Save the Date - The Lesbian Bride has a Venue

The booking of our venue sort of traumatized me for a couple weeks when I'd reached my breaking point dealing with the place we wanted. As a result I steered clear of thinking of all things wedding related as much as possible until it was settled.

Catie finally went down to the place and was able to actually meet with the event coordinator. It was only our 4th combined trip there to see talk to her, but whatever.

I didn't go because when I'm upset I get slightly irrational and overly emotional. So she went on her own.

First thing she asked was if they had ever hosted a commitment ceremony before. The answer was no and yes. As of that day they had not. But by the end of this month, they will have. So at least we know we won't be the guinea pigs and they aren't as a rule opposed to it or something.

The unfortunate part was that because it took so long to make this happen, all our top dates were chosen. But in the end that fact proved to save us $3000 off the room minumum.

Why did we save such a vast sum? Because Sunday receptions have a rate $3000 less than Saturdays. And while I was generally opposed to a Sunday ceremony and reception because people have to work the next day, it turned out that Sunday, September 4th, 2011 was available. The Sunday of Labor Day weekend. Which means most people won't have to work the next day and we get to save money. I'm all for that. I know it isn't always a plus for the guests to have a wedding to attend on a holiday weekend. And I know this means that more people probably won't be able to come than if it had been on a non-holiday weekend. But as our wedding budget is very very tight, we could hardly pass up this savings.

Now lets all just hope it isn't ungodly hot. The reception site is air conditioned, but the outdoor ceremony site, clearly, is not. And neither is the inclement weather facility I believe. If it is ungodly hot. I will understand if you all just skip the ceremony and show up for the reception. :D I might do the same.

The contract was finally received in the mail on Saturday. And Catie and I signed it and will send it and the deposit back tomorrow. So 9.4.11 it is, at Hubbard Park and Hubbard Park Lodge. See you there!

Pissed Off

So apparently none of the three dates I asked about are available. Though remember they were when we started this whole fiasco 3 weeks ago. But she says the following weekend is.

But I think I'm done with Hubbard Park Lodge. The staff is clearly incompetent at best or homophobic at worst. This whole situation has just totally bummed me out. I can't believe I have gone from being so incredibly excited about it to absolutely let down in just 2 weeks. And I keep searching for another option but there are none I can find that I both like and we can afford and is the right size.

And when I think of all the time I've wasted on this the last 3 weeks. And the reality that in that time other places have become booked, it just pisses me off.

I know the only important part is supposed to be the meaning of the commitment ceremony, not the what, where, when, and how. But whatever. In some respects I'm a total girl and I've been thinking about what I would want if I were ever going to do this for years. And what I've always envisioned is just not going to happen.

Please no comments meant to cheer me up or telling me there is something else out there for us if we just take the time to find it. I'm pissed off. I think I have a right to be pissed off. And such comments will just piss me off more.

ETA:Catie, who is much calmer about these things than I am, is going to meet with the coordinator tomorrow, hopefully, and try to get a read on her, a better idea of the situation, and then decide for us if we are going to give up on this joint or not. Because I am neither calm nor rational when something is upsetting me.

A letter to the owner always works...sort of

First, Let me say that Catie and I are now officially Domestic Partners in the state of WI. We went back to the Courthouse yesterday to pick up our approved application and file it.

It was a very happy moment for both of us. :D Although I can't not mention that it does greatly bother me that I have to pay the same for the domestic partnership as you do for a marriage license. And yet the license gives your around 1100 legal rights/benefits and the domestic partnership only gives you 43. If we were paying per right granted, the marriage license would cost $106 and the dp would cost roughly $4.16. I know I should probably just focus on the joy of the occasion. But its pretty hard not to be upset a little by the difference.

Now on to other things. I finally wrote a letter to the owner of the company that operates Hubbard Park Lodge. In it I asked if we were being ignored because we were having a commitment ceremony.

And wouldn't you know it, the very next day I got a phone call from the event coordinator we'd been trying to get in touch with for 11 days.

Yay!

Or maybe not, because 11 days before the dates we had wanted were all available. Now they are booked.

Of course they are.

I wrote back and asked about one weekend later than we had wanted. It'll be getting risky with the weather, but it could pay off in a beautiful fall day. I shall let you know what the verdict is and if we will be looking elsewhere once again.

I'm sorry it has been so long between posts. Not for a lack of things to say, but just because this lesbian bride has now been working for 10 straight days and is incredibly crabby and tired.