Well it's narrowing down..

Well I've narrowed down some choices... I think.  I've got 4 wedding venues, 4 photographers, 4 invitations, and 4 favor ideas. Lordy!

First the photographers:  I love all 4 of them for different reasons, and can't really narrow it down.  Mac+Cheese I like cause it's fun and seems relaxed.  Mike Moon I like cause he's got some sweet pictures. Ashah has just some flat amazing frickin pictures. Derek has great pictures and does video.  But out of the survey of my parents and best friend they all agree Ashah is the best.  However there is debate between second place - Mike Moon vs. Derek Shane.  Well actually my dad said Ashah and Mike are the best - so I guess that's a tie? So I think I'm just gonna stick with Ashah and call it a day.. However I do need to get some other pricing information from her. Oh that and I need about $1000 to book her.. Ugh.

4 Wedding venues: I know I've covered some of them before. So I'll just highlight the ones I know I haven't covered... So The Fox. I've mentioned them before, so I don't need to talk much about them.  However I must say that I'm kinda annoyed I haven't heard anything from the frickin caterer. Harbor Club I'm pretty sure I've mentioned them before.. still waiting on them.  Foundry at Puritan Mill is apparently only available on Sunday in the month of June.  So if I really wanted them I'd have to super change the date. - so it may just be out, but it's pretty... :( Last but not least, Conservatory at Waterstone in Acworth. This place may be a great frickin option.  Cause I can pretty much have an all inclusive and it be less than 10k.  Which would be nice.  Then we can spend more in other areas.  However, what I may try to see if there's a Catholic Church up there and get married in the church and cut out some pricing at venue.  So then I have a church and decent venue for way less than budget. More research will have to be done here.

4 invites: Well I keep finding amazing invites, but they're expensive which kinda blows. So I'm not really sure what to do about that.  I'm pretty sure that my mom is gonna end up waiting cause of the invites in the PI.  Oh well. I'm kinda over that.

4 favors:  I really like the whole idea of the coasters, the towel shaped treats - but really why do i need a towel, just putting the money to a shelter, and i kinda like the whole peas in a pod snp shaker set.  It's adorable. However, again i'm over it.

So GOAL: Have a venue by 8/30! If I don't have a venue by then I'm gonna quit and just elope.  LOL.

Photography...

Oh photographers.... this is probably the biggest pain in my ass next to the venue.  Seriously. There are so many amazing photographers out there, and I pretty much love them all!  How in the world do people choose!?!?  I get that if you're on a budget - which sadly I am - base it off price point and then go from there.  I've kinda narrowed it down to a handful, sorta.  I have one, Ashah Photography,  that well her pictures a kinda just amazing, and I'm totally in love.  However, her pricing is a little on the higher side, granted you get a lot, but it's still higher.  Then there's another guy, Derek Shane, who does great work too, and he does video, which I didn't really consider - cause really who watches those? However, for just about the same price as Ashah I can get the same stuff and video which is like "well hello go with that stupid." And logically and realistically, I'll probably end up with him anyway.  However, I do have a few others which I just love their pictures.  If I could afford to hire 6 different photographers that would be hella frickin cool.  Then I wouldn't have to decide and I could get amazing shots, and view points, but I'm not rich and Paul would probably curse me out for doing so... lol... but it would be kinda paparazzi-ish.. :) 

Ok back to reality... I've contacted most of the ones I like to find out pricing on the printing.  My mom told me that at my cousin's wedding her photographer's pictures were super expensive for family and friends to order. Also, I want to find out pricing on their albums.  So I think the winner is going to have the best prices for the most stuff.... I hope..... 

Still no venue..

Ok so yay... no venue still... well I guess that would make that a non-yay.  However, I feel like we are closer than before.  Here's where we're at with that:
My mom likes Carl House in Auburn, GA - right price and it's nice - my dad not as much - and has to be on a Sunday or date has to get super pushed up or super pushed back.
My dad likes the Harbor Club in Greenboro, GA (lake Oconee) - but we're waiting a proposal from the lady which we should get by the end of the week.
I would rather have the Harbor Club over the Carl House - I'm with my dad in that aspect.

However, in my attempt to sleep the other night, I thought maybe it'll be cheaper to pay the rental fee and get a caterer. Soooo, that brings me back to looking at The Fox, The Foundry at Puritan Mill, and a new one - Summerour Studio (which I'm hoping to see tomorrow).  Currently I'm just waiting on responses from 2 caterers - Bold American and Affairs to Remember (not really sure if they got my email or not).
My thoughts on the 3:
The Fox would be all forms of awesome cause I might be able to go back to the church wedding idea, it's across the street from 3 amazing hotels - so no driving, and it's the Fox Theater! However, if I can get the right price from Affairs to Remember we may have a winner!- Downside - can't afford the all 3 ballrooms - and I can't remember the policy if they do only 1 event or will rent out the other ballroom.  Other downside is that you have to walk through the Grand Ballroom (reception hall) to get out to the Terrace which would be the nice place to have cocktail hour. So not really sure on the logistics there.
The Foundry at Puritan Mill is in the King Plow area, which makes it a very cool area, but not super fancy.  Also, it's really more of a room/lofty kind of place.  I love it cause there's a lot that can be done with it plus it's just kinda fun. Rental fee is a little pricey but they're having a Sunday special of half off which could make this a winner since my parents are considering Sunday.  - Downside - not a super lot around... well there is but its about 5/10 mins away, which is not great for drinkers.  Other downside, my dad thinks it's weird cause it looks like it's a warehouse.  Other downside, cause it's not in a super great area we may need security.. can't remember what she said about that.
Summerour Studio is kinda awesome based on pictures I've seen.  This place is super pretty, but it's rustic too.  It's got this awesome garden area like thing out front which is just neat and would be great for cocktail hour.  The main room is similar to the Foundry cause it's a big room and you can do a lot with it.  I would love for this to be the winner.  Plus! it's close to Atlantic Station and Midtown.  Also it's BYOB, which at first I thought bad idea, but then I was like PERFECT cause I can get the beer, wine, and vodka I want and I'm not forced to get all kinds of liquor or crap, and if we run out well, we run out.  - Downside - rental is pricey and depending on what these last 2 caterers give me we may have a serious pricing issue.  However, we could move it to Sunday and knock $1000 off.. Other downside, not really sure how my parents will feel.  Other downside is a serious lack of parking.  So we may have to come up with a shuttle or something which is one more cost. ugh...

So that's where I'm at with the venue.  I really hope we work something out by next week.  It really is hard to plan on anything else when you don't know where you're going.

So much going on and yet not...

So I was so sure that I found an awesome place to get married.  So many little coincidences that it'shard to ignore the little signs.  I was so excited.  I think I already talked about the coincidences before.  Anyway, my parents, Paul, and I all went to Hazelhurst house and then come to find out they liked the place but thought we could get more for the money somewhere else.  So now my parents want me to look at the Harbor Club and some others and I really just don't care.  I want it to be a nice place and I don't want it to be ugly but dang I'm so over it.  People keep telling me I should enjoy the who wedding planning  and have fun with it but I am definitely not having any fun.  ugh.
Now I totally need opinions on invitations and my parents are so no use and my cousin is like some are cute.  Well which one?  Seriously!? Some are cute.  WTH.
ok well i'm tired and I have more to talk about but yea.