My New Project: Invitations

On Sunday, my mom and I went to a wedding superstore, and I stopped dead in my tracks at the sight of a gigantic bookshelf of thick books/binders filled with invitations. I just shook my head and just said NO. I didn't even know where to start, I thought the prices on a lot of those are ridiculous and I was really overwhelmed just thinking about it.

Soooo... At this point, my thought is to make the invitations. :)

When I mentioned that to Patrick, he: 1) Looked at me like I was crazy; 2) Asked if I realized how long that would probably take; and 3) Admitted that the idea scares him a little bit b/c he wants to make sure they look professional. He backed off that 3rd comment b/c he knows I'm really crafty and just asked if he could see examples before I start making them all. That had been my plan, so we're on the same page!

While watching TV with my mom tonight, I spent a few hours looking at invitation samples online (both DIY and professionally-made), figuring out templates to use and testing out ideas with my stock of scrapbook paper & cardstock. I came up with some awesome examples. I made some flat, two-layered invitations and multiple different types of pocket invitations. I'm excited to show Patrick to get his feedback.

We'll see what happens!

-Lisa

I Said YES to the Dress!!

We had a great day today trying on dresses, and I definitely burned some calories getting in- and out of so many heavy dresses - that's quite the workout. Best of all, the day ended with my perfect dress!

Stop #1: Almond Tree Boutique. Like I said in another post, I wasn't sure what to expect from a consignment bridal shop, and I didn't go into it with overly high expectations. The shop was cute; the dress room wasn't gigantic, but there were lots of dresses lining three walls & one wall had a couple rooms to try on dresses. It seemed like most of the dresses were my size, so I had a pretty good selection. None of the dresses along the walls were exactly the color/style/material I was looking for, so that forced me to try all kinds of dresses.

It was a good start to the day, and with each new style of dress I tried on, I got to cross those off the list; even if my mom/Mandy/Briana said they looked good, they just weren't right. We had fun trying on some hideous dresses (an example is the dress in the picture with the brown bow... Yikes!), and at the last minute, Alyssa (our bridal consultant) realized there was a dress on a mannequin that was similar to my ideal dress. The color was wrong, but she was right about how close it would be, and that really helped reinforce the type of dress I had my heart set on.

The prices were VERY reasonable, Alyssa was fantastic, and even though I didn't find my dress there, I have nothing but good things to say about her & Almond Tree Boutique. After talking more to Alyssa about how I really liked Maggie Sottero dresses, she told us how a bridal shop called Kaira's had recently had a Maggie Sottero trunk show (and that they carry her dresses), and Mandy immediately looked it up on her phone. She called, found out they allow walk-ins, and we headed that direction.

If you know of a future bride who's open to the idea of buying a consigned wedding dress (remember, most of them are new) and who is looking to save some serious $, send her to Almond Tree! http://almondtreeweddings.com/

Stop #2: Kaira's Bridal and Tuxedo Superstore. This store definitely didn't offer the same 1-on-1 attention that Almond Tree gave, but they had multiple Maggie Sottero dresses that fit what I was looking for; I couldn't stop smiling after I saw that. Despite the fact that the first dress I chose to try on was 2 sizes too small, it was gorgeous. I set that one aside and tried on probably 5 more dresses. We all compared each one to that first dress. At the last minute, one of their bridal consultants brought in a dress I had actually printed a photo of, and I was sure the dress would be perfect. As I put on the dress, it felt right. The consultant helped me get the dress closed, and I looked into the mirror... It didn't even compare to the first dress.

I put dress #1 back on, we figured out a few changes/alterations we'd like (there's not much to change!), and just like they say on one of my favorite shows, I said yes to the dress! At that moment, emotion hit me, and my eyes teared up. I was able to shake it off without letting tears fall, but that was exactly the feeling I was looking for. Knowing the sample was two sizes too small, that I'm going to make a couple changes to the dress and have it altered to fit perfectly, and that the sample wasn't the same white as the dress I will be getting, I CAN'T WAIT to see how my actual dress looks on me!

