AWESOME!

Hells yeah, Becca Dilley. Hells yeah. I am proud to say that this is my city.

Lasagna Party!

You're drooling right now, aren't you? It's okay. I was too. This is the gigantic lasagna I made a few weeks ago because I had a craving that needed attention. I used the recipe from Everyday Italian by Giada De Laurentiis, and she mentioned that she has lasagna parties. I was thinking about how awesome that would be, and then it hit me...lasagna rehearsal dinner/small reception dinner! Think about it...it's really easy to assemble, you can customize them to suit pretty much every dietary need (vegetarian, gluten free noodles, vegan with soy cheese), and they would be so cheap to make. All you need is enough time, a large fridge for storage, and enough time and space to bake them. Who wouldn't want to chow down on a square of bubbly, comforting, cheesy carbs? That's pretty much what I live for.

P.S. Giada's recipe says that this is six servings. Six! This thing was massive. It took us over a week to finish it as both lunch and dinner. You could totally stretch the portions out if you serve it with a salad, maybe a little antipasto...whatever pleases you.

Hair Idea for Perfectionists Who Want to Let Go

Let's just get it out there...I'm a perfectionist. For better or for worse, I'm always tweaking a project and I never feel finished. When thinking about hairpieces I can feel my perfectionist tendencies coming out...they're all like Hey, why buy a fascinator for 60+ bucks online when you can make it yourself for less..and then I'm all like, That's a great idea, self. But I'll probably be overly concerned about placing that feather just so. Then I saw a movie that may have solved my problems: Marie Antoinette.

Have you seen this movie? It's so beautiful I can't even believe it, but it's uber girlie. It's one of those color palettes that I love on someone else, but if I had to live with it in real life I'd get a toothache. Observe: Anyway, as I was becoming more and more enthralled with the costume design and set dresser choices, I noticed the hair. It's much more understated than you would expect, and has this minimal asymmetrical quality that I look for.

A well-placed feather cluster here, a sparkly clip there, and there you have it: a lovely hair accent that shouldn't cost a lot, and won't over tax my perfectionist tendencies. The key will be finding a really good hair dresser who has an eye for balance.

All pictures from WeddingBee.com's page on style inspitation from Marie Antoinette

Venue Option: Overture Center

This is the first in a series of outlines of different venues I'm considering. Keep in mind that, while I am drawing information from the locations' websites, I am drawing conclusions based on my own criteria. I may not be thrilled about a potential venue that seems perfect for your shindig, and if that's the case...don't listen to me! These are just my preferences. To get things started, let's begin with the Overture Center.

Well, the architecture is crazy beautiful and the inside is very grand, for starters. There are several lovely rooms to choose from depending on the size of your party, but the rental fees can get a little high. It is situated on State Street, so a vibrant downtown atmosphere comes with this venue choice. Because it's downtown, there are any number of hotels nearby that would make your event easy to walk to. If you have a special connection to the music world, this would be a great place to get married.

Although beautiful and impressive, the Overture Center has gotten a lot of so-so press lately. There have been a series of money mismanagement issues, and now the place is essentially bankrupt. The current debate is whether or not the city will take ownership of the center and foot the bill to keep it running.

I've heard from two brides who had their wedding there that it's a georgeous venue, and they both confirmed that it's in convenient proximity to hotels. My sources also said that the food left something to be desired. Both said it was good, but not great. One bride did say that they were very accomodating and willing to work with her, but they weren't wowed. They both also said that they basically blew their budget on the food. Food is one of our non-negotiable things, so I'm looking for great. Also, the price per plate for dinner is $19+ dollars, and the buffet is $25+, so this would put a healthy dent in any budget.

So, let's review...

PROS: beautiful, lively downtown atmosphere, convenient location for guests to get to

CONS: $$$, maneuvering downtown could be annoying, allegedly so-so food

Weddin' Boots

As I was searching for some kick-ass everyday black boots online, I stumbled across these beauties on Zappos.com. Observe...

I know, right?! How awesome would it be to have those kicking around under your skirt? How additionally awesome would it be to ahve a cute short dress with those on? Having a fall wedding here can be a gamble weather wise, so boots may be in my future. I must say, I wouldn't be teribly disappointed. Once we set a firm budget I'll have to see what my shoe allowance is. Pretty much my accessory allowance in general. You can find these lovelies here and here, respectively.

Thinking of Venues

UGH!! It's been in the 80's these past few days, which is totally killing my fall euphoria...or should I say eufallria? I've been distracting myself by making a preliminary guest list and checking out venue ideas. I've been looking around town, checking out other local weddings, and finding some serious inspiration. There are actually a lot of awesome non-ballroom options that I'm thrilled about. Here's a running list so far.

Quivey's Grove (literally a couple blocks from where I live)
Agora Pavillion (Fitchburg)
Madison Museum of Contemporary Art (downtown! I'm in love with the architecture)
Goodman Community Center
Overture Center

As you can see from my choices, I'm really torn between a stylin' city wedding and a rustic country wedding. I plan on devoting a separate post to each location, complete with pros and cons. I'm sure I'll add more locations to the list as I find them. I haven't even had time to look at the many parks in town yet. If you, dear readers, have any experience with any of these venues I'd love to hear about it. More on this as it develops...

Videography? Maybe Super 8 Style.

I am really digging the super 8 trend that is emerging in wedding videography. I'm not too keen on having someone video tape the entire wedding because I really will never watch it again. We never watch the home movies we have already...the play by play is so boring. Plus, I hate seeing and hearing myself on camera. There's a reason I never took those film acting classes. It's like a giant bug eye staring down at you, but for some reason I'm completely fine with photographs. Go figure.
Here's where Hello Super 8 comes in. I think I first discovered them through Offbeat Bride, but don't quote me on that. I am in love with the Hello Message Booth! It's like a living photobooth where your increasingly inebriated loved ones can write and leave you filmed messages. These are then edited and placed to a perfect soundtrack, and the result is pure magic.