quick trip to Target (for an umbrella I wanted as a prop and didn't even end up using, and a pair of tights for the skirt) led me to some cute casual tops and jewelry.

Hours later, after much primping and adjusting of final details, we headed to the Strip District to meet our photographers.  I'll explain a bit more of where we were when the pics are available.  For now, I'll tell you my overall impressions of our engagement photo shoot.

First off, it was weird.  I haven't had pictures taken by a professional since my last family portrait, years ago.  And, that whole experience probably lasted twenty or so minutes.  This was two full hours of posing, etc.

Second, I'm not sure why I felt it necessary to have a "dressy" outfit.  We are generally casual people and the skirt look probably didn't reflect our life...  Plus, I felt much more comfortable/myself once I changed into jeans.  I may love some of those first pics, but only time will tell if it was worth it.

Third, and lastly, it did get slightly less weird as time went by.  This gives me a bit of hope that we will feel much better in front of the lens by the wedding day.  It also gives me some hope that the last pics will show us the way we usually are together.

Now, the waiting...  We should have the pics within a month or so.  (And, then, I can get started on the Save the Dates.)

Qu'ils mangent de la brioche

a.k.a. Let them eat cake

As in, I have my cake flavors picked out and my date saved with the baker.  Hoo-ray!

The FI and I had our tasting on Saturday afternoon and it was AMAZING!  We showed up to the SweetHouse Bake Shop, in Mars, around noon.  We were quickly greeted and shown upstairs to the room where we'd be tasting cake...  Or, perhaps, I should say cupcakes.  As we walked in, I saw two pedestals, each with three gorgeous cupcakes.  Each of our six chosen flavors was displayed in glorious miniature:
     Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup (FI picked this first, which I totally expected)
     Strawberry Shortcake
     Blueberry Lemon
     Caramel Apple
     Cherry Almond
     Sweet Potato Citrus
 

There weren't the cupcakes that day but are from the SweetHouse Bake Shop's Gallery.

We sat down at the table and were joined by the baker soon after.  After a few pleasantries, we began

nom...

nom...

nom...

-ing.

Six cupcakes later (ok, we didn't polish off 100% of them all... just our favorite two, or three or four?) and we had our flavors picked: Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup (a moist, rich, insanely dark chocolate cake with not-cloyingly sweet peanut butter frosting) and Sweet Potato Citrus (a sweet potato cake with blood orange frosting... easily my favorite).

We also picked out our tiers: 10", 12" and 14".  Although, that, as well as the color and overall presentation, may change a bit as we get closer to the wedding and have more details on our decor and attendance.

I am so excited about the cake, I can't stand it.

Plus, that's one more check mark on the ever-expanding "To Do" list.

Up next - details about Sunday's engagement photo shoot!

I Have a Dress!

Ok, I don't really "have" a dress.  I have a dress ordered.  Close enough!

After last weekend, I thought I may have found The Dress but couldn't quite convince myself.  The dress was beautiful, fit my body like it was made for me and had some great details...  But, I just wasn't sure that it was "me".

So, I made an appointment at Bridal Beginning, in Mt. Lebanon, for Thursday night.  I picked up my mom after work and we headed to the store.  After filling out my info card, I was introduced to my consultant, Leslie.  She led us to a fitting room and sat us down to talk for a few minutes.  We discussed the venue and I showed her my favorite dress from Sunday (the one I was going to buy if I didn't find something else I wanted more):

Leslie left the fitting room while I changed into my strapless bra and the slip and shoes she brought in.  She came back with a few dresses.  The first one I tried on was gorgeous.  I already knew that I wouldn't be buying the one from MB Bride.

I continued to try on dresses and found myself comparing them all to this first one.  It had some fun details like the 3D flowers and mocha color accents.  Plus, it had a lace-up back and a great shape.  It was going to be hard to beat...

But, it did eventually happen.  I ended up trying on the first dress again, and then the contender.  Both dresses made trips out the front of the store for a look in the three way mirror (not too many were worth making my mom walk on her broken foot).

After a private chat with my mom, I realized that the last dress was the one for me.  It was perfect for my venue, my vision of the wedding and made me feel like the version of myself I want to be on that day (elegant, timeless, simple, and awesome!).

I'm not going to give too many details on the dress I ordered, but it is completely different from the two above.  I'll just say that I can't wait to wear it!

Finally, since I have two experiences to compare, I'll give my opinions of shopping at the two bridal shops.