My Grandma K (Dad's Mom) passed away about two and a half years ago. She and I were very close, and every time I saw her, she'd ask if I was dating anyone; she always hoped I would find the right guy. Right after she died, I put aside the money that I inherited from her and told myself it would be used to buy my wedding dress - as a present from her b/c she would have LOVED to be a part of that day. Grandma, even though you're not here physically, thank you; the dress is perfect, and I can only hope you love it as much as I do.

Stop #3 - David's Bridal. Although we found my dress, I still wanted to take a look at the bridesmaid dresses. In an hour, we found two great options for dresses, and I realized our color will be their "Malibu," a blue-ish/aqua color. I want to go over our favorites with Patrick, then I'll be sending information to the girls in my bridal party to get their opinions and have them go try the dresses on.

It's been a VERY productive day!

-Lisa

Meet Sean & Todd

Patrick is in Cleveland this weekend, and he went golfing with two of his friends, Todd and Sean. While golfing, he asked both of them to be in the wedding party, and he pulled Sean aside at one point to ask him to be his best man.

In picture (left to right): Sean, Patrick, Todd

Sean - Best Man. Sean got to be really close with the Sweeney family b/c he dated one of Patrick's sisters for years. Patrick refers to Sean as his "big brother as he was growing up," and he knew right away who he would want to ask to be his best man. I met Sean over a quick lunch when we went back to Cleveland this past winter. He cracked me up; he has lots of stories, he's very feisty, and I had to stay on my toes around him. I realized I had to try to give him as hard of a time as he gave me, and I see us getting along well b/c of that. Earlier today, Sean and his wife, Shannon, texted me the picture of the three guys together - Thanks again for doing that; I love the pic!

Todd - Groomsman. Patrick and Todd knew OF each other during high school, but they didn't become close friends until college - they both attended Muskingum University, and the two of them lived together a little over a year. I've heard a lot about Todd and met him in Cleveland; we got to talk for a while during the Sweeney's Superbowl party. Todd and Patrick have stayed in touch over the years, and I know that his friendship means a lot to Patrick.

My girls have all been announced, and Patrick is up to 4 guys... I haven't heard his plan for asking the others, but I'm guessing there are more updates to be announced at some point soon...!

-Lisa

Meet Kate & Maggie - The Final Two Bridesmaids

I'm proud to say that I have officially asked all six of my girls to be in the wedding party, and all six of them said yes!

The last (but not least) two are Patrick's sisters, Kate and Maggie. From the first time I talked to them on the phone, they have been amazing. I couldn't have asked for a more welcoming pair of siblings, and I'm so excited to have them as my sisters-in-law.

Kate - Bridesmaid. Kate (left in the picture) is Patrick's older sister. She lives in Cleveland (only a few minutes from his parents' house) with her husband Mike. Kate and Mike got married a few years ago, and she's already given some great advice that she learned from her wedding. I feel like we already have a lot in common and can't wait to get to know each other better.

Maggie - Bridesmaid. Maggie (in the center in the picture) just moved to Detroit after being offered a very exciting job with a major department store. She's had a long-distance relationship with her hockey-playing boyfriend Colin, and the move got her a LOT closer to him (looking forward to meeting him!). Maggie is a fashion expert, so I'll definitely be looking for her feedback/suggestions on dresses, etc!

It's always nervewracking meeting your significant other's family, and I wasn't sure what to expect. I met his dad first (less than a month into our relationship) and met his mom about a month after that... Since both of those meetings happened early, I didn't have time to really over-think it - and they were fantastic. After meeting his parents went well (and we started to get more and more serious), I was really nervous to meet Patrick's sisters. Maggie & Kate mean so much to him, and I knew that their opinion would mean a lot. Siblings can be very protective of each other, and they don't always accept a new bf/gf. I soon realized I had nothing to worry about. We finally met over Thanksgiving (when both of our families came to Phoenix). They welcomed me with open arms, and I consider myself very lucky.

