This Sucks!
I know nobody wants to hear me rant about weddings or anything like that, but I just have too. I sucks being one of the first to be engaged. It would be so much easier if I knew married people who know places and vendors. I have decided not to be so picky and I changed my whole idea of a wedding. It will have to at a hotel. My only big request is that I get an outside ceremony. I don't even care if there is a patio or terrace anymore. I want that but I think I have seen all the possible banquet halls in the chicagoland area. I am now changing it to a hotel and see if I can get lucky. With hotels all the rooms are pretty much the same just with different colors and carpet but the room set up is the same. I just have to find one that is not going to break the bank or otherwise make my sell their Texas home. I have to figure out how to wheel and deal and negotiate to get what I want. The prices are crazy alone! Most places I have been to are $55 to $80 per person and then they tack a sales tax (7.75% up to 10%) and a service charge (18%-20%). It sucks that our guest list is so long (230ppl) The sad thing is you really can't cut anybody out. Matt has a rather large family (not all immediate but large). If we could manage to cut out 50 or more then maybe I could make the budget work. This sucks! But I am sure when this is all done and I am Mrs. M I will be happy. Plus then I can help anyone else who is planning a wedding. I think once I find a hall and a ceremony site things will start to slow down. At least I hope so since the wedding isn't until July 25, 2008. Wish me luck and if you have any suggestios and or comments feel free, even if it is to yell at me for bitching about my wedding.