MB Bride

- Huge selection of dresses

- Nice fitting rooms with curtained area for changing

- Self service + some guidance for picking out dresses to try

- Reasonable prices

- Consultant seemed to know what she was talking about but got distracted/rushed at the end of the appointment (when she learned that her next appointment was early and waiting)

Bridal Beginning

- Gorgeous, unique dresses on display

- Smaller fitting room with no private area for changing (I had to change in front of my mom)

- Consultant finds dresses for you based on input

- Reasonable prices (I was totally expecting the dresses here to be more expensive but they were still in a good range)

- Consultant was awesome and seemed to really enjoy her job.  She took the time to completely lace-up all the dresses and was extremely thorough with her explanations to our questions

I wouldn't say that one was better than the other; they were completely different experiences and I enjoyed both.  I did learn that its a lot easier to get focused attention and less rushed feelings on a weeknight.

Next up, gotta get going on the wedding website and STD's (save the dates, that is).

Whirlwind & Tulle

We managed to get through the first hurdle of the holidays: Thanksgiving…  Last Wednesday, we headed to Detroit, arriving in late afternoon.  We spent a little time with the FMIL and then met one of the FI’s previous co-workers for some drinks at Dragonmead in Warren (if you’re ever in the area and enjoy unique micro-brews, definitely check it out).

Thursday morning led us to Croswell, up near Port Huron, to spend time with the FGIL (is grandparents in-law a thing?).  Food, football, a tour of some of the 40 acres (stopping to pick a bit of moss for my terrarium) and more food filled the day.  Finally, an hour and a half drive put us back in Detroit.

Friday was some shopping, time spent with the FI’s various family members and a new pair of dark red cowgirl boots (after stops at three different stores).  We finished up with a late night drive back to Pittsburgh because we were both looking forward to spending a bit of time at home.

Saturday was some light errand running, resting and getting ready for… drum roll please… my first bridal shop appointment.

Sunday morning, I woke up and did my Insanity Fit Test (3^rd time, more than half way done with the program) and got ready, feeling sick the whole time.  I picked up my mom and we headed to Greensburg for my appointment at MB Bride.

I’m not 100% sure what I pictured the appointment to be like but it was probably something like what you see on Say Yes to the Dress…  A consultant would lead me to a fitting room, ply me with lovely dresses and I’d have that moment when the sun shines through the (non-existent) window, harps play and I know I’ve found “The Dress”.

Not so fast there.

We arrived a bit before noon to find cars full of other women waiting in the parking lot.  I hadn’t realized that the store didn’t open till twelve and there would be a mad rush for the doors and salespeople.  Being the laidback type of gal I am, we hung back and waited a few minutes till someone became available to help.

A few minutes later, my consultant came out and met my mom and sister (whom we met at the store).  She gave me a quick tour around the different areas of the store, showed us to the fitting room so we could drop off our stuff (i.e. my strapless bra in a grocery bag – classy) and then walked us back out to start picking dresses.

Being that I had no idea what I was looking for, other than no mermaid or empire waist dresses, it was quite the cluster…  But, we did manage to quickly pick out about seven very different dresses to start.  The best part of doing it this way was I quickly narrowed down what I liked and what did NOT work for me.  For example, dresses made 100% of satin overwhelmed me and I just couldn’t see them fitting into the “feel” of my wedding day.

So, after getting through the first set and putting two aside as “maybes”, I put on the provided terrycloth robe and wandered around to pull a few more options.  Another five or six more dresses chosen, we headed back to the fitting room.

The second set went quite a bit faster as I could tell pretty quickly when I disliked something.  There were three dresses left at the very end, two of which had made my mom cry, one that had made me tear up a bit and led to the addition of a veil and beaded headband.

So, I quickly tried those three on again.  The first one, which had been the absolute first dress I tried on, was quickly discarded because I decided it looked more like a prom dress than a wedding dress…  (Excuse the phone pics; we forgot to take a real camera with us)

The second one was also discarded pretty quickly because it just didn’t make me feel anything super special.  It was pretty but kind of plain and not super flattering to my figure.

So, that left the final dress.  It had the single thing I really wanted (but wasn’t a deal breaker): a lace-up back.  Additionally, it had a bit of bling in the form of vines and flowers, which I felt would "go with" my venue, was light/airy feeling and did amazing things for my figure.

