SIGNED, SEALED, DELIVERED!!!!!

It's finally DONE!!!!!!!!!!

We are officially getting married at the Vancouver Art Gallery on August 4th, 2012!!!!!!!!

At long last!

That date is especially good for any residents of British Columbia because it just so happens to be a long weekend! :)

Brian and I have agreed that we couldn't have found a more perfect spot: It's located in central downtown, close to EVERYTHING and we get the ENTIRE art gallery to ourselves!

I don't want to give all the exciting details away but we also have our own private animateurs at our disposal and Brian and I plan to utilize ALL FOUR FLOORS of this beautiful gallery!

Oh and the best part??? Just GUESS who's being showcased that weekend?

Here's a clue for all the art lovers out there:

One of the GREATS! :)

I'm SO EXCITED I COULD DIE!!!!!!!!

So. Close.

Guess what?

The contract to our wedding venue is sitting on the kitchen table. Unsigned.

We're 90% sure we will sign it and turn it in but there are a few adjustments that we are going to try to make.... such as the price.

It is pretty steep.

We've already haggled it down but it's still a lot of money. And I think Brian's having second thoughts. I, on the other hand, have no thoughts. It's been a painful experience throughout this whole venue selection process and I am mentally done with it all. I don't care if we get married in a asteroid crater at this point (Actually, that would be pretty cool. Dusty, but cool). It would be disappointing if I left here without a confirmed venue but I guess there are worse things. It just sucks since we've managed to look at so many and the one venue we're BOTH set on, happens to cost an arm and a leg. I'm debating between setting up some more last minute venue options or just letting Brian make the decision himself. I cannot wait til this is all over!! And then I'm not thinking about wedding plans for a long long time!

Anyways, that's the update folks. I'll keep you posted as to what happens next! Hopefully my next post will be on how we FINALLY BOOKED SOMETHING!!!

THIS MIGHT QUITE POSSIBLY BE "THE ONE!!!!!"

I think Brian and I may have found our venue.

After church service on Sunday, Brian and I went across the street to see the Vancouver Art Gallery. This place is BEAUTIFUL. It's an old courthouse that has been renovated into an art gallery and is one of Canada's biggest.

They rent out their rooftop pavilion for events and after some coaxing, Brian and I were able to convince the security guard into letting us scope out the place.

Pictures!

The front of the Vancouver Art Gallery

Rooftop Terrace set up for kids program

The view of Robson Square

The inner room of the rooftop terrace

Georgia St view. The fountain got soaped by some hooligans.

The rotunda from the inside.

This place is pretty perfect. It seats about 150 people, has a nice open terrace, and is fairly affordable for $6,500. Of course this is strictly the rental fee so we'd have to have it catered separately and rent furniture and such. But Brian and I have talked about it and have decided that it would still be cheaper than the Georgia Hotel which happens to be right across the street. Plus this place has got a view!

We're just waiting for the event coordinator to get back to us regarding the rental space. But I'm really hoping that this is the one! Brian and I are quite excited about it!

What do you guys think?

Rosewood Hotel Georgia!!!!

Don't have a lot of pics since the ballroom was set up for a surprise anniversary event but this hotel is quite possibly one of the nicest in Vancouver.

In front of the hotel. Right across from the Vancouver Art Gallery

Lobby

Awesome Elevators

Pretty ballroom!

Pretty table arrangements.

Renter be warned, this ballroom for between 100 - 150 people has an 18K minimum spending limit that's without taxes and gratuities included. It's a five star hotel, the location is prime and by golly is it ever luxurious! Brian liked it but did not love it for the price which is understandable because it costs a pretty penny so it's back on the maybe list. Yes, so predictable.

However, the man can cook some mean french toast!

Serious french toast and double pan fried red skinned taters.

Oh my goodness frikkin' gracious! Hands down, this was the best french toast breakfast I have ever had in my life! Brian can be so sexy in the kitchen! Secret ingredients? Egg batter had milk, butter, brown sugar, ground sesame powder, and crushed peanuts! The brown sugar caramelized on the outside of the toast and holy father in heaven was it ever DIVINE!

Anyways, more updates soon, Brian insists we seize the beautiful day! :D

Joining the cult

So I joined the Netflix cult.

I'm not officially a full-fledged member since I'm technically signed up for their one month free trial but so far.... I've been hooked like white on rice.