In an earlier entry, I said that I would save HOW I asked the girls for later, and now that all of them have been asked, I don't have to wait any longer! I love scrapbooking, so I decided to put a personal touch into asking each of them. I found ribbon and sparkly letters that match our wedding colors, and I made each of them a scrapbook. For Kelly, Lindsey, Mandy & Kristen, I found pictures of the two of each of us through the years - starting around the time we first met and going to today. For Kate & Maggie, I asked Nell (Patrick's mom) for help. She, his dad & Maggie (without knowing what she was doing) went through old photo albums and frames for pictures of Patrick with each sister (there aren't many of me with the two of them... yet!). Their scrapbooks showed pictures of their relationships with Patrick through the years. On the last page of each book, I wrote a message telling each girl why they mean so much to me & asked her to be in the wedding party. I'm really happy with how they turned out, and more than anything, going through the pictures was a reminder of the good times over the years. With friends like these six, I have no doubt those good times will continue!

-Lisa

PS, I'm getting tired, but I'm almost too excited to sleep - Wedding dress shopping is first thing tomorrow morning!!

Things Do Work Out

I'll be the first person to admit that I was not initially a fan of Iris Creative Photography. When we talked to Amy (the photographer) the first time, she showed us her albums, and there were multiple photos that looked like they were a little blurry, and I couldn't figure out why she would show those pictures. One of the albums just didn't seem like it portrayed the pictures as sharply as I liked; I even told Patrick that I would not be happy if we got the albums with pictures like that.

Yesterday, when we realized we needed to figure out another photography option, I took Patrick's suggestion and emailed Amy asking if we could set up another meeting to ask some follow-up questions and see the albums again. She immediately responded, and we set an 11am meeting time for this morning. Patrick was sold on her, so he was comfortable with the idea of letting me handle the meeting.

I asked the questions I wanted more detail on, and I looked through the albums - specifically pointing out pictures that worried me. I asked for details on those specific photos, and it turns out that the brides/grooms specifically asked for a certain type of filter to be put on the camera for those pictures. She assured me that she didn't have to take any "whimsical-looking" photos & that ours could have sharp lines/images. The albums she has are either magazine style (with paper pages) or a thicker version with cardboard-like pages. The largest magazine-style album wasn't my taste, but the thicker albums are a much higher quality, and I would be completely happy with those.

I admit I was wrong on my first take on her. Amy and I were together an hour, and I'm now a big fan. At the end of our meeting, I told her that we'd be honored if she was our photographer; I feel really good about it, and I think she'll do an incredible job. Patrick loves the fact that she's from the Cleveland area, and they have that Ohio connection. He is also thrilled that she agreed to come take pictures at the rehearsal dinner in the place of an engagement session since we already have some amazing engagement photos (an engagement session is included with our wedding packet). The first photographer just kept telling us that walking around a rehearsal dinner taking pictures would be "much more entailed than an engagement session, so that wasn't a possibility unless we wanted to pay extra." Riiiight.

The more I think about it, the more it makes me angry that the other photographer didn't offer us the courtesy of letting us know our date had been taken - until we told her we had made the decision to go with her. I don't think that's the type of person we need to be working with! Like the subject line says, things do work out :).

-Lisa

So I don't get everything I want...

Apparently everything is not supposed to go exactly like I'd like... Sad. ;) I just got an email from Kiss the Camera saying she was no longer available on our date. I think it's very poor form that she didn't let us know it was taken b/c we'd been emailing back and forth over the last week. Therefore, I'm being bitter and taking back the compliments I originally gave... Take that lol.

That photographer was my favorite, but Patrick had a different one as his #1. We'll talk tonight and figure out what we're going to do!

-Lisa

We've been engaged one month!

Today is one month from the day Patrick proposed, and that month went QUICK. If this first month flew by, I can only imagine what the other 11 will do!