I’m not going to post a picture of it yet, because it’s still in the running and I can’t imagine ruining the surprise for everyone (or my FI in particular).

I scheduled another appointment for Thursday at Bridal Beginning, a store in Mt. Lebanon that I’ve always wanted to go into (even when I wasn’t engaged… or even dating anyone) because of their unique window displays.

I feel like I may be able to call it quits after that appointment because I did really love the last dress at MB Bride.  I just couldn’t quite make a decision that quickly.  But, if after Thursday, I haven’t found anything that blows that dress away, I’ll be making my measurement appointment and ordering my dress!

Done and Done

Wow...  Feeling like I'm finally making some huge progress.

What do I have?

Venue - check
Caterer - check (came with the venue)
Month of Coordinator - yep
Music for Ceremony & Cocktail Hour - trio w/ flute, oboe and cello
Music for Reception - DJ deposit check being mailed tomorrow
Photography - reserved and setting up e-shoot soon
Officiant - check
Card Box - won a vintage suitcase on eBay this week (was so excited)

And, other things in the works...

Cake (conventional) - tasting appointment in early December
Dress (for me!) - first bridal shop appointment the Sunday after Thanksgiving
Menu - working to set up initial meeting and tasting with caterer

Still outstanding:

Cake (gluten free) - have an idea b/c there is only one GF bakery in Pittsburgh (that I know of)
Any resemblance of an idea on STD's/invitations/etc.
Decorations, etc.

Good thing I've gotten some things checked off b/c work is getting pretty hectic.  But, I feel like I'll be in good enough of a place to go into the holidays with nothing hanging over my head (whew!).

Busy... Busy... Busy

Today involved a lot of driving around.  Some of it was productive, some not so much.

First, I drove the FI to the airport.  He's in Utah all week for work.  Then, instead of driving straight home, I figured that I'd stop at Ikea and pick up my hanging lanterns (for the shephards' hooks that will line paths throughout the reception site).

I'd done a bunch of research online, trying to find attractive and reasonably priced lanterns, and settled myself on the Karaboda's (I think... the Ikea website has been wonky lately).  The lantern has frosted glass, a place for an over-sized tea light and a silver handle.  They are very pretty and delicate.

So, after loading 20 of them into my cart (b/c the venue coordinator told me there are 18 hooks available), I wandered around to look at candle and vase options.  I took a lot of time looking at some larger lanterns I was considering for the centerpieces and then found myself carefully examining the Rotera lanterns.  They are small and black (other colors are available) with stars cut out and room for a standard tea light.

All of a sudden, I was frozen.  Was I making a horrible mistake by buying silver colored lanterns when the hooks are black (iron, I'm guessing)?  I stood there for a long time, two lanterns in front of me, sipping coffee, debating with myself...

I finally realized that there was no way that I could make this big of a decision by myself...  Seriously, this is what I thought.  I called the FI, who was just getting in line to board the plane.  He had zero opinion (or interest) in the debate on if the lanterns needed to match the hooks.

So, I gave up...  Unloaded the lanterns from my cart and left Ikea empty-handed.  Fail!

On the way home, I called my mom and explained my issue.  She was shocked that I couldn't make a decision "that's so not like you".  No kidding.  I have bride brain and my decision making skills have been reduced to null.

Oh well.

The afternoon brought a nice break from wedding related stuff - drawing class at the North Hills Art Center.  I took in some of the cake balls I made yesterday (for a party that we didn't quite make it to):

Then, home for an Insanity Fit Test (can't believe I'm re-starting that program again) and dinner.

Finally, a trip to meet potential photographers.  If I could describe an experience opposite to my first meeting with a photographer, this would be it.  They were energetic, smiley, happy to talk about what they do (they actually seem to enjoy their jobs!) and I can definitely see them shooting the wedding.

Now, I just need to chat it over with the FI to make sure he's on board.  But, and I can't believe I'm typing this, I may have found my photographers!  (Hope that didn't jinx it b/c I can't imagine any more searching...)

Brain Cupcakes (First Attempt)

When I read the following line from an invite to a friend's party for the season premier of Walking Dead: "We'll supply the beer, but you must Bring Your Own Brains." I instantly thought of the many 'brain cupcake' images I've seen online lately.  They'd be perfect for this party.


So, this morning, I decided to try and make some.


The results?  Eh, you'll see below.  But, I feel it was a solid attempt (there's always room for improvement).


