Planning – Phase 1

I’m a planner by trade and I’m pretty sure it’s in my DNA.  When we first started dating I used to say all the time to Dave “I am really not trying to nag – but I need to know basic plans in order to function.  The plans can change – but I need to sort of know what is going to happen when.”

Back then it was simple things like “What time should I meet you?” or “What do you think we’ll do this weekend?”  

Planning has taken on a whole new meaning this past week. :)

I had all these grandiose ideas about my wedding.   The one thing I am adamant about is that I don’t want to have the wedding or reception in a hotel ballroom.  I want light and outdoor space.

My first choice – right off the bat – was the Midtown Loft and Terrace.    I called them immediately and they gave me pricing – which was thousands of dollars just to walk in the door.

Then I contacted a caterer I have used for corporate events.  They gave me a quote that had labor and rentals amounting to more than food and alcohol.

(insert sad face here)

Deep down I already knew it.  I do this for a living.   There is a reason that people use hotels for this kind of thing.  The staff is already there, the tables and chairs and barware and plates and silver are already on site.    Your costs drop considerably when you factor all that in.

Luckily, however, I live in NYC.  And so I think (cross your fingers we are signing on the dotted line tomorrow) we’ve found our location.

Oh.  And a date.  Sunday, September 4, 2011.

Yep.  You heard me. :)

The ceremony will be upstairs – with a view of Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty.   We have the option to have the ceremony outside but a) it’s more expensive b) I do not want to fret about the weather.   It’s Labor Day Weekend.  It might be sweltering.

Cocktails downstairs in a bright sunny room.   There’s also a full bar that you cannot see.  Everything is white and modern.  I like that.Outside those windows is an outdoor patio.   So during cocktails people can sit outside if they choose.  The reception itself will be back upstairs which also has two terraces so that people can mingle outside then as well.

So that’s where we are right now.   We have to find someone to do the ceremony.  We need hotel rooms for out-of-towners,  flowers, a cake, music and a photographer.   The upside of a city wedding is that we don’t need limos and the like – and Battery Gardens offers valet parking.   Jen found a dress she thinks she might like.   Now I…gulp…need to try and find mine.

I’m heading to M’s today to see what wedding madness has done to reverse the upward motion of the scale as of late.  I have to say this all has been terribly motivating. :)

From now on expect less food, more wedding planning posts.

I trust you’ll be OK with that.