Great news! We have our reception venue set!! For us, that was the very first item on our list to complete. Now the date is officially set and the rest of the planning can continue :)
There were a few things I noticed while looking a reception venues, the biggest one being the lack of customer service. As a veterinary technician, I consider myself to be in the service industry, and one thing I pride myself on is my attention to customer service and making sure each client (pet owner) feels as though they are my first priority. When I walk into an exam room, I always make sure to introduce myself and personally address the patient (pet) and owner by name. I always do my best to answer every question or find the answer to every question and I go out of my way to make their experience positive and enjoyable.
As a result, I have high expectations when I am shopping for a wedding venue where I plan to spend several thousand dollars. I expect to feel special and that I am the most important person at that moment, I don't think that is too much to ask considering the situation. One of the reasons we chose our venue (other than the fact it is GORGEOUS), was the personal service we received. We were greeted by name, asked immediately what we were envisioning for our wedding day, and after the tour we received complimentary champagne and chocolate covered strawberries. Not to mention, the event coordinator we met with was extremely friendly and made me feel like they REALLY wanted my business. It overall was a fantastic experience.
What fantastic venue did we choose? The Old Well Ballroom at the Carolina Inn!!
Now I am not going to say that our venue is the best venue for everyone, that would be impossible! But my point is this: Make sure you are being courted! Don't settle for bad service! If the service is bad before they've seen a dime, imagine how they'll be throughout the planning process.
Trust me, after the first venue we looked at I felt soooooo discouraged. I was really worried that I wouldn't get the WOW factor I was looking for when it came to my wedding venue. But it happened! So for all of the brides out there, don't settle!!! Wait for the WOW factor, you deserve it! That not only goes for finding a husband, but also for finding the elements that make up your big day :)
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Monday, February 14, 2011
Banging out the Details
Ask most women what their perfect wedding is, particularly in the 18-25 demographic, and chances are you've obligated yourself to an hour long conversation. Little girls everywhere begin planning this magical day as soon as they realize that one day they will grow up and they will have the chance to be just like mommy and daddy.
Ask a man, however, what his perfect wedding is and chances are he'll stare at you blankly and wonder exactly why you're asking him such an odd question.
It's not that men don't plan on getting married; most men assume it to be a given. However, for some reason, most little boys, and big boys for that matter, are preoccupied with becoming a lawyer, or a doctor, or an astronaut, or a firefighter, or some other career oriented goal. Most men you find, particularly men who are not engaged, have thought little, if any, about what their wedding will be like.
I feel like most of this is a blessing in disguise; I mean, after all, if two people do have incredibly strong opinions, the result will likely not be a fruitful one. However, this blessing means that at least one party will have an extensive learning curve they're going to encounter...and now you understand where I am.
The remarkable thing is, I'm having an absolute blast. The fact that I have a remarkable fiance who wants my help in all aspects is incredibly wonderful. The best part is, by her utilizing my involvement, we're able to divide and conquer: By her focusing on the festive imaginative aspects, I'm able to focus on the organization and logistics aspect.s While we're both involved in all aspects, being able to focus on the stuff that makes us feel like we're striking tasks off of our list keeps us both happy and fresh on everything.
If I had to give some advice to men who are just engaged and are planning a wedding, three rules come to mind:
1) Do not check out from the planning process. You may not enjoy fabric samples or fixture shopping or venue scouting, but enjoy the fact that she enjoys it. The more involved you are, the less you feel like you have to catch up later, and the less stress she'll have to deal with by you being an open mind with an opinion.
2) If you're fiscally inclined, insist on managing the budget. This the meat and potatoes part of the planning process and is by far the most "manly" task in the process of wedding planning. It is also a great way to practice budgeting as a unit and managing a budgeted project as a couple. Compile the budget with each other and be sure to indicate the areas where you're willing to dip into surplus or where you're willing to carve if it becomes necessary. Focus on meeting aspects of your budget, and focus on how you can make it a team process. This keeps both of you accountable for spending, and makes for a more efficient team.
3) Don't be afraid to admit you're enjoying it. I love football and firearms just as much as the next man, but I am not afraid to admit that I enjoy being a part of this process. There is nothing emasculating about caring about the woman you're going to marry and being an integral part in planning the day that is going to unite you two. Not all parts will enthrall you like it does her, but the virtues of being a gentlemen, particularly having good taste and embracing the manners and customs of your regional preference, are lost among so many people in our society.