First, I mixed up a box of Duncan Hines Super Moist White Cake mix.  I followed the instructions but added about 10 drops of green food coloring.  Then, I scooped a bit into liners, and put a bit of strawberry jam in the middle:

Then, I covered them with a bit more batter.  Baked according to directions.


Next, I took a tub of Duncan Hines Cream Cheese frosting and dumped it into my stand mixer.  I beat it while adding some powdered sugar (probably about four heaping tablespoons).  I also added two drops of red food coloring.  


The frosting was put into a zippie bag with the corner cut off.  I piped two D shapes and filled them in with squiggles:

Definitely not perfect.  But, I think everyone will know what they're supposed to be (thanks to the theme of the party).

Notes for next time:

- Need to figure out a way to keep the jam in the middle of the cupcake.  Mine sunk all the way to the bottom for some reason.

- Add more powdered sugar to the frosting.  It wasn't quite firm enough for piping.

- Consider getting an actual icing bag + tip to pipe with...  This would prevent a lot of lost icing when the zippie bag splits at the seam all of a sudden.

A Zombie Time of Year

Yesterday was the epitome of an October day in Pittsburgh: cloudy and dreary in the morning, clearing up to clear skies in the afternoon, all the time chilly with a ridiculous wind blowing the leaves everywhere.  Perfect fall weather...

Perfect for making hearty meals and getting scared!

After a huge foodperks! redemption shopping trip yesterday morning (finally made it to a full $60 savings), I decided to make a pork loin with sauerkraut, potatoes, onions and apples.  Comforting and delicious (recipe below).

Then, we set out to meet some friends at Kennywood for Phantom Fright Nights.  It was super crowded but so much fun.  We got to go through several haunted houses, rode on some of the lower key rides and watched countless teenage girls run from guys with Jason masks carrying chainsaws.

I have drawing class this afternoon.  Then, hopefully dinner at Alchemy N Ale (gotta get that Groupon redeemed).  And, then, we're going to watch the season premier of Walking Dead at a friends' house.  For that occasion, I'm making brain cupcakes...  Some pics and the instructions should follow soon.

In the meantime...

Fall Pork Loin Bake

Pork Loin - about 1.5 lbs

Sauerkraut - 1 lb bag (or canned would work fine)

Red Potatoes - About 8 to 10 small, quartered

Onion - 1 medium, thinly sliced

Granny Smith Apples - two, peeled, cored and thinly sliced

Olive Oil, Salt, Pepper and Brown Sugar (optional) - to taste

- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Heat up a dutch oven and add a little bit of oil.  Salt and pepper the pork and then brown on all sides, about 4 minutes per side.  Pull the pork out of the pan for a bit later.

- Add a bit more oil and throw in the onion and apple slices.  Saute till a bit browned and tender.

- Pull the onions and apples out of the pan and tun off the heat.  Dump the sauerkraut into the pan.  Add a bit of brown sugar if desired.  Put the pork loin in the center and sprinkle the potatoes all around.  Cover everything with the onions and apples.  

- Bake, covered, for 2 to 3 hours.  (I had to pull mine out at about 2 hours.  The pork was cooked through but could have used a bit more time to become tenderize.)

- Enjoy!

Snarky Vendor & A Sense of Relief

One thing I never counted on being, as a bride-to-be, was an emotional mess.  Since the e-ring was placed on my finger, I have noticed a ridiculous amount of mood swings: crying one minute and feeling giddy the next.  Say, for example, the song that we are planning on having for our first dance starts playing on the car radio, as I’m about to pull into my office’s parking lot, and I break into tears…  That’s perfectly normal, right?

So, with this added sensitivity to absolutely everything around me, it seems that personal attacks from vendors are definitely something I’m not prepared to handle (nor are they something I was expecting from so-called professionals).

As of my last post, I was explaining my wedding photography situation.  I had met with a great photographer (quality of picture-wise) who left a little to be desired in the personality area.  Move ahead to the end of last week and I receive a follow-up email from her, just checking in to see if I had any additional questions, etc.  I replied, thanking her for her time and letting her know that I would be using a different photographer…  I know I don’t actually have another photographer signed (I haven’t even met with any other photographers yet), but I knew I wasn’t going to hire her.

Done.  Moving on.

Not quite.

