The Search Continues

And, unsurprisingly, it has not yet been successful.

Why is it unsurprising? Well, lets take a look at my list of qualifications in order to make it to be the wedding venue of my dreams:

*Perfect Size - meaning it holds somewhere around 50 people

*Located in NH, in the Lakes Region or the White Mountains

*Available for Winter Weddings

If you're curious, these three already severely limit the options, but don't worry, my list continues. It also must have:

*A fireplace (at least one)

*Sleigh rides - or close proximity to sleigh rides

*Vegetarian friendly cuisine

*LGBTQ friendly owners/staff

And it would be nice if there were:

*No round tables (long rectangle ones with regular chairs would be great or even better cool sofas instead of any chairs and side tables - so awesome)

*A place to do an outside ceremony, in the falling snow

*An option to have lit candles at the reception

Also, it needs to just look right and have the right sort of feel. In short, there has to be a je ne sais quoi.

Okay, I'm insane. I get it. But...why spend all the money, go to all the effort, be exhausted, plan it for over a year and a half, have people travel, hire a photographer...well, why do all that if it isn't going to be just how you want it?

I know, I know: My privilege is showing. If this were twitter/tumblr, I would end this by tagging: #firstworldproblems

What I've Been Doing Instead of Wedding Planning

I never thought that there would be wedding planning avoidance in my life. In fact, I've been imagining wedding ideas and venues since long before it made any sense to do so.

However, I've quickly discovered that planning your actual, real-to-life wedding comes with icky details like "budgets" (ugh) and "guests" (guest lists are the worst thing ever invented - shouldn't people who I like and want to have come just show up without me trying to figure out who those people are??).

So, this summer has mostly been spent on non-wedding related things. Here is some pictorial (and written) evidence:

1. Leila, Matt (Leila's friend from WIT), Cori, and

I went to the Higgins Armory Museum in Worcester. It was incredibly nerdy, but also kind of enjoyable.

2. Leila became the Goat Whisperer at Friendly Farm.

(And also her and that chick have the same hair style. Too cute, right?)

3. Both Leila and I underwent a metamorphosis at the Butterfly Place and don't-we-look-pretty?

4. We took a much needed vacation to Wakefield Inn (my favorite bed and breakfast in the whole world - it's scrumptious and comfy and lovely) which also included seeing Castle in the Clouds (Leila is still not over how large of a horse lived there), visiting Leila's feminist, postmodern literature professor at her newly architected house in the lakes region, and - how could I forget - Monkey Trunks.

5. My parents, my Grandma Pat, Leila, and I went to Longwood Gardens

(so pretty!!!) and the Philadelphia Zoo (I want a pet otter). It was only a gagillion degrees both days. (Also, here is another bird that has Leila's hair style.)

Oh - and um - right. The one wedding related thing we did: Have a super awesome amazingly fabulous engagement party! (Which so many cool and wonderful and nice people came to.)

So...we've been busy. And it's all good and fun and summery. But it has not been wedding productive. And now it is time to get Fall-like (which is a serious season, believe you me).