Well, I'm two days in to my fifth semester of law school and am once again completely and totally overwhelmed by how quickly things get out of control. I was so far behind at 11:00 on Monday morning- three hours into the new school year- that I have already slipped into slackerhood (if I'm this far behind now, why bother with school work tonight? Pshaw!)
Anyway, I made a good dent in stuff today, and am hopefully going to be back in school mode by the end of the week. It is a pretty dramatic change in velocity though- a week of vacation/nothing to do followed by an immediate need to sprint before you've even had a chance to tie your shoes... Ah well.
Looking to be a good but really busy semester. I'll do my best to get back in regular blog mode- it's good for me to think about non-school stuff, and now I can add non-wedding stuff to that list, too.
I'm ALMOST done with my koigu sock- about half an inch away plus the picot bind off. Then I need to redo the toe on sock #1- it's about an inch too long- and then I'll have my very own pair of koigu socks! YAY! Other knitting projects have screeched to a halt, but the cooler weather is making my fingers itchy... This bodes well for ye olde knit blog....
8.22.2006
8.04.2006
I can see clearly now...
Well, more clearly than Wednesday night, at any rate.
We've found a reception site that offers the same amenities as the other place for the lowly sum of $500. Yep, knocked an entire zero off the end. YAY. And, we've found another place that would include everything (catering costs, too) for $4000 less than the old site plus their catering estimate. So that's another nice option. AND, I've got a backup backup plan of doing it in a friend's gorgeous cabin north of Santa Fe.
And, I bought a dress on ebay this week for $50- not sure if it's the right dress, but it's pretty darn good and the price is absolutely right. Fits perfectly, too... It's nice to know I have a backup if I don't find anything else. And, $50 for a new, never worn dress with the tags still on! YAY!
My uncle is a former wedding photographer who offered to do our wedding when we first got engaged., and I may still take him up on that. I'd also like him to be able to be a guest. Using him would save us $2000, but seeing as how I've just saved us at least $4000 on the reception venue and between $500 and $2,000 on a dress, this might be a valid splurge.
I'm still amazed by how much this stuff costs, but I feel like things are looking up. Thanks for all your fabulous suggestions- keep them coming!
We've found a reception site that offers the same amenities as the other place for the lowly sum of $500. Yep, knocked an entire zero off the end. YAY. And, we've found another place that would include everything (catering costs, too) for $4000 less than the old site plus their catering estimate. So that's another nice option. AND, I've got a backup backup plan of doing it in a friend's gorgeous cabin north of Santa Fe.
And, I bought a dress on ebay this week for $50- not sure if it's the right dress, but it's pretty darn good and the price is absolutely right. Fits perfectly, too... It's nice to know I have a backup if I don't find anything else. And, $50 for a new, never worn dress with the tags still on! YAY!
My uncle is a former wedding photographer who offered to do our wedding when we first got engaged., and I may still take him up on that. I'd also like him to be able to be a guest. Using him would save us $2000, but seeing as how I've just saved us at least $4000 on the reception venue and between $500 and $2,000 on a dress, this might be a valid splurge.
I'm still amazed by how much this stuff costs, but I feel like things are looking up. Thanks for all your fabulous suggestions- keep them coming!
8.02.2006
Rant rave, rave rant....
All right, ya'll. If you don't want to hear about wedding insanity, avert your eyes. I'm letting it rip.
I am shocked and appalled by what it costs to get married in this country. According to several sources, the average wedding in America costs $27,000. TWENTY SEVEN THOUSDAND DOLLARS! That is ABSURD. ESPECIALLY when you consider that the median household income in this country is $43,318. REDICULOUS!
I have been hoping to have the reception at a certain nameless historic property in the north valley. We were told two months ago by the owner that the facility plus tables, chairs, linens, and flowers, would be $3,500. This was confirmed one month ago when I took Mr. C there to see it.
Tonight, I was told that it would be at LEAST $5,000, that I would have to hire a professional wedding planner ($1,000 just for that day) AND that they won't even know if they can have weddings (zoning issue) until the end of the year, IF everything goes as planned (which it never does.)
Um, excuse me? I may be a bride, but I'm not an IDIOT.
The problem is, I'm now 9 months away from my preferred wedding date (the weekend between graduation and bar review) and most of the other venues I considered are booked.
Time to get creative.
This reception venue bullsh*t is just part of the problem. I am not poor, but neither am I rich. My parents are being incredibly generous in what they're contributing to pay for this debacle, and I'm putting every BigLaw penny I've earned this summer into the pot, too.
And despite this princely sum, WE CAN'T AFFORD TO GET MARRIED. When you add in the ceremony (over $1000 at the church I grew up at), dinner, cake, wine, fees, photographers, florists, a DJ, a dress, and a reception venue, all priced in the LOWER THIRD of what's available in NEW FREAKING MEXICO, one of the cheapest states in the union, we're pushing the edges of the budget. Even cutting out the photographer, DJ, wedding planner, and alcohol, it's well over $10,000.
Come on.
My goal is to do this entire thing for under $10,000 without falling prey to all this wedding industry baloney. A wedding lasts for approximately five hours; it's NOT WORTH sacrificing our financial future over.
If you have suggestions- local vendors (Santa Fe/Albuquerque), cost cutting tips, sanity hints, or anything else, please share- I'd love to have them and I'm sure I'm not alone.
I am shocked and appalled by what it costs to get married in this country. According to several sources, the average wedding in America costs $27,000. TWENTY SEVEN THOUSDAND DOLLARS! That is ABSURD. ESPECIALLY when you consider that the median household income in this country is $43,318. REDICULOUS!
I have been hoping to have the reception at a certain nameless historic property in the north valley. We were told two months ago by the owner that the facility plus tables, chairs, linens, and flowers, would be $3,500. This was confirmed one month ago when I took Mr. C there to see it.
Tonight, I was told that it would be at LEAST $5,000, that I would have to hire a professional wedding planner ($1,000 just for that day) AND that they won't even know if they can have weddings (zoning issue) until the end of the year, IF everything goes as planned (which it never does.)
Um, excuse me? I may be a bride, but I'm not an IDIOT.
The problem is, I'm now 9 months away from my preferred wedding date (the weekend between graduation and bar review) and most of the other venues I considered are booked.
Time to get creative.
This reception venue bullsh*t is just part of the problem. I am not poor, but neither am I rich. My parents are being incredibly generous in what they're contributing to pay for this debacle, and I'm putting every BigLaw penny I've earned this summer into the pot, too.
And despite this princely sum, WE CAN'T AFFORD TO GET MARRIED. When you add in the ceremony (over $1000 at the church I grew up at), dinner, cake, wine, fees, photographers, florists, a DJ, a dress, and a reception venue, all priced in the LOWER THIRD of what's available in NEW FREAKING MEXICO, one of the cheapest states in the union, we're pushing the edges of the budget. Even cutting out the photographer, DJ, wedding planner, and alcohol, it's well over $10,000.
Come on.
My goal is to do this entire thing for under $10,000 without falling prey to all this wedding industry baloney. A wedding lasts for approximately five hours; it's NOT WORTH sacrificing our financial future over.
If you have suggestions- local vendors (Santa Fe/Albuquerque), cost cutting tips, sanity hints, or anything else, please share- I'd love to have them and I'm sure I'm not alone.
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