I received another email from the photographer, which struck me as mature and professional.  She was requesting feedback so that she could better her offerings.  A surprise and a bit of a dilemma.  Should I be as honest as possible, offering the best constructive criticism I could create?  Should I just offer lip service and make something inane up to explain my choice?  Or, should I delete the email and forget about it?

I chose the first option: honest, constructive criticism (or so I thought).  My email went as follows:

“I wanted to get back to you with the feedback you requested.  There were three main parts to my decision for a wedding photographer, which are listed below with some points of comparison that I hope help.

1. Quality and Style - Your photographs were some of the best I saw online and in person.  I loved the detail and you definitely placed very high on my list for this part.

2. Price - At first, I felt that the price you listed would easily fit into my budget.  When I started adding the items I wanted plus the holiday surcharge and tax, it became one of the more expensive options I was considering.  It seems like engagement sessions and a guarantee of two photographers are included in quite a few packages, which were more important to me than any kind of album or prints.

3. Personality - This is a tricky one because my fiancé and I both hate having our pictures taken.  I am trying to find a photographer who is outgoing and personable, who will hopefully be able to get us out of our shells for the engagement shoot and on the wedding day.  I can't really explain this much more than saying it's a gut feel when I meet with people.

Anyway, I hope this helps and wish you the best with your photography.”

Done?  Moving on?

Of course not.

I was shocked yesterday, when I opened up a response from her, which blamed me for the personality issues in point 3.  To summarize, she said that during our meeting, it didn’t seem like I wanted to be there to ask questions and get information.  I guess maybe it could have come across that way…  But, my thoughts are that, as a professional photographer, she should realize that I may have never thought about what questions I should be asking.  I wanted to be sold, maybe even charmed a bit.  This person is going to be around all of my closest friends and family members on one of the most important and memorable days of my life.  I want to like my photographer, at least on the surface level that we’ll be on in the few minutes we meet.

Oh well…  Good decision on not hiring her I guess…  The search continues…

Photographers & Heartbreak

So, earlier in the week, I was prepared for three meetings with wedding photographers.  I had one scheduled for Monday, another on Thursday and the last for this evening.  One (and only one) meeting later, I am starting over from scratch.  Harrumph.

What happened?  Here's the breakdown:

The meeting on Monday was with a photographer whose work I absolutely love.  She has pictures of a wedding at my venue featured on her site and I found myself looking at them over and over, replacing the bride and groom with myself and the FI (we looked fabulous!).  She has tons of close-up, artsy pics of the details I'm looking for: beautiful hanging dress shots, cakes aglow with sunlight, etc.

The only problem?  While reading through her FAQ's, I found her tone to be a bit short, bordering on rude.  Not a big deal, I thought; some people aren't great at communicating through written word.  Sarcasm doesn't translate well, etc.  Plenty of excuses were found b/c I loved the pictures.

Ok, so there was another slight problem...  Someone else, a wedding related professional, knew of someone who had had a not so great experience with this photographer.  The photographer had left the wedding without letting anyone know and missed several important picture moments ( the father/daughter dance being one of them).

In my mind, I had already decided against hiring her.  I can't get past the idea that pictures are the one tangible thing that lasts beyond the actual day of the wedding (ignoring the marriage, of course).  I'm just not willing to take any unnecessary risks.  But, I drove the 45 minutes to her studio for the meeting anyway, perhaps hoping that she'd blow me away with albums and charm.  Alas, no such luck.

So, one photographer down...  I tried to think a bit more logically.  I made a spreadsheet detailing what was included in each package and at what cost.  After looking closely at the numbers and going back over the website portfolios, I decided that I was probably not going to hire Photographer #2, who I was supposed to drive another 40 minutes to meet with on Thursday.

After deciding on Photographers #3&4 (the third meeting was with a married couple who shoot together), I emailed #2 to say that I had made my decision earlier than expected and would be cancelling our meeting.

Fast forward to sitting on the couch with my FI, watching some Thursday night TV, an email comes across from my chosen photography company: they're cancelling the meeting b/c they've been booked.  WHAT?!?

Heartbreak sets in and I frantically start visiting the links of recommended photographers they sent with their cancellation.  Some are good.  All are less expensive.  So, I've filled out a bunch more information requests forms.

Now, I wait... And, maybe do a bit more searching online...  And, consider the possibility of student photographers?  Eh, we'll see.

