Reception Location...Check!

We have checked off another biggie off of our wedding to do's! We have found a great place to host our reception on December 19th- The Kroc Community Center. It is in the final stages of construction and will officially open in September. Visit their web page at http://www.salemkroc.org/.

Here are a few more of the pictures we took. And please note the color of my hard hat!

It's a very spacious room, actually this is five rooms all opened up into one. We are standing by the door where our guests will enter. There is an enterance into the building directly in front of this room which will be great for getting everyone to the right spot. The back wall is mostly windows so there is a lot of natural lighting!

We actually got a tour of the whole facitility thanks to Grandpa. It will be amazing once it is finished! Drew's favorite part of the building were the pools!

Checklist Galore

I love lists. This is nothing new to admit. But, planning a wedding has given me a great excuse to make plenty of lists. In fact, I have a white board in my spoffice (spare room/ office) that is a giant wedding to do list for Drew and I!

Currently I am working on finding a venue for our reception on Saturday. I don't have any great leads at the moment and feel like before I plan much more, I need to get that taken care of.

The other biggie is I still need a photographer and this task it not for a lack of not having any references. It seems that everyone knows of a great photographer. The challenge for us is finding someone who's style and price I love. As well as they need to be willing to split their time between two days....an unusal request.

After those two things are taken care of, I will be working on the invitations, food, and decor. And yes, I have a list started for each of these things!

The McCabe Chapel

Yesterday Drew and I drove out to McCabe United Methodist outside of McMinnville. It is one of the churches Mom and I had found on our church hunting adventure. It had all three of my criteria...a center aisle, a steeple, and bell. It was built in 1886 and has been used by a congregation since then. It sits on top a hill, behind the trees, off of a gravel road, off of a country road, off of a country road. Yes, it's way out there! It is situated on the top of the hill, nestled in with tall trees. On either side of the church there are farms and fields. Looking out from the church, on a clear day, you can see Mt. Hood. The wide steps lead up to double front doors. Above us is the steeple and bell. This is from about half way down the aisle. There are 8 pews on the right and five on the left (because a wood stove sets behind the first three pews). The cross on the wall was made from the orginal foundation that was replaced just a year ago. Standing at the altar!

This is a view from the front of the church to the back. There are circular stained glass windows on both sides. You can see the wood stove that most likely will be burning during our Decemeber wedding! I'm talking with the pastor of the church.
These are the restroom accomodations. Hmmm....

We had a picnic lunch outside the church we will get married in!

It was a wonderful afternoon! We plan on going back this fall to get pictures as the season changes! It is exactly what we were looking for in a place to hold our ceremony!

Wedding Dress Shopping

Believe it or not, I found a dress! It was the first store we went to and the second dress I put on! It is absolutely beautiful and I feel like a princess wearing it. Having the dress on even inspired me to do the parade wave! The whole process was a great experience- once we arrived Diane, the store associate who helped me, gave us colored clothes pins to mark dresses to try on. I knew right off that it was going to go well because anything colored coded is right up my alley! Then, it was time to try the dresses on....and I was giddy.

I'm not sure what I expected, but I didn't realize that putting dresses on was literally a two person job. My job was stand, facing the mirror, with my arms up. Diane would then put the dress on over my head. And for a few seconds I would be in a tunnel of chiffon, silk, or satin! Then, the buttoning or tying or clipping would begin. Some dresses take a considerable amount of time to close in the back! However, Diane was prepared, it seemed she had a new question for almost every dress that the answer fit the amount of time it took for her to get button, zip, and cram me in!

There was lots of laughing, but no crying. I've heard that some have cried when they put on the dress that was "the one". Some have gasped as their breath was taken away. Some are speechless.

I did the parade wave. So I know that it is "the one".

Today's wedding to do is visiting the McCabe Chapel outside of McMinnville. Drew and I will get to see the inside of the church. Mom found out that there isn't running water, so we would have to come up with a solution for restrooms. One suggestion was a rv of some sort...that could work!

The Church

Drew and I would like to have our wedding ceremony in a rural, historic church. (Preferably with a steeple, center aisle, and a bell….but I don’t want to be picky or anything!) So, Mom and I spent most of the afternoon on last Friday searching the back roads of Polk and Yamhill counties, looking for a church that fits my criteria!

This is Pleasant Grove Presbyterian Church built in 1858, orginally in Aumsville, but moved to the grounds at Mission Mill in the 1980's. This church is in really good condition unlike many of the church buildings from this era, however, it does not have a center aisle, steeple, or bell.

This is Spring Valley Presbyterian Church, built in 1859. It's also known as Zena church. I've always loved this church as I have driven by it often in the West Salem hills. It has both a steeple and a bell, but no center aisle.

