Cake, Photographer, License
Scratch three more things off the wedding to-do list: marriage license, photograher, and wedding cake.
On Thursday, Kristien and I went to the Hillsborough County Clerk of Courts office. To obtain a marriage license you must apply in person and complete two simple forms. The license itself is $93.50, there’s no blood test, and we have a three-day waiting period. One of the forms is to confirm the bride and groom have both read a pamphlet about marriage. It’s nine pages of boring details. What’s ironic is that only two pages deal with marriage, the remaining seven explain various scenarios all relevant to divorce. Oh, and if you’re willing to endure a four hour marriage workshop, the license fee is reduced by (gasp) $30! No, thanks. I can just see the Q&A session spiraling into a discussion about credit card debt.
The next accomplishment was to get a photographer under contract. I guess they’re not very busy on Wednesdays. No schedule conflicts are good and weekday pricing is even better.
We ordered a cake from Publix which is conveniently located near the Don Cesar’s. The delivery fee was a little high: $30 within a 10-mile radius, $40 if greater than 10. The selection is good and the service is even better. I guess people who decorate cakes have a high level of job satisfaction. I suppose artistic freedom = job satisfaction. Unless you’re an unemployed artist, that is.
Name change
Kristien has a big decision to make. That decision is whether to take my last name or not. I’m flexible and respect her wishes, but she told me this weekend that she would like to have my last name. Minds can change and I’ll still accept her decision if it changes. She’s just pleased to have the same initials: KC.
I’m sure it’s a question many women struggle to answer. How do I identify myself? What defines me? Shakespeare said, “What’s in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet.” I never loved the name Kristien until the woman I know gave it meaning to me.
Disney’s [lack of] personal attention
I requested an information packet from Disney Weddings several weeks ago and received nothing in the mail. I’m disappointed that the only communication from them has been a single automated e-mail. Although, it doesn’t matter at this point since plans were made elsewhere. I can imagine the whole affair with Disney turning into a booking, something reduced to a reservation, rather than a special event that’s planned and customized.
Wedding date (finally)
After making a reservation with the Don Cesar hotel, I can finally say that we’re getting married on March 1, 2006. I toured the hotel last Saturday and was pleased with the setting and professional staff. It seems I’m not the only one who’s impressed. Last year it was the location for 377 weddings. That’s a lot of weddings even for a leap year.
On our wedding day it will be 387 days since I applied for Kristien’s visa.
Beach wedding contender
Another beach wedding organizer: Florida Wedding Services. After reviewing the e-mailed information from Don Cesar’s, I was pleased with the location but not the options for the ceremony. I think if Florida Wedding Services and Don Cesar’s can work together, it would be a great combination.
Wedding date (almost)
Kristien and I have been searching high and low (online) for places that fit our expectations for a wedding. A beach wedding seems fitting for Florida. Although we still haven’t ruled out an inland wedding, our first plan is to have the ceremony on the coast.
Scouting locations and arranging the details falls on my shoulders. So far the system has worked well. Back in January I checked out the Don Cesar’s hotel in St. Petersburg. I sent back photos to Kristien and detailed everything on the phone. I just recently contacted the Don’s wedding coordinator to find what dates are available; no response since it’s a holiday weekend. But this brings me to the important part. Back in January we were only beginning to organize for the visa petition. Now things are moving forward.
Our wedding is going to be held sometime between February 21—March 2, 2006. There are several possibilities at this point, none of which have been seriously pursued. I think we are both in the idea-generating phase. The most recent ideas are…
- Barefoot Weddings: This site offers many different photos and seems specific about pricing. I haven’t contacted them but it seems to be the best à la carte option. That could mean extra planning (for me) or getting exactly what we want. A reasonable restriction is that it’s only for Tampa-Clearwater-St. Petersburg beaches.
- Disney Weddings*: I nixed this idea before I even checked; bad decision on my part. Disney seems to offer a good package with their “Intimate Wedding”. Details are few and marketing hype is high, so I’ll have to drive there and take photos and talk to real people for the answers. They transition you too easily from the “Intimate Wedding” site to the “Custom Wedding” site; beware because the price difference is huge.
- The Don Cesar: They offer a convenient package for smaller weddings, which is great for us. We’d like to have a room reserved for after the wedding and enjoy the Don’s spa. Just how much they can customize the beach setting is still in question, not to mention if their services are available during the time we want.
* My first idea of a Disney wedding was something tasteless and crowded with Mickey, Minnie, and the rest of the characters. This site has photos to disprove my theory. I lumped Disney into the category of a Las Vegas wedding or something on a cruise ship, but on first glance it seems I was wrong.