Wow, what a busy week it's been! I would have written this post sooner, but between working, a quick weekend in Indiana to shoot a wedding, and then doctor visits (more on that later), this is the first chance I've had to write.
So we cleared a big hurdle in wedding planning - we booked our venue! Initially we wanted to find something in Indianapolis, but between not having a church (we usually live apart, and don't attend regularly anyways) and the crazy-high prices of EVERYTHING ELSE WE LOOKED AT, we had to expand our search. Right around that time, I saw a new album on facebook from The Anderson Center for the Arts in Anderson, IN (NE of Indianapolis, where a friend from college is now a curator) and it was WEDDING PHOTOS. Inquiries were made, phone calls and text messages were exchanged, and on Friday, this engaged lady put down her security deposit. Pricing gets sort of complicated with time limits and using 1 or 2 rooms, but no matter what, we're saving at least 50% from the other places we looked at. TACA is also a rather small venue, so it's perfect for our small guest list (and our creative, artistic personalities!).
Here are some photos I took while I was there. It was built in 1903 and was originally a library:
So what have we learned?
-Think outside the big city. A smaller town 15-45 minutes away could offer a fabulous venue at half the cost. Guests who live in the city won't mind the drive, and anyone who flies in will also be within a reasonable drive from the airport.
-Look for non-profit places like this one. Prices will vary, but you'll get more personal service AND the knowledge that your money will be used wisely.
-Places like Lions Clubs and Knights of Columbus are also very affordable, but can sometimes be lacking in aesthetics. What you save on the rental fee might all end up going towards extra decor to spruce the place up.
-THERE IS NO REASON TO PAY OVER $2,000 JUST TO BE IN A ROOM (imho)
Part 2: Vacations!
Another major part of getting married is planning THE HONEYMOON. Everyone wants an amazing honeymoon location, but the airfare gets expensive at best and completely prohibitive in some cases. One easy way to alleviate those worries is by using airline miles. If you aren't already signed up for a frequent flier account with an airline, CHANGE THAT. Devin and I (and his whole family) fly United whenever possible, and on top of miles earned from actual trips, the company gives many award miles for things you do anyway - buying Mother's Day flowers from FTD and signing up for Netflix, among other things. Sometimes they just give you more miles for flying during a certain time - for instance, one offer I took advantage of this past winter was an additional 2500 miles for trips taken December - February, up to three trips. I took two trips, so I received 5,000 more miles. No complaints here!
If you really want to make a HUGE dent in your honeymoon costs, sign up for an award miles credit card. I just activated my United Visa, and received 25,000 miles after the first purchase (which covers a round-trip ticket in the contiguous US by itself; a round-trip ticket to HAWAII takes 40,000 miles with United, and they allow you to use a combination of miles and cash to purchase tickets). I plan on using this card for as many wedding-related purchases as possible to rack up even more miles - they give 1 mile per every dollar spent. I also used it for my doctor visits yesterday ($250) so at least I'm earning miles on my medical problems! (It appears to be a thyroid issue. More testing to happen on Friday. Doc assures me I'm not going to die.)
If you're one of those types who deals all in cash, then I have mad respect for you. But if you use credit cards at all, and are getting married, there's no reason not to sign up for an awards card with an airline. If you both get one, you could save over $1000 on your honeymoon!
That's all I've got for now, kiddos. The next step for us is finding a caterer and a hotel for our guests. Stay tuned!
Total spent: $350
Total remaining: $4,650
So we cleared a big hurdle in wedding planning - we booked our venue! Initially we wanted to find something in Indianapolis, but between not having a church (we usually live apart, and don't attend regularly anyways) and the crazy-high prices of EVERYTHING ELSE WE LOOKED AT, we had to expand our search. Right around that time, I saw a new album on facebook from The Anderson Center for the Arts in Anderson, IN (NE of Indianapolis, where a friend from college is now a curator) and it was WEDDING PHOTOS. Inquiries were made, phone calls and text messages were exchanged, and on Friday, this engaged lady put down her security deposit. Pricing gets sort of complicated with time limits and using 1 or 2 rooms, but no matter what, we're saving at least 50% from the other places we looked at. TACA is also a rather small venue, so it's perfect for our small guest list (and our creative, artistic personalities!).
Here are some photos I took while I was there. It was built in 1903 and was originally a library:
 |
| The outside (says "PVBLIC LIBRARY," love it) |
 |
| Entryway |
 |
| The Grande Room, set up for reception |
 |
| Side gallery, probably where our ceremony will be |
 | |||
| The view as you walk in - but for our wedding there will be a big Christmas tree set up in the middle. |
-Think outside the big city. A smaller town 15-45 minutes away could offer a fabulous venue at half the cost. Guests who live in the city won't mind the drive, and anyone who flies in will also be within a reasonable drive from the airport.
-Look for non-profit places like this one. Prices will vary, but you'll get more personal service AND the knowledge that your money will be used wisely.
-Places like Lions Clubs and Knights of Columbus are also very affordable, but can sometimes be lacking in aesthetics. What you save on the rental fee might all end up going towards extra decor to spruce the place up.
-THERE IS NO REASON TO PAY OVER $2,000 JUST TO BE IN A ROOM (imho)
Part 2: Vacations!
Another major part of getting married is planning THE HONEYMOON. Everyone wants an amazing honeymoon location, but the airfare gets expensive at best and completely prohibitive in some cases. One easy way to alleviate those worries is by using airline miles. If you aren't already signed up for a frequent flier account with an airline, CHANGE THAT. Devin and I (and his whole family) fly United whenever possible, and on top of miles earned from actual trips, the company gives many award miles for things you do anyway - buying Mother's Day flowers from FTD and signing up for Netflix, among other things. Sometimes they just give you more miles for flying during a certain time - for instance, one offer I took advantage of this past winter was an additional 2500 miles for trips taken December - February, up to three trips. I took two trips, so I received 5,000 more miles. No complaints here!
If you really want to make a HUGE dent in your honeymoon costs, sign up for an award miles credit card. I just activated my United Visa, and received 25,000 miles after the first purchase (which covers a round-trip ticket in the contiguous US by itself; a round-trip ticket to HAWAII takes 40,000 miles with United, and they allow you to use a combination of miles and cash to purchase tickets). I plan on using this card for as many wedding-related purchases as possible to rack up even more miles - they give 1 mile per every dollar spent. I also used it for my doctor visits yesterday ($250) so at least I'm earning miles on my medical problems! (It appears to be a thyroid issue. More testing to happen on Friday. Doc assures me I'm not going to die.)
If you're one of those types who deals all in cash, then I have mad respect for you. But if you use credit cards at all, and are getting married, there's no reason not to sign up for an awards card with an airline. If you both get one, you could save over $1000 on your honeymoon!
That's all I've got for now, kiddos. The next step for us is finding a caterer and a hotel for our guests. Stay tuned!
Total spent: $350
Total remaining: $4,650
The venue is beautiful!
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