First category is... Venue

Ooh. Do you like that in the corner there? Isn't it pretty?

Ahem. Anyway. First things first, my ever-growing list of ideas of venues I like. Hopefully once we've settled on a venue, we'll have a date (eek!!!!!) and be able to organise other things - obviously date will change costs of photography, catering, what flowers, any decorations (cos of the heat and stuff)... Still thinking about May, mostly because it's technically in the "off-season" for most places, so they usually offer some sort of discount. However, if we can get the same place for the same price perhaps earlier in the year, well, maybe I'll get my outdoor wedding after all! ;)

• Erskine - have a stunning old "Church" (was originally a Roman Catholic church) and a hall for the reception all in one place. Beautiful classic Gothic-type architecture. Island Bay location. --> This is my FAVOURITE so far.
• Ohariu Farm - "farm-style" location west of Johnsonville. Slightly out of the way to get to, but (again) beautiful location for photos...
• Pencarrow Lodge - similar idea to Ohariu Farm, but on the massive hilltop past Eastbourne. Out of the way, meaning would need to organise transport (not allowed private cars) for everyone which could be problematic... Stunning photo location over Wellington Harbour/Cook Straight.
• Boomrock - same idea as Pencarrow, but west of Tawa way. Same problems as Pencarrow re: transport, but similar photography bonus...
• Another idea is Old St Paul's for the ceremony and somewhere like Wellesley Boutique Hotel for the reception

The main idea at the moment for the wedding is to have the ceremony and reception with a smaller group of people and have a party with extended friends, family, workmates either at the same place later that evening or the next day.
Right now, we're leaning towards a smaller wedding ceremony/reception on, say, a Friday and then on the Saturday have a bigger party (excuse for another, shorter dress - yay!) with the extended friends and whatnot, possibly at a bar or something (with catered nibbles and bar tab). The idea is that it would make the wedding ceremony itself more intimate while still being able to celebrate the occasion with everyone and we might be able to save some money because we wouldn't be catering for 100+ for a full dinner/drinks... Theoretically. Obviously, we have to crunch numbers to see if it actually makes sense...

I'll keep you posted ;)

(hehe see what I did there? The pun on posting when I post blog posts to update you? hahaha I'm hilarious. No honestly, I'm - No, really, I'm... Fine. Be that way. Watch me not care :p)

Love love love love love
Kiwa.

Engaged!

Well. It's official. We're engaged - to be married!

"What is this blog for?" You ask. And I'll tell you. It's going to be difficult to organise a wedding in Wellington from Brisbane, and rather than fill up inboxes with super-long emails full of photos and whatnot, I thought it might be a good idea to post it all here. And so, the Team Grahiwa blog was born.

I'll try and categorise posts by the various areas of the wedding that need to be organised, and hopefully you'll be able to follow - vaguely - what I'm thinking.

Here's hoping Grant doesn't come and ruin it all... Jokes!!

*love love love love love*
Kiwa.