Save the Date!!

Choosing a venue is tough stuff! There are so many things to consider... ceremony space, recpetion space... is it big enough? is it too big? do I like the decor? does this fit in with my "theme"? and so many more! Well these questions have plagued my thoughts for days now and we can finally say.... we picked a place and booked it today! Yay! Before I get ahead of myself, let me talk about the third place we visited.

Yesterday we met with Grace at the J.W. Marriott and wow, we were so impressed with how pretty the site was! The hotel was grand and elegant without feeling pretentious or phony. The outdoor space was nice... a small courtyard with a big beautiful winding staircase leading to the ceremony. I would rate it a 7 or 8. The ballroom was decorated exactly the way we liked it and thought that maybe this would be the right place for us! However, after we left we decided against it since the ballroom would have one long wall that was collapsible (not a true wall). We wouldn't mind if the partition wall was a small side one, but the focal point of the room (where the dance floor and band would be) would have it as the backdrop. So.... no go.

That brings me to the big decision. TJ and I are happy to announce that our wedding will be at the Loews Portofino Bay Hotel on November 23rd 2013!! Of course formal Save the Dates and then invitations will go out later this year but I just had to share because I am so excited! Please check out the below pictures to get an idea of where it will be held. 

Wedding Venues

Choosing a wedding venue is tough work! I've spent all this time dreaming up what it should look like,  talking to TJ about his vision, and deciding what we thought was most important in a location. Our major decision: ceremony outside, reception inside....that's about it. And I will be honest we don't hate the idea of an indoor ceremony either, haha. We know that we would really love to have the ceremony and reception at the same location and we like the idea of it being at a hotel so guests can book a room there. I do know that the theme of the wedding that we both like is a rustic/romantic atmosphere (nothing modern). So with that in mind, we started our search last week. Our first stop: Loews Portofino Bay Hotel. We loved the "Italian" themed decor and the venue has some great ceremony spaces. I really like their ballroom and the Citrus Piazza. We originally liked the Grand Lawn but realized that for a wedding of 120-150, it would be too large of a space. Plus, it was too open and not as intimate as the Citrus Piazza. Pictures are in the next blog!

Our second appointment was yesterday at the Peabody Hotel. I really like this hotel and really enjoyed meeting the event coordinator Juan. Their ballrooms were absolutely gorgeous but unfortunately did not fit in to our rustic theme. They had these huge crystal chandeliers which I could see being perfect if I were planning a different style wedding. So I do recommend them but I don't think we will be choosing them based on the fact that they were too contemporary for us. Here are some pictures! (once again from google)

So we have an appointment tomorrow at the JW Marriott and we are hoping it will be the right place for us! The pictures online are gorgeous! I will post information tomorrow about how it goes. So it will either be the Marriott or the Portofino. Wish us luck!

 Meet the Groom! My fiance TJ is everything I've ever looked for in someone. He is sweet, loving, smart and a complete goofball. I can totally be myself with him without reservation. Even though we are a lot alike, we are very different in certain way which attributes to why we get along so well. I am stubborn and impatient, he is calm and flexible. I am an unorganized mess, he knows where everything is and helps me stay sane while the house is in disarray. We make a great team and I am very lucky to have him! He is currently a student at UCF studying political science and should be graduating this summer.

Meet the Bride! Hi, I'm Erin (the one writing the blog). I am a 9th grade AP Human Geography teacher at Dr. Phillips High School. I am the assistant Varsity girl's lacrosse coach at DP as well.

** I will have TJ write something about me here later on when he gets home from dinner with his friends :) **

After TJ and I got engaged, my mother and sister in law were quick in the works of planning an engagement party! We checked out a few different places: Historic Inn at Lake Lucerne, The Cypress Grove Estate House, Gargi's lakeside, and many more. However, we settled on the first place that we looked:

Eagle Creek Golf Club 

We met with the event coordinator/catering manager/chef Jennifer and we loved the place. We felt it was perfect for our party. Our "Love" themed event will go perfectly with the date because it is only three days after Valentine's Day! So mark your calendars, February 17th from 4-8, formal invitations are in the mail! :-) 

Our Story

Who knew love could be found at the end of a question like "Hey do you guys want some chicken wings?"?!?!? I learned that on June 12th 2008 when my friend Liz and I decided to head up to Buffalo Wild Wings to watch the NBA championship series. While enjoying a few beers we heard a voice come from a neighboring table asking if we wanted some chicken wings. After Liz and I exchanged a confused look at each other we politely declined. However, this opened the door to the first of many conversations I would have with my now fiancé. After debating Celtics vs. Lakers (I cannot believe I was rooting for the Celtics) and some friendly banter, TJ asked if we wanted to join his group for a movie (I want to say it was the Hulk? I don't know, a green monster comes to mind when I think about it haha). Liz was on the phone and shook her head "no" so I once again politely declined. Then TJ proceeded to say "okay, so no movie tonight Erin but how about dinner tomorrow night?". Liz whipped her head around and said "Did you just ask her out?!?!". I had a Girls Night planned the next night to watch scary movies because it was Friday the 13th, so instead I replied "Well I have plans but I could give you my number?". Now, anyone who knows me, knows this is a not normal for me. I have always been very timid and shy when it comes to guys so giving some random guy my number was quite impulsive for me. Well it was the best decision I've ever made. The next night he texted me to see how my girls night was going and I told him it fell through and from there he asked me out to dinner. We have our first date at Bonefish Grill and for the past 4 1/2 years we have been quite inseparable. On December 25th 2013, TJ asked me to marry him and of course I said yes! So this blog is a way for our loved ones to stay informed with all the wedding planning. Some of you are close in heart by far in distance, and even those who who are close by cannot attend everything :-) I hope you enjoy reading this as much as we will enjoy planning it. Love you all!