We're getting close to making some big decisions...! We liked the work and quality of Kiss the Camera photography combined with the personality of Christine (the photographer), and we think she'll be a great fit with the personalities of our wedding party & guests. I emailed her letting her know that, but she's out of town on vacation for a couple weeks and had told us that she wouldn't be checking her email as regularly as normal. I'm hoping we get this finalized soon!

I had two bridal shop appointments set for Saturday, but I decided to change one of them... The first shop I found at the bridal show apparently doesn't carry Maggie Sottero dresses; I love a couple of her designs & have my heart set on at least trying them on, so that shop wasn't going to work. I found a place called Almond Tree boutique, a consignment bridal WAREHOUSE. They carry a long list of designers, and apparently 95% of their dresses are brand new. That really caught my attention, and after checking out the reviews on multiple websites, I gotta check this place out! If we don't find anything at that 9am appointment, I have another appointment set at noon at David's Bridal. I'm not completely sold on any of the David's Bridal dresses I've seen online, but it's probably worth a look. If we find the perfect dress at Almond Tree, we'll just check out the bridesmaid dresses at noon! I'm really looking forward to our girls' day... Well, it'll actually be a girls' weekend b/c Patrick's going to Cleveland this weekend to see family/friends. He joked around about being glad he's avoiding a weekend full of "wedding, girly stuff," but I'm pretty sure there was at least a little bit of truth to the statement lol. I'm glad he found a weekend to go, and he's really excited.

Next Thursday (the 30th), we have a couple of appointments already lined up. The first is a dinner food tasting with one of the catering companies. They told us to show up with an empty stomach and promised we'd leave full. B/c of that, I think Patrick is already counting the days ;). After we're finished with the food, we have an orientation meeting with Evelyn, the owner of Aldea (our wedding venue). That should answer any questions we have and go into more detail about the planning process. I really appreciate the fact that Aldea is being proactive in getting our wedding details going!

That's about it for now; I'll update this after trying on some wedding dresses!

-Lisa

Pictures are Up & Appointments are Set

For anyone who hasn't seen the engagement pictures, I created a photo album on Facebook of my favorites. Even if we're not friends on FB, you should be able to see the album by clicking HERE. We're trying to figure out which one(s) to use for our Save-the-Date's; it's a hard decision! 

This week, we've been working out some more of the details. We went to the Arizona Bridal Show on Sunday, and that went sooo much better than I had expected. We have most of the things already checked off the list b/c of the all-inclusive package at Aldea, so we went into the show looking for information on honeymoon ideas, invitations, dress/tux shops and any other little details we hadn't thought of. We were in and out in an hour!

At the Bridal Show, I set two appointments at bridal shops to go dress shopping! My mom is coming to Phoenix this coming Thursday, and we're planning on going shopping on Saturday. I've asked Mandy to go with us, and I've also invited Briana (my 16 year-old little sister through Big Brothers Big Sisters). When Briana comes to my house for a sleepover, we'll usually end up watching an episode (or two) of Say Yes to the Dress, and she was really excited when I asked her to come along; it's probably more excited than I've heard her in the 2 years we've known each other! I have my definite idea of what kind of dress I want, but we'll see how it looks on me.

Patrick and I are close to choosing a photographer, and we went to a presentation about Sandals resorts at a travel agency on Thursday. We left with some ideas and a lot of information. His main goal for our honeymoon is to find a place we can go scuba diving - and he wants me to get certified before we go. It makes me laugh how I'm so excited about putting the details together about the reception/ceremony, and he's so excited about going on vacation afterwards :). We compliment each other well.

-Lisa

Meet Kelly, Lindsey & Kristen

I can officially say that I've added a three more girls to the bridal party, and they're representing cities all over the country. These girls are three of the strongest and most genuine people I've ever met. I always know that they'll have my back if needed, and I'm honored they're going to be standing up next to me!

