[SccHarpGirl]

Here is a website of an actual wedding there

Priscilla + Cesar: Lake Wilderness Lodge Wedding, Maple Valley Washington {Tacoma Wedding Photographer |

[Rainer.]

I feel like I've been there before for some conference or something... It's pretty nearby.

[SccHarpGirl]

You probably have It's close by for us, too...Maple valley is like 15 min away from my parent's house, which is cool.

It's a big step forward in planning!

[ICallHimTurtle]

It's so pretty! Do they have an onsite planner or do you have to decorate everything yourself?

[SccHarpGirl]

I don't think there is an onsite wedding planner, but the staff there have all been very helpful ana accomodating so far. I know some decorations, all tables, chairs, the sound system, dance floor, and everything for the outdoor ceremony is included but some decorations we will need to bring. My mom is mailing me the wedding planning packet they gave us so when that comes I will know what they have and what I need to provide

[SccHarpGirl]

So we have just a hair under 9 months to go, and we've made excellent progress!!

We have a tentative guest list hammered out, a caterer, an officiant, musicians, colors picked out, bridal party tentatively decided, all that good stuff.

We are hopefully close to a photographer...one of my best friends is a professional photographer, and I would absolutely love to have her, but I'd love to have her in my bridal party more So, I asked her to recommend someone in my price range, and I'm just trying to get in touch with people she recommended...but hopefully by the holidays we can get that sorted out so we can do engagement photos over the holidays.

After that is attire...I'm kinda nervous about wedding dress shopping, to be honest. I spent two summers working as a consultant in a bridal gown store, so I know the drill...it's nice, because I know some tricks and kind of have a general idea what I want and what looks good on me. On the other hand, high sales situations make me incredibly nervous, and I have a terrible time with clothes shopping (especially making decisions!) and while it would be nice to go with someone else (like my mom, little sister, etc), I definitely don't like the idea of going in a huge group. So we'll see what happens there. I'd go back to the bridal store where I worked, but there was a pretty sizeable turnover and I'm pretty sure no one i would know is still working there. Too bad! Most of those dresses were far out of my price range anyway

For our honeymoon, we are kind of waiting to hear - it's probable that Mitch will be getting a fairly sizeable promotion at work, but that'll mean transferring to a new school district with a different calender, and as such we're waiting to make plans until we know when he has to be back to begin the school year, etc. But we're thinking Hawaii because Mitch has family there who would be willing to help us set up a nice and affordable vacation, and I wouldn't want to fly standby to my honeymoon anyway (especially over weekends in early august...not a great time to try to fly standby).

So I think we're in a pretty good spot for 9 months out

[ICallHimTurtle]

You're in an AMAZING spot for nine months out. All you practially have left is stuff you can't do until that last month anyway! Yay for being organized.

Our video was done by a friend for free, who isn't a videographer but wanted to do something helpful as a present. It was accidentally shot in night vision. Which is fine for most of the video, except for whenever the groomsmen stood in the sun during the reception, thier collars were velvet and therefore show up as a bright green color instead of black.

All that to say, video/photos are very important. In this area, what you pay for truly is what you get.

[SccHarpGirl]

I really should rename this thread or get a mod to do so...

Update! I got my dress

I was up in Seattle for a funeral, but on Sunday my dad and Mitch were happily watching football, so I grabbed my mom and sister and we took off just to look, but I found a dress that I loved, it was on sale, and it fit perfect So I got it. Yay!

Satin halter A-line Gown with Beaded Lace Applique - David's Bridal

[DaGeek]

Wow. That dress looks phenomenal.

[ICallHimTurtle]

I can't get the link to open BUT- anything satin-halter-beaded-lace sounds BEAUTIFUL.

[SccHarpGirl]

My apologies for the link, here are the actual photos

We also decided on a photographer, so that's one more thing off the checklist! Unfortunately the photographer can't do engagement photos, because he's based in Seattle and will be on his own honeymoon while we're up there for break! But I may ask my friend who's a photographer (and incidentally who recommended this guy...I would have hired my friend, but she is one of my bridesmaids!) if she'd be willing to either do our engagement photos while we're in the NW over Christmas or if we flew her out to Denver, if she could take our photos there. Then the next project will be getting save the dates out! Eee, so exciting

[ICallHimTurtle]

Geez la weez that dress is beautiful!

[JBend8]

we did ours at a local state park (we had the ceremony there) and then just rented a pavilion for the reception (it was on lake michigan so actually a beach wedding) but it was really more laid back and no one had to travel for the reception and only like $100 to rent...CASH

[SccHarpGirl]

Here is Mitch and I where we will have our first kiss as married folks Only there will be an arch, and hopefully some more green and some more sunshine