She Thinks We're Crazy

We had a phone conversation with our videographer last night. Ryan and I are sort of awkward phone conversationalists, so these "meetings" aren't really our thing.

But our videographer, Kristin, was really easy to talk to. She seemed super interested in us and what we're like as a couple. I would say that it's because it's her job and she has to be interested... but I film people almost every day, and I know from experience that it's really hard to fake genuine interest. Woops. ::blush::

We talked to her for almost an hour. She asked a lot of questions about us and our wedding... including how we met.

Ryan and I instantly laughed.

I carefully constructed for her the tale of Ryan and Kelly's Cleveland rendevouz. She's in for a treat (and so are YOU, dear reader!)...

Ryan and I in front of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

To set the scene... imagine it's late January, 2008. I'm lonely at a new job in a new town in Illinois. Ryan is a bored college student living at home with his parents in Philadelphia. We both see an ad on Facebook for a Christian dating site, and we join.

I saw Ryan as one of my "matches" and thought he was cute (but I insist to this day that he's cuter in person than the photo he used on his profile). Despite our distance, I sent him a "smile" (ughhh dating sites are laaame).

Ryan's dating profile picture in 2008... his hair was really long!

Ryan emailed me listing all the awesome ways in which we were similar... we both majored in tv production, we are both Methodists, and we both love the Simpsons, Weezer, and Green Day. I was instantly impressed and sent him an IM.

My dating profile picture in 2008. Bangs were a (thankfully) fleeting thing.

We spent the next 3 days obsessed with our AIM... checking it morning and night to see if the other person was online.

At 5am on the 4th day, we decided we should meet. Like... immediately (or... as "immediately" as you can get living 13 hours away from eachother). We decided to each leave our respective houses at noon that afternoon, drive 7 hours each, and meet at an Applebee's just outside of Cleveland.

So we did just that.

We had dinner (Ryan ate chicken fingers... winning me over right then and there). After dinner, we attempted to go bowling (but the alley was closed), then decided to watch a movie on his computer. The next day, we went to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and shared an awkward (Kelly-initiated) kiss in a furniture store parking lot before heading home.

Phew!

So there you have it... the beginning of a beautiful relationship. We started officially dating about a month later, and the rest (as they say) is history!

Oh... yes. We were talking about our videographer. Well, I'm pretty sure she thinks we're nuts. She laughed and couldn't believe our story. Nothing could top that...

... until she asked how Ryan proposed.

*All personal photos

The Distance Catches Up With Us

Being a long-distance bride is tough.

Granted, it could be worse. Ryan and I are only 3 hours away from our wedding locale.

But we are busy people. We sat down last weekend and looked at our calendars. We only have 4 free weekends the rest of the year. Oh... my... goodness.

Due to the constraints on our availability, we are planning one super grand extra productive mega wedding-overload-weekend... also known as the WOW.

The WOW will be in mid-October and will include:

• Food tasting
• Cake tasting
• Ceremony music consultation
• Registering at Crate and Barrel
  
• Looking at rehearsal dinner venues
  

That's a lot of stuff to cram into 36 hours.

One exciting part of this weekend is that Ryan's mom will be joining us. We invited her along, assuming she would probably say no because it's so far away, but she said yes.

It's good because it will give her a chance to be involved in the wedding planning a little bit more (it's hard because she lives on the east coast and the wedding is in Chicago). She will get to see our reception venue for the first time, and check out my hometown.

My parents on the left. Ryan's parents on the right.

To say my mom is excited would be a gross understatement. She practically squealed on the phone when I told her the news. How adorable.

I Heart Weekends

1) The paper arrived and the Save the Dates are done! The Gocco wasn't nearly as scary as I had pictured, although I probably could have done a slightly better job with my printing. Well, practice makes perfect. Hopefully by the time Invitation-printing rolls around, I'll be a regular pro!

2) My handwriting is way better than I thought. And, surprise-surprise... I remember cursive! All this means that self-addressing my Save the Date envelopes (and dare I even say... our Invitation envelopes) is not at all out of the question.

3) Major Honeymoon research is happening. Despite our instant gut reaction of "bleh", I think we are actually leaning towards Mexico. I am amazed to discover that they have some fabulous all-inclusive resorts. I'm wishing it was time for our honeymoon right now.

4) I informed my ladies they should be on the look out for a knee-length navy blue dress and silver heels to wear to my wedding. Cut, style, fabric all optional. Gigantor orange floral print not (that's a "no").

5) Now off to tan myself! Ryan and I are headed to the Michigan dunes tomorrow for some much needed beachy relaxation. Mmmmm.....

More detail-oriented posts are in store for next week, so stay tuned. Happy weekend!

Needle in a Haystack

I’ve always said that the venue is the most important part of the wedding. The weight on this decision, combined with my overall indecisiveness, is making the venue search an excruciating one.

Let’s say for arguments sake there are 80,000 reception venues in the U.S. Here’s how I narrowed things down:

I only want venues in Indianapolis, Chicago, or Chicago’s southwest suburbs = 400

I refuse to even consider a banquet hall or country club = 170

The venue must hold 125-175 people = 100

I don’t want to pay more than $4000 to rent the space = 50

If it’s in the suburbs, it must be within 30 minutes of my hometown church = 45

It can’t be too small, too eclectic, too dark, too frilly, or too closed-in = 20

It has to have “character” = 7

And that’s how I narrowed it down to my 7 finalists:

John Hancock Center, Chicago

Patrick Haley Mansion, Joliet

Cantigny Park, Wheaton

Northerly Island, Chicago

Hotel Arista, Naperville

Columbus Park Refectory, Chicago

Danada House, Wheaton


Despite my pickiness, I’m still not completely thrilled with any of my options at this point. None of them truly blow me away like I was hoping they would. I think the problem is the “$4000 or less” stipulation. It’s no coincidence that the nicest and most unique venues would cost me my entire budget.

But Ryan and I have scheduled next weekend to drive up to Chicago and visit some of the venues. Unfortunately, Sunday is Mother’s Day, so none of the venues can meet with us then. Solution: we will be attempting to pack all of our venue visits into one fun-filled day. Yay!

Saturday is going to require some serious time-management skills.