In the Beginning...
When Kristian and I started talking marriage one of the first “rules” I gave him was that I did not want to be proposed to in Jacksonville. Actually, the first rule was that I wouldn’t wait around forever for a ring and our time was definitely ticking. We were approaching the two and a half year mark, which is way too long to spend with someone without them putting a ring on it. But that’s a different story; back to the “don’t propose in Jacksonville” point. Don’t get me wrong, Jacksonville has its up sides, but city life and romance are not two of them. Being from New Orleans I appreciate nightlife, history, and culture in a city.I never really “imagined” my proposal but I trusted that Kristian would think of something much better for me than I could come up with for myself. His first attempt, though he has never told me the whole story, went awry. He was planning a proposal in Austin but the ring arrived after we had already headed back to Jacksonville. After a few more months of waiting the time had finally come. We both had the day off and took a trip to St. Augustine, a city just outside of Jacksonville. It is so quaint and reminds me so much of home, I love it! We were riding around on a scooter when he popped the question. Yes, I waited two and a half years to be proposed to on the back of a scooter but I loved every minute of it! How perfect! I never imagined my proposal, but I always dreaded some guy being on his knee, literally taking my hand for marriage. How cliché! After he finally gave me my gorgeous ring I went into planning overload.
The happiest I've ever been on the back of a scooter!
The Nitty- Gritty The first thing we had to decide on was where we were going to tie the knot. Originally we said Dallas but after living away from home for so many years I really started to miss it. New Orleans just has a special place in my heart, even if it is never “home” again, it at least deserves to share this momentous day with me. I looked at several places online. The hard part was staying within our budget while choosing a place that personifies us. I finally decided on The Benachi House and Gardens, a historic venue in the heart of the city. It was only a short -lived relief to have the venue chosen though. I quickly realized we are technically having a destination wedding. Now I immediately start thinking time frame. Everything needs to be done a lot farther in advance in order to accommodate traveling guests. Kristian and I were having an engagement party in New Orleans just a couple of months after the proposal. We figured this was the perfect time to decide on our Save the Dates. I loved the idea of announcing our date by sending postcards from New Orleans to our friends and families in different states. Not only was this cute, but it proved to be an easy and economical idea as well. Since our wedding is only about 130 guests I hand wrote each card, which added a nice personal touch. I totally recommend this idea. I am personally technologically challenged, but for those of you who work well with computers, you can find great fonts and print straight onto the postcards. I also love all things old so if you have a typewriter this idea actually works too. I was a little worried about the postcard getting bent but I tried it in my own typewriter and no damage was done so I think its a safe suggestion!
So many wonderful options!