Finally declaring a color scheme??

So I think it's semi-official that Jon and I are going to go with Pink and Burgundy as our colors. Jon isn't the biggest fan of burgundy (he doesn't like that it was one of our high school colors -- whatever boy!). Plus it was our prom 06 colors so it's quote unquote "already been done." Haha, obviously I like those colors! Anyways, All that he has asked to have a say in is the tie he wears -- so he can be pink for all I care! Also, I would use lime green as a fun accent color. Very minor though - just a punch of contrast in the bouquets I think, maybe a splash on the invitations. 

People, Food, and Drink!

I think this is my longest, most wordiest post to date! I promised myself I wouldn't bore people with one of these - cuz I personally would never read it - but look for the bold words to read about my favorite options for food to serve! :)

Buffet vs. Plated? Casual or Elegant? Jon and I have talked, and I think we are going to go for an elegant plated meal. But boy -- does food cost $$$. I never realized this would be the biggest expense -- and ultimately has made me have to cut down the number of people I am inviting. I don't have any definite head count or even any lists made, but the Oatlands package I booked allows for a guest count of 80-120. Of course I could upgrade to 125-170 for $500, or even 175-250 for another $500 on top of that... but it's the tenting that is pricy. Which goes from $1750 to $2800 to $4200. Ouch! ANYWAYS back to what I was saying... I am definitely trying to keep it under 120 guests because I'm looking at about $100 a head for food (this does include silverware, plating, staff, cake depending on where I order from). So that's about $12,000. Wow. I think my family count is about 20ish and Jon's family count is 22-25 according to his mom. So that still leaves me with a decent amount of room for friends - at least 50. It is hard though because I do have a ton of friends, plus with the sorority it will be difficult choosing people. And I might even forgo formality and not let them invite dates so I can have more DZs there... they would all know eachother so that shouldn't be a problem. I'm just afraid of offending people! 

As for the food - I am thinking 3 h'orderves, 1 starter, and 1 main course (chicken or steak, plus vegetarian/vegan option). For the h'orderves, I want to showcase Jon and I's palettes. When I was at Oatlands they gave me some packets from catering companies and I think my favorite is definitely Windows Catering Company. Below is a couple of the passed h'orderves I like:

• Chicken Samosa chopped boneless chicken breast blended with ginger, garlic, tomato, and spices rolled in phyllo dough and flash fried
• Mashed Potato Cigars with gorgonzola cheese and chive cream fraiche *favorite!
• Phyllo Purse brie cheese with almond and pear wrapped in layers of phyllo with a curry aioli
• Margarita Florida Gulf Jumbo Shrimp

Next I would serve a first course of salad or soup. I really want to do corn chowder because it's one of my favorites, but then again a hot soup might not be a good idea. Here are some of the options:

• Barolo Wine Poached Bosc Pear organic baby field greens with warm saga blue cheese timbale, applewood smoked bacon, barolo wine vinaigrette with a savory palmier
• Endive and Heirloom Apple Salad endive, escarole and watercress, smoky french brie, toasted pine nuts, date compote, and black olive oil
• Strawberry Stilton Salad organic field greens with california strawberries, caramelized shallots, strawberry balsamic vinegar *favorite!
• Caesar Salad in a Parmesan Cup baby red and green romaine leaves with red and yellow teardrop tomatoes in a crisp parmesan cup drizzled with classic caesar vinaigrette
• Summer Corn Chowder with bacon, potato chunks, and frizzled green leek *favorite!

For the main course chicken would be the cheapest - and not to mention most liked and most versatile, so again I am thinking going with that so I can invite as many people as possible. However the filet mingnon and crab cake are still calling my name...

• Maryland Lump Crab Bundle Maryland lump crab wrapped in phyllo dough with minced fresh garden vegetables and chives in a tarragon beurre blanc
•  Portobello Mushroom Tower grilled portobello mushroom cap filled with a sweet potato puree topped with crispy tobago onion strings
  
• Grilled New York Strip Steak with potato brie pie and a melange of seasonal vegetables with a cracked peppercorn sauce
• Chicken Roulade medallions of farm raised breast of chicken filled with spinach and shiitake mushrooms, served with a wild mushroom sauce, accompanied by an apple-shaped croquette potato, california green asparagus, baby carrots and roasted red peppers, with a tarragon beurre blanc sauce
• Harvest Chicken breast of chicken stuffed with corn bread, apples and pecans, roasted and sliced into medallions served on a bed of braised Napa cabbage, sugar snap peas and butternut squash batons with a sour cherry sauce
• Sweetheart Chicken breast of free-range chicken presented on a heart-shaped crouton with rosemary and Chanterelle mushrooms and roasted shallot jus accompanied by asparagus spears, potato cake and baby carrots *favorite!
• Black Angus Tenderloin of Beef Wrapped in Oregon Mushrooms with potato and celery root napoleon, wild asparagus, cipollini roasted onions with a truffled rioja wine sauce