I decided to take this step when Brian and I attempted to go see Jaws in Stanley Park on the outdoor screen on Tuesday but couldn't find parking after 20 minutes of looking. I was pretty disappointed but then Brian suggested we get Netflix and just enjoy our prepared picnic basket from the comfort of our own bed. And it was GREAT.

Now the only downside to Netflixing it up with Brian is that he does not do movies. He hates fiction and fantasy so it's difficult for him to stay awake during 90% of the movies we've watched together. But! We've come to a somewhat of a compromise: Turns out Brian seems to be able to stay awake during most documentaries so we've resorted to that for the last few movie nights.

The first movie we watched was Facing the Habit.

 It was pretty eye opening and depressing. The movie follows a guy named Dave who is an ex stock broker millionaire who now resorts to theft in order to support his heroin addiction. It was focused on a controversial drug that is only legal in Mexico that is used to treat heroin addicts. The film shows how effective this anti-addiction drug is but also reveals how easy it is for heroin addicts to relapse even after they become soberized. At the end of the movie I was left with the feeling of "Holy cow. Being a heroin addict pretty much ensures inevitable death." I mean, three of the people who were being filmed actually DIED of an overdose by the end of it. Yes. Pretty shitty odds. Anyways, it was interesting and pretty short so it was perfect for Brian's short-termed attention span.

Last night we watched another documentary called Fall From Grace which is about the Westboro Baptist Church in Kansas City (The church that pickets military funerals with homosexual slurs).

Unfortunately, Brian was only able to stay awake for the first 48 minutes of this film. I finished it on my own and I am still in shock as to how people are able to defend themselves even when they are being so outrageously heartless and cruel. It's insane. I've seen interviews with the Westboro Church's minister's daughter who is an attorney and she is totally bonkers. It blows my mind to see how these people justify their actions.... I mean even the kids are totally brainwashed! Anyways, this documentary wasn't as eye opening since these loonybins are always on TV but it was still interesting to hear other viewpoints and personal interviews with members of this whackhouse. Seriously, only in America.

Anyways, enough of my Siskel and Ebert spiels. I did end up going to the Georgia Rosewood Hotel yesterday and it. Was. Fabulous. Probably one of the most luxurious looking hotels I've ever been in. It's very old Hollywood and just grandiose in every way. Me, being a total idiot, left my camera in the car so I don't have any pictures to show. But! I have rescheduled a viewing tonight with Brian so I will have pictures by tomorrow! It's a bit steep on the price but still within the affordable ranges. I'm hoping to be able to somehow work in their rooftop terrace/penthouse suite which I have yet to see so keep your fingers crossed! This one MIGHT be it! :D

I still wanna see the Orpheum before I make any final decisions and obviously Brian will be a deciding factor as well so there are still a few steps left to take. But GAWD. Am I ever ready to just DO IT. If this is what wedding planning is going to be like, I'd rather hire a wedding planner for the rest of it!

Alright -- Time for Zumba!

Frustrated!

So okay.

It's July 26th, 2011 approximately seven months after Brian proposed to me in Central Park and we are still venue-less. Why? Whyyyyy???


Because I am CURSED. CURSED with this innate dream of having a grandiose fairytale wedding full of unicorns and dancing elves and skipping fairies. I want the glitz. The glam. The whole shebang. And I can't have it.

Ugh.

I don't want to be entirely negative. Brian and I have seen many lovely places and a few are still in the cards but I can't help but feel like I still haven't found the one. I know, I know. All I seem to do on here is bitch and moan about finding the damn ONE. The dress, the venue, the flowers, the hair. At least I found the man.

It's gotten to the point where I probably don't even know what I'm looking for anymore. A view? A patio? Outdoor? Indoor? Clean bathrooms? I really don't know. I'm just hoping to walk into a place and just feel a stirring within my soul that accumulates into an orgasmic sensation that screams "THIS IS IT! THANK THE LORD ALMIGHTY, THIS IS THE ONE! BOOK IT! BOOK IT, YA DUM BISH BEFORE YOU BEGIN TO SECOND GUESS YOURSELF AGAIN AND PUT YOURSELF THROUGH ANOTHER ROUND OF TORTURE!"

I guess I'm starting to lose hope in this city. I still have a couple more venues to scope out here in Vancouver before I decide to turn to Victoria and other neighboring islands but honestly, HONESTLY, what I'm really ready to do is a book a cheapie place in Hawaii and call it a day. Small, intimate 50 people wedding on the beach with leis and coconut cocktails for everyone. Sounds perfect right about now.