This is Oak Grove Church built in 1882. I really love the steeple and it has a center aisle. It does have a half wall between the front doors and the aisle that you have to walk around. It kind of reminds me of the church/school house on Little House on the Praire. I'm not sure if it has a working bell.

This is a church in Bethel. I am not exactly sure when it was built, somtime between 1850-1860. Also, I am unclear if this is the orginal church building or the orginal school. It doesn't have have any of my criteria and isn't quite the look I'm going for. But, I think the town of Bethel (which is considered an Oregon ghost town) might have some cool history to look into one day.

This is Amity First Baptist Church, built in 1858. It looks like the building is still being used as an active church. I really couldn't find out all that much information about it. It has not been kept in the best of conditions and I have no idea if it has a center aisle.

This is Yamhill United Methodist Church. It was built in 1898. I love the location of the church as it sits in a quaint little neighborhood. It has a steeple and appears to have a bell. Since it has stained glass windows, which I really like, there was no window peaking that I could do to see what the sanctuary looks like. A bonus for this church is that it is bigger than one room which provides somewhere for me to change into my dress at the church.

This is Yamhill Christian Church built in 1881. This one looks like it could meet all of my criteria and has been fairly well preserved. There were no windows I could reach to see the inside. There is an attached wing at the back of the church that was added on later that would provide room to change and whatnot.

This is First Baptist Church in Carlton. It was built in 1870. It has a bell and steeple, but I did not get to see the inside, so I am not sure about the sanctuary.

This is McCabe United Methodist Church. It was built in 1886. I think it is my favorite. It has the steeple, bell, and center aisle. The last picture, through the window, is kind of hard to see, however there is a stove in the middle of the santuary, but it is off to the side so it does not block the center aisle. It also has a little room off to the side that could be used to change in. This church is located off a country road, off a side road, up a hill on a gravel road. It is quite out of the way. It might be a little precarious for a Decemember wedding, but it is one of my top choices!

Mom and I had quite the adventures looking for a church. At one point, I took a wrong turn and literally ended up in the middle of a graveyard and had to manuever the car carefully as to not take out a headstone! But, after three starbucks breaks and probably close to 100 miles worth of driving, I think we have some pretty good choices. The next step will be to schedule times to see the interior of some of the churches we like best.

Our Story

I love stories. I always have. I love reading them, writing them, and telling them. I love stories that make me both laugh and cry; stories that captivate my attention and take my breath away. I love stories that you tell over and over again and never get old. I especially love stories that you know will undoubtedly have a happy ending.

I have such a story to share with you.

A little over a year ago, my friend Beth introduced me to her longtime friend, Drew Carter. She told me he was a high school counselor and football coach moving to the area and she had met him years ago at a church camp where he was lifeguard. She told me that he was hilarious and had a great sense of humor. She told me that he was a genuine person. With all that to say, the first thing I asked her was “how tall is he?”

After our first phone conversation, we both knew that there was a connection. We bonded over our mutual fondness for Adam Sandler and Chris Farley. Who knew? We met a few days later and a few days after that again, and then again.

Fast forward thirteen months- On July 2nd 2009, I called Beth to tell her we were engaged.

Drew and I visited friends, Jeff and Julie, in Las Vegas for the Fourth of July weekend. On our first night there, we went to the Venetian for dinner. Arriving early for our dinner reservation, Drew and Jeff went off to look at a Lamborghini show room while Julie and I looked around a few shops. (Incidentally, I had not been feeling well all day and spent more time in the fancy restrooms than the luxurious stores. However, it was time well spent because it made me finally feel better.) We walked to the front of the hotel to meet up with Jeff and Drew.

When we walked outside and down to the entrance to the Grand Canal, I saw Drew standing there. To my surprise, he was dressed up in a tuxedo holding a dozen red roses with a gondola waiting behind him.

There could have been 100 other people out there or 10. All I saw was Drew. He ushered me into the boat and sat me down on the bench. Standing before me, he told me how much he loved me and that he wanted to spend the rest of his life with me. He told me that he had asked my parents for their permission and blessing. He moved down onto his knee and pulled a box from his pocket, opening it to show a ring. He asked me to marry him.

And I said yes. With all of my heart, yes!

As we floated along on the gondola he gave me a second box, a blue Tiffany’s box with a note that read, “Tiffany, I want you to pick out something you love as much as I love you. Yours Forever, Drew.” In the background, the singing gondolier serenaded our ride down the Grand Canal.

It truly was a fairytale proposal. And the best part of my story is that it’s only the beginning.