Tuesday, July 15, 2014

Catching up

We are nearing the 3 month mark...wowza! There has been lots going on, mostly little things. One of the newer things that we decided to do is get a block of hotel rooms. We don't have a lot of people coming in from out of town so at originally we assumed we would not fulfill the 10 rooms needed to get that block. However, with more research, we found you only need to guarantee 50% of that, or just 5 rooms. Definitely doable! A few friends had mentioned they would stay overnight, to allow themselves to enjoy the party and not worry about driving home. That was the extra kick we needed to look into this. We had a tour this past Saturday with one of the sales managers for the Holiday Inn that right next door to Chateau Briand. And I mean literally right next door. Super convenient!


I gotta say, it is really nice inside there. I was surprised to see a lot of people in the lobby. Westbury isn't exactly Manhattan but Kelliann, the really nice sales rep who showed us around, said the area does generate a lot of traffic. The courtyard with a pool threw me for a loop. Felt like I stepped foot in Florida for a minute there. Sold!

The next appointment we have is next Saturday in the early afternoon with Francesco's, in Hicksville. This is the bakery we are using for our cake, since it's included in our contract. I had heard mixed reviews which got me worried at first but a fellow bride that used them not too long ago told me I had nothing to worry about. Whew! We don't have a set idea of what we want it to look like but we were tossing around a few ideas. My sister will be joining us for the tasting, since she made it real clear she would be pissed if she missed out, haha. Can ya tell she's got a real sweet tooth? Her company is always more than welcomed though. I like the feeling of having the planning be a family affair since let's face it, the reception IS a family (and friends) affair!

One of the smaller things we started to tackle was the wedding favors. We finally decided on something and placed the order a few days ago. However, I got an e-mail this evening saying they were discontinued. What a huge bummer, since it took me forever to find it. I requested a full refund instead of using the credit on something else on the website. I didn't want to just settle, obviously. 

But going back to a family affair, for the 4th of July weekend, I spent it out of the city for the first time in forever. Jonathan, myself, Robyn and my brother Chris went down to Charlotte, North Carolina to visit family. My grandparents have officially been down there for one year, and my dad's two brothers, my uncles Mark and Scott, and their families are down there. Even my aunt in San Diego (their sister) is considering moving down there in the future. Funny how it works out! They are all life long New Yorkers who made big moves. Jonathan and I are debating joining that club too. We have contemplated heading down to Orlando, Florida many times. Never say never. 

Going into Friday, the 4th, there were all these reports about a Hurricane Arthur hitting the east coast, specifically NC. We were worried, but those fears proved to be unnecessary, since Friday morning there wasn't a drop of rain to be seen. We flew with United Airlines instead of our usual JetBlue and I have to say, I was surprised there wasn't a delay at all. We boarded at the exact time we were scheduled. The last few trips with JetBlue have all been filled with delays.

It was a real relaxing weekend and very nice to catch up with everyone. This was the first time Jonathan was meeting my Uncle Scott, Aunt Cyndi and my two young cousins Christopher & Sierra. He loved everyone and everyone loved him, lol. The highlights were hitting up a Waffle House after we left the airport and spending time around the firepit on our last night, at Scott and Cyndi's house. We even did an impromptu trip to South Carolina since Charlotte is so close to the border and there was a huge Walmart there that Jonathan wanted to visit. We even snuck in a visit to a real Krispy Kreme store. I think the nearest one for us here at home is that little booth in Penn Station, lol. Here are a few pictures from the trip.

At Waffle House

Mirror selfie with Jonathan, Robyn, Chris, Mark, Baby Brandon and Lyn

This was an unexpected surprise. My grandmother passed down her gorgeous crystal Rosary beads that my grandfather gave her for their 50th anniversary. I was touched and will cherish them.

The hats were a must-do accessory at Krispy Kreme.


Fireworks seen from the back patio, captured by Jonathan









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