So hopefully you aren't reading this when you are hungry!! While I love the sound of the experimental flavors, I of course am going to go with fairly plain, not out of the ordinary meals to accomodate the most people. So nothing too spicy or foreign (i.e. Asian or Indian flavors). However, I will take my h'orderves as a way to give guests an opportunity to try something interesting. Otherwise I will probably go with a simple soup or salad and chicken entree with veggies and mashed Ps. Sounds pretty good to me!

As for cake flavors I love the following. I really want to get an Ace of Cakes cake... however that will cost me at minimum a grand, so I don't know about that. I definitely want to go with a light cake - so no intense chocolate. I'm actually thinking I would prefer a fruity cake - good for the summer season!

• Strawberry and Lime Shortcake lime-flavored spongecake, strawberry syrup, vanilla mousseline and fresh strawberries with vanilla buttercream
• Lemon Raspberry Cake lemon cake filled with lemon curd mousse and fresh raspberries with lemon buttercream frosting *favorite!
• Grand Marnier Golden Cake grand marnier flavored cake, vanilla cream and fresh strawberries with lemon buttercream frosting
• Vanilla Almond Cake vanilla cake, almond cream filling with vanilla buttercream
• Vanilla Blackberry Cake almond spongecake filled with vanilla cream and fresh blackberries with light amaretto whipped cream frosting

As for dranks, I'll probably do two signature cocktails (one for me, one for Jon) plus wine and beer. Maybe an open bar, but I want to have some money leftover for a honeymoon! More on the signature cocktails after I finally pick my color scheme!

Save the Dates

While Save the Dates aren't always necessary, they are a great way to inform loved ones early on and generate hype about your big day! Being one of my next steps, I have been thinking up some cool ideas for how I want mine to pan out.

First off, they are 100% definitely going to be magnets. How can you not resist putting that on your fridge? Plus that's a pretty good place for high exposure - no one will forget the date once they stick it on the fridge and see it all the time! Now, what direction I want to take with the magnet is a different story... here are my top 3 ideas listed below:

• Engagement/Themed picture + Date:  Simple, elegant, to the point. Would require that I actually get some engagement photos done, haha (I am planning on doing that this summer! Kind of delayed but I want there to be pretty flowerful surroundings!).

• Mini Calendar: This one is to die for. Little calendar with the date circled or in a heart. Could just do the date part of the calendar or make it more rectangular//a "full calendar" by putting an engagement picture at the top. Or a picture of Oatlands that I would go take this summer, say in place of the beach chairs below. Tempting.

• Photobooth: This one is quirky -- very Caroline and Jon-esque, I think I like it! It would be a little mini photo strip like the kind you take at the beach. There would be 3 or 4 pictures. The first would be just Jon and I looking cute (this one could be opted out). The next would have us holding a sign that said "Save the Date.", then "June 18th", then "Be there!" ... or something of that nature. I really like this one!  (Kind of like the pic below, but not really this is the closest I could find).

Outdoor Summer Weddings 101

Since I am having a summer wedding, there are a lot of little things I can do to make guests more comfortable and to ensure no mishaps. Of course this includes fans for under the tent, plenty of fresh water... but what about those subtle details that often go overlooked but can make all the difference? Below are some interesting ways to guarantee a perfect outdoor wedding!

1. Wedding Program Fans

Easy. Cute. Simple. I prefer an actual fan as opposed to multiple sheets that fan out about an eyelit. That way it saves money on printing and won't rip apart, etc. I could either set them on each chair or put them in a wicker basket at the entrance to the wedding seating. Also I might consider getting some paper parisols (think the colorful oriental kind??) to have on hand for older guests who might have trouble with the heat.

2. Personalized Mini Water Bottles

Just so adorable. A must have!!

3. Citronella Torches

Practical and pretty - I will have to see if Oatlands will let me have them around the tent and gardens.

4. Bridesmaid Dress Weights

Easy to stitch in and remove, these will prevent bridesmaid dresses from blowing in the wind, keeping them picture perfect!

5. Fresh Fruit Centerpieces

While I personally don't see myself using all fruit center pieces like below, this is a good way to cut flower costs while representing the season!

 

BOOKED!!