Kelly - Maid of Honor. I got to know Kelly my first few years living in Phoenix. We are usually laughing when together & often find ourselves in some kind of mischief. She lives in Chicago, and we've been back and forth across the country numerous times over the years to see each other. One of the best adventures we've had together was our incredible cruise to Mexico; the picture to the left is of the two of us and the captain of the ship. Kel (and her boyfriend Brian) took a trip to St. Louis for my Hall of Fame Induction, and she was an incredible sport when I ended up in the emergency room with a torn achilles that Saturday - on her birthday. Kelly is just an amazing friend and person in general.

Lindsey - Matron of Honor. Lindsey is my cousin and only 5 days older than me; her mom was leaving the hospital with her when my mom was going in to have me. She would say that our relationship started our rocky - she claims that as a baby, I would bite. I question that story ;), but she and I have grown very close over the years, and she's become the closest person to being an biological sister that I've had. Lindsey and I have a running contest to see who can get each other the most obnoxious gift (jewelry, salt/pepper shakers, etc), so if you have any ideas, I'm all ears! She has always loved babies, so it's perfect that Lindsey is a nurse and works in the nursery of a hospital. She and her husband, Luke, live in St. Charles, MO (my hometown) and have two adorable sons: Logan (who's almost 2) & Gavin (4 months old).

Kristen - Bridesmaid. Kristen and I got to know each other really well while working for the Suns/Mercury and quickly became inseparable. We often share a sparkle in our eyes, and I love Kristen's feistiness; I know it'll always be a good time when she's around. Kristen moved to Denver, CO about 3 years ago, and (most recently) Kelly and I took a trip to visit her a few months ago. When the 3 of us get together, you'll usually hear a "BFF Rally" chant starting quietly and then getting louder and louder. Kristen and I had one of the best vacations ever at an all-inclusive resort in Puerta Vallarta, and we have had countless incredible memories over the years. I'm looking forward to getting Kristen's boyfriend (Greg) together with Kelly's boyfriend (Brian) AND Patrick; I think the three of them will get along great.

I won't give details of HOW I asked them to be part of the bridal party (that'll come later), but I'm very lucky to have them in my life and am so touched they've accepted! I love these girls.

-Lisa

We have some pictures ALREADY

Yes, only a couple hours after I posted the last entry, Banks sent me the link to the pictures. It pays to have amazingly talented friends who love stuff like this :). He's still working on uploading pictures (he's already at over 200 pictures), but I have to give you a preview of some of my favorites so far..! SOOOOO good!

-Lisa

Engagement Photo Shoot - Done!

Patrick and I are acting as housesitters for the summer for a couple of people I got to know them really well through my job with the Mercury. They actually own their own pharmaceutical company, and their house (which is in North Scottsdale) is absolutely incredible. Since their landscaping is done so well, there's a golf course [literally] across the street from the house & the fact that there are tons of great photo ops, we thought it'd be a great idea to take some engagement pictures there.

We asked our friend Daniel Banks ("Banks") to take pictures; he has a really nice camera, and even though he's not a professional photographer, he takes great pictures. When asking him, we explained that we don't have unrealistic expectations: we're only hoping for one or two good pictures that we could use for our Save the Date's. If none of the pictures turned out, no big deal!

Yesterday was our photo shoot. We took pictures in front of the house, on the rocks next to the pool, around the side/back yard, on the golf course and with the mountains/cacti in the background. We tried to really do it up & even had a few outfit changes! Because none of us claim to know how to pose, I had gone through a bunch of engagement pictures online to find some poses/pictures to imitate. That made things so much easier.

I haven't seen the pictures on the computer - and Banks said he wanted to photoshop some of them to touch them up before letting me look - but from looking at the pictures on the screen of his camera, there are plenty of good ones to choose from! I had a great time, but I have to say that even though he got stuck by a cactus THREE separate times ;) , Banks probably had more fun than either of us. He was totally into it and loved changing the settings/lighting/angles/etc.

