Monday, April 19, 2010

It's in the Mail

Save the Date postcards are finally out! Two months of kicking around ideas and we settled on one. Here are a few ideas that didn't make the cut:

(This is Quarup's favorite by far.)


Proposed back.



Good in theory, bad in reality.


Okay, this is it.


After a visit to FLAX Art and Design store for supplies, we started working on our signs. With a little creativity, we were able to create extremely large lettering using Illustrator and our projector.

Next was the main image. Since we are having a winter wedding, the most appropriate setting was Tahoe just after a snowstorm. Here are a few images of our photo shoot.

Here is the undoctored photo of Quarup between the trees.


We chose to print through Greenerprinter because of their environmentally responsible printing practices, affordability, and location (they're located in Berkeley); we picked up the prints rather than paying and waiting for shipping.
And to top the whole thing off, we decided to feature a stamp with a photo of us (well, our shadows) in Hawaii on our engagement day.

We're excited to share our postcard with our invited guests.

The wedding checklist

Just over three months engaged and we've been able to check off several major items from our checklist.
  • Wedding Date - check
  • Wedding Colors and theme - check
  • Venue - check
  • Photographer - check
  • Website - check

The Venue

We agreed, long before our engagement, that we wanted to start our marriage somewhere with a view of snow covered mountains. We searched for a location throughout the United States and Canada and finally settled on the place closest to home, Lake Tahoe. Only a few venues around the lake offered winter facilities large enough for our families and friends. Our top three choices were Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course, Thunderbird Lodge, and Squaw Valley Ski Resort.

Edgewood is located at the southern shore of Lake Tahoe. The ballroom has a beautiful view of Lake Tahoe but the facilities didn't have the intimacy that we were searching for. The pricing was reasonable but we were required to hire their catering services, which wasn't flexible with their reception menu.
Thunderbird is a beautiful historic estate located at the eastern edge of the lake but is ridiculously expensive; an estimated $18,000 for the venue alone! We would have been responsible for hiring a caterer, rental equipment, and renting transportation for all our guest to get to the estate. It would have been more than we wanted to take on.

Squaw is a little less flexible than Thunderbird but is more flexible than Edgewood. With Squaw, we are required to hire their day-of coordinator and use their catering service. On the bright side, we thought a day-of coordinator might be a good idea and we have a lot of say in the food being served during the reception, with unlimited tastings. We felt that the event coordinators were very willing to work with us and are excited about working with them.


Photographer
Thanks to the help of our friend Elaine, we were able to find a photographer in the Sacramento area who's artistic style matched that of our own. Here's a wedding that Aaron shot earlier this year:
http://www.benchrismanphotographers.com/slideshow/colemanwedding/


Next on the list...
With the major items check off our list, we can now invite people! Mailing out Save-the-Date cards, choosing an officiant, and finding wedding gown all need to be started this coming month.