Grrr

Last night I could not sleep, so Mr A and I started talking about the wedding. He mentioned a couple that were not on our current guest list. I reminded him and he said no we have to invite them. They are becoming good friends and would like them there. Then Mr A noticed that I had invited my entire book club (who are also my friends), so he said he should be allowed to bring his poker buddies. I agreed but pointed out that our guest list was growing beyond our 50 person limit.

We talked about our friend’s backyard, our friends who graciously said yes. Their deck is about 600 sq feet. I thought that’s where the dancing would take place, the ceremony on the grass and food in the house. But if we invite 100 people, a 100 people cannot stand on their deck. We’d have to limit people’s access to the deck which would limit the food access. Our friend’s house no longer seems like the ideal location. Not to mention all those cars and parking on the residential streets.

Now we have to find a new location. We are back to square one. We have many limitations. One is price. Mr A does not want to spend thousands of dollars on a location and I don’t blame him. Two is catering. Neither of us wants the usually rubbery chicken and tired ole wedding food. We want a dessert buffet and appetizers. So we’d need to bring in our own caterer. Or find a caterer willing to work with us. Three is location. I want to have the ceremony and the reception at the same place. So we’d need to find a place big enough to accommodate both.

Mr A says this wedding is going to drive us crazy. But I like having to try to figure things out. It’s like a big puzzle with Mr A and I at the middle and trying to create what goes around us.

The Beat Goes On*

As I said previously, music means a lot to me and Mr. Artichoke. But our musical library lacks the music he likes (trance and techno), so Saturday night we spent time on Youtube and iTunes looking for old songs. Well Mr Artichoke did. I looked for new songs that I never heard before. I’m so out of touch with current music. Ever since I got an iPod I stopped listening to the radio. Also the radio in my car doesn't really work either. I only listen to the radio for a few minutes in the morning. I however realized that there is nothing on the radio anymore and found no new music that I had to add to my collection. But we downloaded some Fatboy Slim, Sarah Maclaclan’s Mirrorball album, and some more Oakenfold.
Having spent most of Saturday night downloading and searching for music, I was interested in this service. Audiostiles styles your iPod or playlist for you. No more searching for the right song. You let them know what you are looking for through a online questionnaire and then they load your iPod or send you the CDs all ready for your event. It looks kind of pricy to me but if you were unable to put your perfect playlist together or looking for a specific mood, then it might be a way to go.
*Sonny & Cher, duh!

Me And My Big Mouth

When we first got engaged, Mr Artichoke and I agreed not tell anyone until I got my ring. Then he told his friends the next day! So I went ahead and emailed all my friends and told pretty much everyone I knew about our engagement. Then we decided we’d wait til 2009 to get married since I wanted a big wedding.

When I started looking at the costs, I realized that we could save for years and never save enough for a huge, fancy, expensive wedding. I went back to Mr Artichoke and told him either we needed scale back the wedding or go to Vegas. He knew I really wanted a wedding so Vegas really wasn’t an option. We talked about things that were important to us, things that meant us. We decided to ask our friends if they would let us use their backyard, our friends who already agreed to marry us. They said yes, but how many people would you invite?

When we first made our guest list (when we were renting a banquet hall and hiring a caterer), it was over 70 people. Clearly we could not fit all those people into someone’s back yard. We trimmed the list and were at 42. Forty-two people that we truly loved and wanted to share our day with us-my dad, his four best friends, and the friends we’ve made together. Not a single person that I felt was extraneous.

Then all the people who I emailed, responded. When is the date? My aunt (who made a spontaneous visit with my cousin) said when in July, what date? I hemmed and hawed. Mr. Artichoke said we’d love to have you but it’s going to be a small wedding. My aunt insisted and, finally, we caved. I added her back to the list. (Hey, I trimmed down the list by eliminating any out of towners!) Then had to add her two sisters and their significant others. I realized that I really want my aunts there. I love them and I’m working on building relationships with them as an adult. I decided I would not be moved. I cannot possibly invite less than 50 (official number is 48, but there are little ones that will be coming).

It’s our day, we need to have those closest to us there. Besides, less might come. We’re having an evening wedding with no dinner provided. I’m sure some will snub us.

adjust the base and let the alpine blast*

I love music. One of the things I love about Mr Artichoke is his love of music. We have some common musical interests, but I love that he loves music as much as I do.
As a kid, I grew up listening to The Mamas and Poppas, The Beach Boys, The Beatles, and Fleetwood Mac. My mom was stuck in the 60's. We'd dance around the kitchen to Aretha Franklin's Respect while other girls were singing to Like A Virgin.
I remember the day we got MTV and a whole new world of music opened up to me. Music usually conveys what I cannot say. I hear a song and I think that's exactly how I feel. The day after I met Mr. Artichoke I woke up to "Friday, I'm in love" by the Cure. It described exactly how I felt and it was Friday and I had fallen in love. I heard that song after a few milestones in our relationship. It's comforting and reassuring. As, yes, Miss Artichoke, you have fallen in love. The universe agrees with me.
Anyway, I started this post with the idea that I would talk about music for the wedding (groan! Not the wedding!). But maybe I'll save that for another post. And leave this one as it is.
*Summertime-Dj Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince

Hello, World!

Well, here's my first post. I've been waiting to start a blog to catalog all the wonderful things I like of. Today, I got off my arse and did it! Yeah, me.
So a little bit about me. I'm engaged to a wonderful man, Mr Artichoke. We live in a tiny one bedroom apartment that's too small for all our stuff. I love movies, music, and books. I like to cook although I screw things up sometimes. I love animals but we don't have any right now.
I'll probably talk too much about wedding crap. It seems to have over taken my brain and I have nothing else really to talk about.
I'm going to be anonymous for a while. Or maybe not. Who knows...