But I'm not going to give up just yet. I want to check out the Orpheum Theatre downtown, a place called the W2 Storyeum, and then the Vancouver Art Gallery. Maybe there's still some magic in this city waiting to be revealed.

Anyways, I'm back to the drawing board and I'm hoping that I can get this place booked within the next few weeks. Keep your fingers crossed peeps.

Or else the venue will end up being someplace horrendous like the Cracker Barrel in Elkton, Maryland. EEK!!

North Carolinians... Check out this Pimp-ass Venue!!!

The Biltmore House in Asheville, North Carolina.



Yeah, Hi.

W. T. to the freakin' F!
This mansion was completed in 1895. It's George Vanderbilt's 250-room French chateau. It is America's largest home and totally wedding rentable. Insane in the membrane.

Terminal City Club and the Magic Cruise

I am finally able to post on Brian's and Miss Carol's visit to the Terminal City Club. The location is ideal and I think this is Miss Carol's favorite. Check it out.

The building.

Lobby

Terrace

View

More terrace

The set up

We have a piano, yay!

The dance floor, me thinks.

Chairs and floor.

Fancy shmancy.

Looks like a lovely place. The price is reasonable as well.

Then the venue hunters went to see another wedding yacht. This one did not get as good a feedback.... It's called the Magic Cruise. Brian thought that it just wasn't as good of a venue as the first yacht they saw. Here are the pics from that visit.

Looks like a nice boat from what I can see but I'll take Brian and Miss Carol's words for what it really was. It was also half the price as the first boat so I can believe that this ship ain't all that....

In other news, I wasn't able to zumba it up yesterday because they were having technical difficulties with the music and such. So I just gymed it up, hit some balls on the tennis courts, and ended the evening with a hilarious round of Wii Fit. I love Wii Fit! So today wasn't too shabby on the activity scale. Gonna try to start running this weekend. Goal for this weekend: Run a half mile without passing out.  :)

Beachy Weekend.... :)

I'm at Rehoboth Beach with Lena, Noah and Gracey!

In all honesty, I probably shouldn't have come out to the beach for the entire weekend since I have a paper and another pediatric med calculation assignment due by Monday but.... you only live once, right? And it's summertime! :)

Grottos for lunch!

Gracey and her beloved ice cream

Beachside.

The gals.

Moi and my weekend date, Gracey

Cold ass water.

Toe ring buddies.

We just had dinner at Finn's Raw Bar and we're just taking some down time before hittin' the town!

Brian and Mama Gregg have confirmed that they saw the Terminal City Club today and quite liked it. I'm sure he will have lots of pictures for me to upload. They also saw the Magic Cruise Yacht which was pretty nice as well and half the price as the Sunset Bay Yacht. Decisions, decisions, decisions....

Stay tuned for more updates! :)

More Bridal Gowns

Today was a good day.

I got the best fortune cookie fortune I've ever gotten in my entire life.

Check. It. Out.

Major.

Pretty gangsta is what that is!

Anyways, I dragged the cuzzo to dress try-ons and here's a couple we had fun with...

Beautiful Maggie Sottero Vintage style gown

The back was lovely!

Maggie Sottero Destination gown.

So soft and flowyyyy

Loved the details.

Modified train included. :)

Wow. So I think that makes the count..... approximately 65. SIXTY FIVE DRESSES HAVE BEEN TRIED ON. Insane! I gotta admit, a lot of the dresses are beginning to look the same. I have kept a top three count in my head and I think I'll be getting close to narrowing things down shortly since the venue is close to being booked.

Brian and Mama Gregg are going to check out the Terminal City Club tomorrow (last week did not happen due to an appointment confusion) and maybe check out The Vancouver Club as well. They might even consider checking out some other yachts while Mama Gregg's in town.... I'm just glad she's coming out to help with the decision making process. I can't wait to finally have this thing booked and underway!

As for job hunting/volunteering in Vancouver, I am back to square one! :( I was offered an interview yesterday but they would want me in Vancouver to do the interview by next week..... and that's not happening unfortunately. Sighhhh.... It would have been amazing to be able to work with the Monarch House and the Children with Autism Summer Camp but I guess that just wasn't in the cards.... I'll continue to look but if anyone has any leads, please pass them my way! I'm dying for a summer position out there! Anything!

Anyways, I'm out to join some friends to watch the Canucks vs. Bruins game... Kinda nervous since the Canucks have seriously been choking the past two games but I'm not losing faith just yet. I still think the shiny cup is well within reach!

Go Canucks! :)