The Great Race (really)

Like I said, yesterday was an amazing morning for a race.  There were somewhere between six and seven thousand people running the 5K that started in Oakland and ended in Downtown.  That's a whole lot of people, especially when you're trying to keep any kind of consistent pace.  But, the course was fun; running along the river was definitely the best part.


Both the FI and I were able to beat our last 5K times.  He came in at 36:01 and I came in at 38:14.  I probably could have pushed myself a bit harder, but I was happy to have improved a little.  Now we're debating our next race...  Should we push for something in October or give ourselves a bit more time to train?  Either way, I guess we've decided that we're not quite done with the whole race running thing.


That means that I'll have to keep up with my tread-milling routine.  I'm also hoping to get back into practicing yoga soon.  I bought a Groupon for Yoga Flow, which is very close to where I work.  Next week might begin my month of unlimited yoga...


I'd start this week, but I have three meetings set up with potential wedding photographers.  The first was tonight, but I won't give up the details till I've had a chance to compare and *fingers crossed* make a choice.

The Great Race (to the Altar)

This morning was the Richard S. Caliguiri City of Pittsburgh Great Race, the second 5K race for my FI and I.  There was perfect weather for the race: cool and sunny with a nice light breeze.  The best part?  Running, especially in an actual race, tends to make me think about how my FI proposed and (even better) leads to daydreaming about our wedding...


Neither myself or my FI are what you’d call “outdoorsy”.  We both prefer overcast skies to sunshine (we do live in Pittsburgh after all).  We like being at home, watching movies or playing games.  So, how did we end up getting engaged on a sunny July afternoon, at a picnic, beside a lake?
 

 Spring is a good place to start.  We (more I than he) decided to run our first ever 5K with a couple of friends.  The race was scheduled for the beginning of June and we needed to start training outside.  After more times around a nearby quarter mile track than either of us could stand, and showing up one afternoon in the middle of a high school competition, we decided to try running at North Park.  That afternoon, running in the cold rain, along an empty lake (recently drained so that it could be dredged), we decided that it was still better than going around in circles time after time.


We started making regular weekend morning trips to walk and run through the park.  We saw all sorts of races and even heard a barbershop quartet singing for runners one morning.  The weather improved, the trees bloomed and grew new leaves.  We pushed each other to run beyond each others’ comfort levels and started to feel ready for our own competition. 


Then, we ran our race.  Well, I didn’t quite manage to run the whole thing.  But, I met my time goal and soon after, we decided to sign up for another race in the fall.


Quickly, the temperatures rose above what either of us were comfortable running in and we stopped making our weekend journeys to the park.  My birthday came and went.  We both got very busy at work.  I began to wonder if all our trips to jewelry stores to look at engagement rings were a bit premature, because a proposal didn’t seem to be in the works.


Then, on a Friday evening in the middle of July, we went to a nearby church festival.  We wandered through the food and game booths, stopped by the BINGO area to say hello to a friend and then checked out the flea market items.  In a room full of kitchen stuff, we saw a few picnic baskets.  I mentioned that we had never been on a picnic and (here was the first clue of what was coming) he excitedly said “yes, let’s go on a picnic”.


We had plans to do some shopping in the Strip District with my Mom Saturday morning and for dinner and a night out at Sing Sing with my sister and brother-in-law.  So, Sunday was chosen as Picnic Day.  We went to the grocery for a few things and I whipped up some sandwiches: turkey, goats’ milk cheese and pineapple habanero jelly on mini ciabatta (in case you were wondering).  We also had a citrusy five vegetable slaw and some assorted mini desserts from the bakery.


While I was packing things up, my darling FI asked (get ready for clue number two) if we could make this a “fancy picnic” and take some wine.  I guess I seemed less than enthusiastic about the idea and he let it drop.  Then, before we left, he asked if I wanted to change into something dressier (clue three).


So, after changing out of my t-shirt with paint all over it, we drove up to the Park.  We hadn’t been in a few weeks and were excited to see that the lake was re-filled.  It was beautiful.  We drove around for awhile until we found a picnic table on what looked like a cement docking area, right on the lake and surrounded by trees but no people.


We settled ourselves, enjoyed the beautiful lake and ate our lunch.  Then, he went down on one knee and held up a beautiful little box wrapped in a bow.  “You make everything in my life happier.”  That is the one thing I will always remember from his proposal.


Then, I said “YES” and got to see the beautiful ring:
  It was nothing like what I would have ever expected or hoped for.  It was simple, quiet and so completely like everything about us.  It was perfect.