Banks is one of the most genuine and loyal people I've ever met, and it's now official that he's going to be one of our groomsmen. Patrick asked Banks and Mal (Chris Mallory) to be groomsmen last night. They've been two of my closest guy friends for years, and they clicked with Patrick as soon as they met. When Patrick took Banks and Mal aside to ask them, I asked Mal's wife, Mandy, to be one of my bridesmaids. As a couple, Mandy and Mal have been so supportive through our relationship and have always been there for us when needed. Patrick even had them go with him to help him pick out the diamond for my ring (Mal has a hilarious impression of Patrick stressing out about choosing the right one).

Mandy / Me:                                   Banks / Patrick / Mal:

It was exciting being able to start asking the most important people in our lives to stand by our sides, and it makes all of this feel a little more real.

As soon as we get the link to the pictures from Banks, I'll post some of my favorites. I can't wait to see them!!

-Lisa

Photographers: 2 Down... 1 to Go

Like the entry's title says: two photographers down, one to go. Since I put the websites on here, I'm not going to go into detail of the names until it's the photographer we choose (I'm sure they're all great; just not for us!). One of them, We had an appointment to meet with "Photographer #1" before the open house. #1 was fantastic: outgoing, positive, really nice work and they really seemed to love their job. We were very impressed with #1's albums and they did a great job answering questions while knowing what they were talking about.

From a distance, we watched "Photographer #2"s interaction with other people and that was about enough. Just the vibe we got from #2 was creepy. From looking at the websites online, #2 had been my last pick out of the 3. Patrick looked at me and asked, "Do we really have to go to over there?" My response: "Absolutely not," and we checked #2 off the list.

We got to meet one of the florists and one of the bakers. The dj company had a table set up with fliers and business cards, but he wasn't there in person. 

My fiance (yes, I'm still getting used to saying that!) LOVES food, so his favorite part of the Open House was that it was catered... at no cost to us. We found out that we're able to set up complimentary food tastings with each of the catering company options - and they said to make sure to show up with an empty stomach b/c we'd be leaving FULL. You should have seen Patrick's eyes light up when he heard that! That'll be a fun step, and we can even bring a couple people along to taste food with us!

 My mom booked a flight to come visit the last week of this month, and we're going to go dress shopping!! I have to admit that I've probably seen every episode of 'Say Yes to the Dress' at least once, so I have definite ideas of what I'm looking for. I'm trying to keep an open mind though b/c I realize that my ideal dress might not look as good as I hope on me. Only one way to find out though..!

Alright, time to get to sleep. Sweet dreams,
Lisa

Thinking About Photography

We've really enjoyed being able to exhale and knowing that we've made a couple of the biggest decisions for the wedding - date and location.

The next step is to figure out our photographer. I've communicated via email with all 3 of the photographers included in our package, and two of them are going to be at the Aldea Open House tomorrow night. In addition to seeing how it's set up for a wedding (in person), we've set up an appointment with one of them before the Open House & the other one knows we'll be coming by to meet them.

In case you have some extra time and want to take a look and give your thoughts, the three options are:
1. Bill Dooling Photography - http://www.billdooling.com/
2. Kiss the Camera - http://www.kissthecamera.net/
3. Iris Creative - http://www.iriscreativephotography.net/

I know which one is favorite, then #2 and #3, but I'll keep that to myself for now. We've gotten the suggestion (which makes a lot of sense) to make sure that they click with our personalities and the personalities of the wedding party. Meeting them should answer a lot of our questions, and hopefully my frontrunner will impress in our meeting!

-Lisa

MAY 26th, 2012 - IT'S OFFICIAL!

Both of our families really liked the pictures and information online about Aldea. I know I said it before, but I'm just blown away at how supportive both sides have been about making this our day and how they're on board with our ideas but are wanting to help with suggestions when possible...!

There really weren't any BAD reviews of Aldea online. We found one site that had 19 reviews, and their total score was 4.8/5.0. The reviews that were lower than 5.0 wished they would have known more of the details before they signed the contract; they didn't know what to ask, and therefore hadn't asked enough questions. Fortunately, we don't have that problem; since we're both in sales, we ask tons of questions ;). We took suggestions from the reviews though and made a list of follow-up questions to ask.