So - it's official: I am getting MARRIED June 18th, 2011 at Oatlands in Leesburg, VA! I am so glad it is in Loudoun County and that I have history with the location (cross country meets) like how more religious brides get married at their place of worship. This should be a really fun ride from here on out, I can't wait. Check back here because now I will start to give actual updates rather than just brainstorming!

Here is a link that gives a little taste of every aspect of the wedding set-up through pictures!

http://www.oatlands.org/photog/list.asp?ID=1

Oatlands: Wedding Day Pictures

Venue Spotlight: Oatlands

One of the many gaint old trees in Oatlands

4 acres of land and gardens

Place: Oatlands in Leesburg, VA

Price: $5000 base (of which 80% is tax deductible because its a historic preservation site) + cost of tent ~ $1700 - 2000 so puts it about $6700 - 7000

Thoughts: I REALLY like Oatlands. Not just for it's pretty lands, but for it's part in my past. I use to run cross country meets here - it was my favorite course! Also, after my AP US
History group impressed the Journey through Hallowed Ground (JTHG) folks and got an internship, I attended a press conference by the governor at Oatlands to hear about the JTHG preservation program. I don't know what it is about the historical component I like, but this has it, and it has personal meaning to me too. There are still caveats though; the mansion isn't really used in weddings. Guests can tour it in between the ceremony and the reception. And the reception is outside, under a tent. Hm. I did intially want a garden wedding though so I think that's why Oatlands appeals to me so much. As long as the weather is good (crossing my fingers already) I don't think an outdoor reception would be so bad. Plus, if rain is in the forecast, I can always get the siding for the tent (complete with windows). Also, they have a deal with Landsdowne for hotel room blocks, and that would be such a nice place to put up guests. The other two had deals with Comfort Inn (which also included a complementary ride over) that is pretty ideal - I'm sure Landsdowne has a van that could shuttle too, I might just have to pay. Hrm. But overall, I think I am leaning toward Oatlands. After this post I'll add some professional wedding pics (a lot!) that really show Oatlands in all it's summer splendor!

View of the gardens coming from the mansion

Where the ceremony is held; they are already

preparing it for spring and summer!

Garden teahouse where string quartet or harpist plays

(note proximity to where bride and groom are standing)

Side view of Garden Teahouse, ceremony is on other side

View from Rose garden, just one of the many areas of the land

Venue Spotlight: Raspberry Plain

Front of Raspberry Plain

These pictures aren't my own. I did like this place, it was very colorful (not neutral) although it matched what colors I currently want to do (pink & burgundy) but then again I already think I am changing my colors to possibly pink and peach so we'll see. Burgundy is just kind of dark for summer I feel like.

Place: Raspberry Plain in Leesburg, VA

Price: Catering not included; exclusive day rental = $7400 for 6 hours (Whitehall = $7500 for 5 1/2)

Thoughts: I liked it -- not impressed with the gardens / ceremony site. More use of the interior mansion - like 3 rooms.. a spot for guestbook, pictures, etc. I liked the historical component, it was owned by the first sheriff of Loudoun county then sold to Thomas Mason, George Mason's younger brother.

Front room, place for guestbook, picture of couple

Place to sit and chat, pictures on the table

Open room for mingling with cocktails

Formal Garden Ceremony (kinda blah)

Reception Hall

Reception Hall Wide View

Venue Spotlight: Historic Whitehall Manor

Okay so I am really delayed with these pictures. Sadly I forgot to bring my camera to Raspberry Plain. Oops.

Place: Historic Whitehall Manor in Bluemont, Virginia
Price: $$$ ... $21,000 for location rental (plus catering) = 60% of budget at 21k = no go
Thoughts: Pretty, but WAYYY too commercialized. The mansion isn't really a part of it (more so than Oatlands though) and the giant reception room was added on in 2005. Sorry, but I would like a little bit more historic appeal than that. I am definitely not choosing this place. But here are some pictures anyways.

The Mansion and front lawn

Cute swing in the front

Cake cutting and guest book room

Reception Hall

Spring Break '10 - Venue viewing!

So, I am pretty excited -- I've made appointments to view Raspberry Plain, Oatlands, and Whitehall Manor! I still need to clear up some exact meeting times, but I am excited to take some of my own pictures because a lot of these places do a crappy job of advertising themselves to the bride-to-be community with good pics! I am doing Raspberry Plain and Whitehall Manor this upcoming weekend and then I think Oatlands during the week, so I will do individual posts for each of them. I am really comfortable with my decision to get married in Loudoun County; Jon and I met here and I have lived here since I was three. Expect both the first two venue posts by Sunday night -- so check back then or on Monday morning! Thanks for reading :o)

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