Material found in banners above not endorsed by author of this site!Getting Hitched
We were married on September 2, 1995, at the Double Tree Hotel at Horton Plaza in San Diego, CA. It was a very small wedding...only 50 people. But that is just how I wanted it. Only the people who matter most in our lives- our family and very close friends.
We had a nice ceremony in on of the hotel's meeting rooms. A harpist played during the wedding, but honestly, I don't remember hearing it. All I can remember is how happy I was.
Joel and I are both born-again Christians, so the ceremony focused on our commitment to each other, and the the commitment we were making to God.
When the ceremony was over, we moved into the hotel's library for the reception, where we had an intimate meal with our family and friends. Because we chose to have such a small wedding, it allowed time for longer visits with our guests. It was truly wonderful, and we had a lot of fun.
We had a 3 day honeymoon in Julian, CA, a quite little mountain town in Southern California. We stayed in the Honeymoon Suite at the Julian Hotel, which is a little bed and breakfast on the main street of town. It was lovely, and very romantic. Julian is known for its apples and fabulous apple pie.
I remember that Joel and I tried wine for the first time on our honeymoon. Let's just say, we'll stick with water.
Planning Tips
- One thing you must keep in mind is that you do not have to get or do everything that the books say you have to (during our planning, I had to keep reminding myself of that). Magazines and books make it seem that if you don't have this certain thing or do this other thing, well then you day is going to be a flop.Yes, it's a very special day, but there is a limit.
- You don't have to spend a lot of money to have a nice wedding. Check around. Don't go with the first thing you see. I bought my wedding dress from someone in the paper. I paid $500 for a $5000 dress (she showed me the receipt) with veil, and I got the dress of my dreams. We called around for reception sites (I wanted a sit-down meal at the reception) till we found somewhere nice and reasonably priced. Since it was a hotel, they also gave us a free room our first night. I got lucky with the flowers, my mom is good with them & my dad is an ag reseller, so we bought flowers at the Floral Exchange wholesale. Total wedding cost: $2500. And it was absolutely beautiful and elegant.
- Don't let others pressure you into getting or doing things that you don't want. Remember, this is YOUR day.
- Don't stress out. Relax. It is your day and you have a right to be selfish for once. Forget all the planning, and if things go wrong, don't stress. It happens. Get over it and enjoy yourself!
Web Resources
There are some great resources on the web for those planning a wedding.
Modern Bride - The popular magazine come to the internet. There is some neat stuff here (although not all the neat wedding gown pictures that you find in the actual magazine), and an on-line directory of caterers, photographers, etc., in your area.
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