4 Month Check-in & MOH K's Wedding

Well readers, you may have noticed that I've been absent the past few weeks. With the exception of my blog posts about hosting my sister and MOH K's Bachelorette Party, and bridesmaid dress shopping, I haven't had a whole lot to say. But there is a reason for that...MOH K's wedding is TOMORROW!

I just can't believe how quickly the time has gone. Just like when we were planning for BM S's wedding back in October, we seemed to have so much time and then all of a sudden BAM it's here. The arrival of MOH K's wedding means that our own wedding is only 4 months away. Luckily, I've got a lot the big stuff done. Here's what I've checked off the list so far...

• Catering - JT's Catering (remember our tasty pizza/pasta feast!)
• Photography - Katy Batdorff Photography
• Venue - Johnson Park
• Wedding Dress - David's Bridal (stay tuned after the wedding for the reveal!)
• Bridesmaid Dresses - David's Bridal

Things I'm working on now:

• DJ
• Flowers
• Choosing hotel for room block
• Invitation design

As for the rest, I'm not thinking about any of it until after this weekend is over. I've been hard at work getting all the paper goods printed for K's wedding, which I will post after the weekend is through. Until then, stay tuned for lots more wedding planning goodies on the way!

Happy planning!
Miss Spaghetti

Some Things I'm Lovin' Right Now...and Wedding Pics!

SOOOO excited to share with you some pics from BM S's wedding a few weeks ago!! Her amazing photographer Kyle Bultman Photography posted a sampling on their Facebook page, and wowzers, did they turn out GORGEOUS!

Here are a few of my faves (all images courtesy of Kyle Bultman Photography):

Her beautiful bouquet with a picture of her mother who passed away

All the ladies (yep that's me on the far left freezing my tush off!)

The whole bridal party

Could you ask for a more perfect fall sunset?!

And here is a better and closer pic of their cake and cupcakes:

Notice the cute lighted cupcake stand that I am so very lucky to be able to use at my wedding!

I loved so much about BM S's wedding. She was uber organized and put so much thought and detail into everything. Every part of the day had a little piece of her style and personality in it. So it got me thinking about what I would have done for a fall wedding. Fall is a stunning time of year in Michigan, with the trees turning, the air getting crisp, but also very unpredictable to plan a wedding in. BM S got very lucky in my opinion, that the weather was cool but sunny and not rainy or windy. Despite its unpredictability, fall offers some amazing options for weddings...

Mini Pumpkin Pies! - Image courtesy of Lucy Dylan Weddings Blog

Dahlias! LOVE the jumbo flowers with a combo of dark plums and burnt oranges - Image courtesy of Afloral

Long Strapless Dress in Lapis - Image Courtesy of David's Bridal

A Rustic Barn Location - Image Courtesy of Blissfully Domestic

What season did you pick for your wedding and why?

Happy planning!
Miss Spaghetti

A Weight Off Our Shoulders!

Hi all! Since I last left you, I was in a conundrum about photographers. We had met with 2 amazing people, but alas, we can only choose one. The person we picked is Katy Batdorff! If you recall from my last post, she was the $850 option. So far, I have LOVED talking to her and discussing our ideas for pictures. She is very laid back and has a beautiful eye for the art of photography.

We chose her because, after many many discussions with many people (because apparently I need at least 200 people to agree with our decision), I realized that of all of the wedding decisions we will be making, photography is probably the most important one. This is how we will be remembering our wedding day for the rest of our lives. And it's super-duper important to me because I do it myself! Sure, I want good food, good music, pretty table deco's. But all of those things will not be remembered in 50 years. It will be the people we spend it with, and the pictures we can look back on. Therefore, we are willing to spend a little more to get that extra special feeling for our pictures.

Next step...engagement pics! We decided we want to do ours on the pier and beach in Grand Haven. Mr. Spaghetti proposed on the pier so it would be super meaningful to have some done out there. We are hoping to have them done either this weekend or next. Stay tuned for sneak peeks!

What factors helped you decide on a photographer? Any tips or ideas for awesome beach photos?

Happy planning!
Miss Spaghetti

A Walk in the Park

We've done it! We have booked our venue! June 8, 2013 is the date and with this part done I feel soooo relieved. We are booking the lodge (I refuse to call it a "shelter" any longer) and picnic area at Johnson Park in Grand Rapids. This way, we will have backup if we end up with more than 150 guests (that is the capacity for inside the lodge). Plus we can plan the ceremony near the picnic area because it is more shaded and flat.

We had previously looked at other county park lodges, but I was disappointed in the space and area of the park they were in. For example, the lodge at the park in Byron Center was nice, but had almost no yard, and no porch. The lodge at Johnson Park has a big wrap around porch and sits back in a quiet wooded corner of the park. The interior is very rustic, and has 20 large wooden picnic tables. There is a small kitchen with a fridge/freezer, stove, and sink.

Happy planning!

Miss Spaghetti

The Venue Search Begins

Knowing that Mr. Spaghetti and I are not looking to have a traditional, big, expensive wedding and reception, that we would rather have an intimate, casual gathering, we are beginning our venue search. Neither of us are involved in any specific religion, and we want to have an outdoor ceremony. We had a few people suggest a few local parks, and after googling them repeatedly to find others who have had their weddings there, I think we've found a few good options!

The Kent County Parks here in Michigan each have an "enclosed shelter". Now, I hate how this sounds like a shed or somewhere you would go in case of a tornado. It truly is a bad name for them. They are actually large, rustic halls with full kitchen, restrooms, fireplaces, 3-sided porches, and room for dancing.

 http://www.accesskent.com/CultureLeisureAndTransit/Parks/johnson.htm

The best part---rental is under $500 for the whole day! And you have the freedom to choose a caterer, make your own food, bring your own alcohol, anything you want! Or you can just rent it for the 1st half or 2nd half of the day for under $300. Can't beat that!

Changing our minds...

Isn't it amazing the process our minds go through when beginning to plan our weddings? I have always known I would be a frugal bride, but even my definition of frugal is more extreme than most who are on a budget. For this reason, Mr. Spaghetti and I are leaning towards a simple, park wedding and reception close to our home, rather than our beautiful and meaningful Mackinac Island nuptials. Even though I know I could plan it at $6,000 or less, I know that I could do it for $3,000 or less here in our home town. That is a lot of money. I keep thinking of all the things we could do with it rather than spending it on hotels, chair rentals, eating out, and all the other things that come with a destination wedding.

We will probably still go up to the island for our honeymoon, it is too meaningful to us to not have it incorporated somehow in our wedding. *Sigh* decisions, decisions...but in the end, I know that the most important thing to both of us is being married to each other, and celebrating with our family and friends. The island isn't going anywhere, right!

Talk to you soon,

Miss Spaghetti