Patrick and I sat down and started looking through the emailed wedding packages. Most were much more expensive (and didn't include nearly as much), but there were a couple that were comparable. After a few of them, I looked at Patrick and said, "I really don't want to look at these." He smiled and replied, "Well, let's not look at others, then. Let's just do this."

We knew what dates we were interested in, and the main two on our list (May 19th and May 26th) were available. After making calls to our families and close friends to make sure there aren't any conflicts with graduations, other weddings, etc, we decided on MAY 26, 2012; it's the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. The only negative that we thought of was that the flights and hotels might be a little more expensive since it's a holiday weekend, but with Monday being the holiday, our guests from out of town could potentially stay an extra day without having to take a day off work. If we work out the honeymoon timing right, we could have a get-together of some kind on Sunday with everyone we only get to see every once in a while. Those benefits outweighed the negative.

Yesterday morning, I emailed the list of follow-up questions and said I was potentially interested in putting down a deposit later in the day. They have later office hours on Friday (b/c of the evening & weekend events coming up), but I was nervous we'd lose our ideal date. I called a few hours later and reached their voicemail. Patrick reassured me it was ok, so I stopped by and found the owner setting up for the wedding reception that night. She was fantastic and said her son was actually on the way into the office now to respond to me (he walked in during the time I was there). She answered all of my questions to my satisfaction, and we're going to get a free photo booth b/c that's going to be their bridal show special next weekend - points for using our sales skills!

I wouldn't say that I freaked out when I was signing the deposit contract, but I got hit with a definite realization that this is actually happening! I'm so happy and am amazed at how easy it was to find the ideal wedding venue for us. They make everything as easy as possible, and almost everything is included with the wedding package (decorations, photographer, florist, baker, dj...). They set the package, and we get to customize it from there. For example, there are three photographers that we can choose from in the package. If we don't like any of those, we'll get a certain amount of credit back, and we're then able to bring in our own photographer. We looked at the websites/albums/blogs of many of the vendors, and we have some great ones to choose from. The thing I'm most excited about is that we have so many choices of floor-length linens/napkins and centerpieces/decorations. When I asked him what he's most excited about, his first answer was that he's most excited about getting a vacation for our honeymoon. As far as the wedding day, he's most excited about the fact that I said I'm completely ok with having cornhole game(s) set up during the cocktail hour and maybe reception. Haha, that's my fiance! ;)

This is going to be us (!):

So excited!
-Lisa

Venue Option #2: Aldea at Tlaquepaque

Remember the feeling I said I was hoping to have when we visited the Secret Garden? I now have that feeling!

After sending out all the information requests to other venues, both of us went to sleep knowing there were other great options out there and we would find it.

One of the places I wanted to look at was a place called Aldea in northwest Phoenix. It originally caught my eye when I was doing research for the event/wedding venue I worked for. The pictures were gorgeous, and I remembered the pricing being pretty reasonable.

We saw that they give open tours Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11 to 5. I work in that area, and I told Patrick I'd stop by during lunch to check it out.

VENUE OPTION #2: Aldea at Tlaquepaque - www.aldeaweddings.com

As soon as I finished the tour, I texted him, "I REALLY like this place...!" He responded immediately asking if he could meet me there after work. When he found out it closed at 5, he talked to his boss and was able to leave work a little before 4. I can't stress how much it means to me that he has tried so hard to make us a priority - this is just another example.

His take on Aldea was just like mine - he loved it! We had put together a list of things that were important to us, and it fit every single one. We felt completely comfortable walking through the "village" and could absolutely imagine our wedding there. The ceremony would be held in a gorgeous, outdoor courtyard, the cocktail hour would also be outside and the reception would be in a cozy, yet spacious room inside. Their description from a wedding website:

Aldea at Tlaquepaque is a stunning 7,600 square foot indoor/outdoor venue located in the northwest Valley.  A destination full of old world romance, Aldea is home to gated courtyards, brick walkways, and magnificent arched entryways. Our location offers the opportunity to create a unique event for you and your guests, by providing both picturesque exteriors and beautiful interior dining hall.

