Update 15 June

What's new? How are things going with you? Good, good. Me - I mean, us? Well, since you asked... 

• More inspiration to be posted soon
• Bridal Party is pretty much decided and asked (and accepted - yay!) 
• Wedding Venue (Erskine) was visited by very helpful elves, Lydia and Teia, and we should maybe hopefully theoretically possibly have a confirmed venue soon - which means a date! 
• Once a date is confirmed, I'll be able to talk to one super-talented and wonderful Hannah Jo for her help designing the Save-the-dates.

Not much else is really happening. It's kinda stasiss hibernating mode really until a date and then it's all on!!! :D

Oh, what do you think of the new background/layout? Blogspot/Blogger now lets you edit heaps more so that's cool. 

And, I'm designing an actual wedding website on WordPress - easier to have pages and whatnot than blogger - for information that can't/shouldn't go on the invitations. That should be fun.

*love love love love love*
Kiwa.

Venue - update?

Well. I can't really think now what I was going to write in this because I've been drafting and rewriting this so many times. I go to finish it and we change our minds. This has been so hard and I'm getting over it rather quickly. I believe Grant is also getting hoha with having the same conversation over and over and over and over...

*sigh*

So I'm just gonna post it up there.


Basically I created the Mother of all Spreadsheets to compare venues throughout Wellington, including (but not limited to):

• Erskine
• Wellesley Boutique Hotel
• The Pines
• Tussock
• Boatshed
• Dockside
• various other hotels in Wellington

because that's what Grant said he wanted. Then we were going to compare them all, pick one and run with it. But we didn't. We picked 3-4 and tried to compare them further, which is very difficult when they all include different stuff in them.
And then I mentioned to Mum and Dad one night on the phone that maybe we should just have it at their place and hire a marquee and stuff. Which could end up being the same price if not more expensive, and runs the risk of rain, sheep poo and apocalyptic fights between us'ns and parentals.

Eugh.

Now what? Well, know I wait calmly for Stacey to come over this weekend (YAY!!!) with brochures from the Wellington Wedding Show she and Sheree (and apparently James - hmmmm?) went to and I'll pore over them. Also, Mother and Teia will be meeting with Erskine people as soon as poss to have a look at that. And maybe sometime soon we'll actually have a venue, and therefore a date.

oml. Sometimes I forget we're actually getting married; that's it's more than a wedding or a party, it's me and Grant being together forever. That in itself is somewhat scary (because forever is a loooooong time and sometimes we make each other very grumpy-faced) and also really exciting (because forever is a long time and he makes me laugh heaps!).

I think I'm getting sleepy.

*love love love love love*
Kiwa.

Venue - almost decided?

Helloooooo.... 

So I've think we've pretty much decided on Erskine as a venue. Been sent their info pack and details. 

Before we sign up though, I wonder if someone might be able to go and check it out properly, have a meet with the events lady? I know that you (Lydia) know someone who had their wedding there, and I've seen some photos of other weddings (they put the photos up in the public, not me...). But it would be good to actually go and see it, have a look at it from our wedding point of view. I might ask Mum, but she seems to be quite busy at the moment. So, if anyone is free/keen/has an opinion, let me know? I'll try find my list of questions/thoughts/things to look out for and pass it on...

On another note, bought some cheap whiteboards off Catchoftheday and finally arrived - yay! Means I can plan and re-plan all I want all over the walls (they're sticky and removeable :D)...

That's all for now.

*love love love love love*
Kiwa.

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.