Andrew
Ask a man, however, what his perfect wedding is and chances are he'll stare at you blankly and wonder exactly why you're asking him such an odd question.
It's not that men don't plan on getting married; most men assume it to be a given. However, for some reason, most little boys, and big boys for that matter, are preoccupied with becoming a lawyer, or a doctor, or an astronaut, or a firefighter, or some other career oriented goal. Most men you find, particularly men who are not engaged, have thought little, if any, about what their wedding will be like.
I feel like most of this is a blessing in disguise; I mean, after all, if two people do have incredibly strong opinions, the result will likely not be a fruitful one. However, this blessing means that at least one party will have an extensive learning curve they're going to encounter...and now you understand where I am.
The remarkable thing is, I'm having an absolute blast. The fact that I have a remarkable fiance who wants my help in all aspects is incredibly wonderful. The best part is, by her utilizing my involvement, we're able to divide and conquer: By her focusing on the festive imaginative aspects, I'm able to focus on the organization and logistics aspect.s While we're both involved in all aspects, being able to focus on the stuff that makes us feel like we're striking tasks off of our list keeps us both happy and fresh on everything.
If I had to give some advice to men who are just engaged and are planning a wedding, three rules come to mind:
1) Do not check out from the planning process. You may not enjoy fabric samples or fixture shopping or venue scouting, but enjoy the fact that she enjoys it. The more involved you are, the less you feel like you have to catch up later, and the less stress she'll have to deal with by you being an open mind with an opinion.
2) If you're fiscally inclined, insist on managing the budget. This the meat and potatoes part of the planning process and is by far the most "manly" task in the process of wedding planning. It is also a great way to practice budgeting as a unit and managing a budgeted project as a couple. Compile the budget with each other and be sure to indicate the areas where you're willing to dip into surplus or where you're willing to carve if it becomes necessary. Focus on meeting aspects of your budget, and focus on how you can make it a team process. This keeps both of you accountable for spending, and makes for a more efficient team.
3) Don't be afraid to admit you're enjoying it. I love football and firearms just as much as the next man, but I am not afraid to admit that I enjoy being a part of this process. There is nothing emasculating about caring about the woman you're going to marry and being an integral part in planning the day that is going to unite you two. Not all parts will enthrall you like it does her, but the virtues of being a gentlemen, particularly having good taste and embracing the manners and customs of your regional preference, are lost among so many people in our society.
Andrew
Sunday, February 13, 2011
Welcome!!
Hello to everyone out there! I am new to this whole blogger thing, so please bear with me. I (Morgan) will mostly be the one typing the posts for the blog, but never fear I am sure Andrew (being the writer between the two of us) will from time to time add his two cents :)
For those of you who don't know our story of how we met and our engagement, please feel free to visit our wedding website at TheKnot.com:
http://www.theknot.com/ourwedding/MorganGannon&AndrewTucker
So far, we have chosen our wedding date, October 1, 2011, which I hope will remain as we try to settle on a venue for our reception. We also met with our WONDERFUL wedding planner last week, and I cannot tell you how much better I feel now that we have met with her. During the first week of our engagement I was REALLY excited about being engaged and knowing that I would spend the rest of my life with my best friend, and I won't lie the ring was a pretty awesome addition :) But after that first week reality struck, holy cow! I have 8 months to plan a wedding! And needless to say, I became quickly overwhelmed. But after the meeting with our WP, everything seems so much easier. Seriously, my hat is off to all those brides who planned their weddings without a wedding planner, you are all amazing!
This weekend we are looking at venues for the reception, we will let you know how it goes!
For those of you who don't know our story of how we met and our engagement, please feel free to visit our wedding website at TheKnot.com:
http://www.theknot.com/ourwedding/MorganGannon&AndrewTucker
So far, we have chosen our wedding date, October 1, 2011, which I hope will remain as we try to settle on a venue for our reception. We also met with our WONDERFUL wedding planner last week, and I cannot tell you how much better I feel now that we have met with her. During the first week of our engagement I was REALLY excited about being engaged and knowing that I would spend the rest of my life with my best friend, and I won't lie the ring was a pretty awesome addition :) But after that first week reality struck, holy cow! I have 8 months to plan a wedding! And needless to say, I became quickly overwhelmed. But after the meeting with our WP, everything seems so much easier. Seriously, my hat is off to all those brides who planned their weddings without a wedding planner, you are all amazing!
This weekend we are looking at venues for the reception, we will let you know how it goes!
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