We didn't want to leave and sat down at one of the courtyard tables to call our parents and go over the available dates. I asked my mom to go over all the information with my dad, and we sent both sets of parents the link to their website.

 As we were leaving, a group showed up for a wedding rehearsal. Patrick suggested to talk to the bride-to-be, so we asked her about her thoughts on the whole process and if she was happy with her choice. She was incredibly enthusiastic and said she couldn't say enough good things & wouldn't change a thing. She also said the entire process was easy and they've been there to help her with whatever she has needed.

Even though we're really excited about the potential of Aldea, we want to go over some of the emailed wedding packages from other venues I've received today, and we also want to look at Aldea's reviews online.

I'm DEFINITELY crossing my fingers.
-Lisa

Venue Option #1 - 7 out of 10

We went to the Secret Garden's open house tonight with very high expectations. We loved the location and realized how easy it would be to have everything so close to Patrick's house.

It mostly lived up to the pictures. The house which held the groom's room and the bridal room would look great in pictures... Well, Patrick called it historic; I called it old, and it smelled old - I'm sure you can imagine the smell. It was very pretty though and the smell seemed to fade when we got used to it, but I think he liked the house more than I did.

The grass on the lawn (where the chairs sit for ceremonies) needed some help, but other than that, the outdoor ceremony site was very pretty. With all the trees and bushes, it was very green and didn't make me think of Arizona - not sure if that's a plus or a negative: just a fact. There were many places that would be gorgeous backgrounds/sites for pictures, and the stairs that I would walk down were fantastic.

The reception room was very nice with pretty doors, but it was simple and plain. I'm sure it could be really dressed up with lighting and decorations (it was staged with tables w/tablecloths & gold chivari chairs that Patrick said were horrendous), but they didn't have any of the tables set to give a good idea of what it could look like - negative points to the people planning their open houses.

They have a number of wedding package options: one that is all-inclusive and one that lets you choose any vendors you'd like to work with. I love the idea of the flexibility to create the night we're hoping for, and I also like that they let you bring in your own alcohol/drinks for a small set amount per person.

Going into this, I knew I would have an issue with the total pricing b/c I'm a girl who has never spent more than $100 to throw a party. I don't consider myself cheap b/c I'll buy my fair share of nice things, but I love bargain hunting, DIY projects and always try to know I got a good deal; it's like a contest with myself to see the best deal I can get. I'm not sure that the pricing for the Secret Garden would be worth it. It was definitely on the pricy side (more expensive than the upscale event venue I worked at for a while), and the price is definitely our main hesitation. I'm being realistic though, and I know that if the price was a little lower, the things I mentioned as negatives wouldn't be nearly as much of negatives. Maybe it works the other way though: if we were completely in love with the place, the price may not be as much of an issue... I'm not sure!

After talking through our thoughts over a sushi dinner, Patrick helped me realize that we don't have to choose a venue really close to his house because our guests will be traveling anyway. If they have a rental car (or even if they need a ride from the airport to a hotel near the wedding site), a 10 minute drive compared to a 30 minute drive isn't THAT big of an issue, and we've opened our search to include most of the Phoenix area.

We realized that we went into tonight with TOO high of expectations. I hoped to be blown away and to want to stop my search before I left the premises. The Secret Garden was very good and I have NO doubt they are an incredible location for a wedding, but it didn't blow me away as I had hoped. Our mindset going into other venues is to be open-minded, see what they have to offer and hopefully be pleasantly surprised.

We haven't crossed Secret Garden off the list; in all actuality, there were a lot of things that we liked about the place & it fit the main goals we're hoping to find, but the score we're giving it at this point is a 7 out of 10.

After getting to Patrick's house, we sent inquiries to 13 wedding venues around the Phoenix area asking for information/pricing/availability in April-June of 2012, so I'm sure my phone is going to be blowing up over the next few days. I'm ready to be woo'ed by wedding coordinators. Bring it; let's see what you've got! ;)

-Lisa