Happy Final Headcount Day!!

This my lovely venue where I went today to drop off my lovely final headcount. It was a bit like studyong for weeks and the exam finally being over. For all my grumbling we are in our ideal range after all, even considering the few people who haven't responded yet. It is just such a relief to move on from stupid RSVPs. I ran over right after physical therapy today.

They have a team of three event staff and as of this morning I had solely dealt with one of them. Today I met her boss and had a little chat. She was very nice. Turns out we don't need a valet for parking, phew! We discussed arrival times of vendors and how many chairs I'd want in a row for the ceremony (the boring stuff) first. Then we moved on to the mapping things out. As you can see, it's a big place.

We talked about where we could enter from and not be seen before hand, dramatic grand entrance! We discussed the best spots for our first look photos. So, romantic. I asked her to show me were all the photo spots I'd admired in other people's pictures were. She showed me the waterfall, the stage, the old gate, the stone wall and the meditation garden. Squeal. My idea is that we have the reveal shot and then Mike and I talk a little stroll in a certain corner of the garden while he snaps pictures. Yay!

We also compared ceremony spaces. I picked the Wedding Lawn (in the center) originally because I liked the openness of it, but the North Lawn could easily accommodate us and has a more intimate feel. Mike and I are considering switching. What's nice is the whole place is ours starting at 5pm so we can go/do whatever we want.

It seemed my enthusiasm and "interesting ideas" delighted her. I guess it would be boring to set up and break down the same old wedding over and over. What a nice wedding errand. I can't believe how much I worried about getting that paperwork done, it was really silly.

I even goofed on the floor plan a little. I forgot to draw a cake table. Maybe we'll cut it on the floor. My life has been all about guests and I forgot the cake. Check the venue errand off the to do list. See you at the rehearsal, Sunken Gardens!

Don't Assume Anything...

The venue emailed me yesterday and said if you're over X many guests we need to arrange a parking valet. It's required and part of our package, but only if we're over a certain number. I felt like I'd been handed a final exam I hadn't study for. Um...uh...well...hmmm...I had something like 60 guests yet to respond last week and the deadline was approaching so I sent out a simple email reminder to those folks with RSVP instructions and got it down to 30 guests.

Now they want me to read 30 minds the week before my RSVP deadline?!? Stress. I counted all of the outstanding folks as yes and got a maximum and then I made my best guesses on who would come and who wouldn't and got another one. I wanted to cry. I was unprepared, which isn't something I'm comfortable being. On top of which I hate numbers. I don't know what percentage has declined so far...AAAAAHHHHH!!!

I asked Mike to make a guess and sent her that, praying it was in the neighborhood since we're on the cusp of not needing a parking valet. Ugh. After the instant migraine from being put on the spot had calmed I started sending out very personal emails, messages and texts just asking for people to let me know. I even made some phone calls. At the end of the day I'd gone from 30 no responses to 18 so not bad.

Still, the deadline I gave is after the venue needs to know and my deadline for RSVPs is 7 days from now. My original theory that people who couldn't come were dragging their feet to avoid hurting our feelings is less creditable considering all of the people who have declined. I'm starting to wonder if people just don't want to talk to me at all. It's making me very sad and I refuse to write off the final 18 as I know some of them were planning on making it. I can't assume and RSVP for them that seems rude. Way ruder than having to point blank ask someone if they're coming.

Crossing the T's and Crossing the I's

Today we got home from my birthday lunch with Mike's dad to discover mail from our venue. We're already paid in full with them and I sent them my list of vendors information early too. I assumed it was some kind of confirmation letter. Maybe an award for being organized and on top of things? It was a letter asking me to get more organized. They were asking for our final floor plan for the reception, our final head count and arrival time for all the vendors.

Now I'm sure a lot of brides would go pale (or simply pass on) such an unappealing request, but I was prepared. Well, I was willing to prepare I guess it more like it. We have a rough floor plan, but it's rough because we don't have a final headcount. You can't arrange the tables until you know how many you need and that requires an accurate rear end count. So, I checked our RSVP stats and a stunning 60 guests responses were still outstanding. That's over half of them.

First (because it was the simplest step) I emailed all the vendors to ask their arrival times. It was a bit awkward like writing to a friend from summer camp long after camp's ended.

Hi!
Remeber me? We met over the summer. You're doing my wedding (gulp) next month. What time will you be arriving to set up?
Thanks.
The Bride

The next task was another surprisingly less awkward email to scare up some of those missing RSVPs.

Please swing by the (wedding)site: (url)
And click RSVP in the links to your left
Type in your name
Select accept or decline for each member of your party for ceremony and reception
You'll get an email confirming your RSVP
You can request songs and read all the useful information on the site while you're there!
The Bride

That I hope will at least cut down on the one's who haven't responded because of inability to figure out a shortened link, misplaced invitations or general distractedness. They can just click the link and off they go. I've gotten a couple verbal and written RSVPs, but I can't assume anything. If I haven't been given express permission to mark someone one way or another they sit waiting... I'm not the most patient person for sure, but the real problem is my venues deadline for headcount is slightly earlier that the deadline I gave. I'm hopeful my emails will help though.

Now, if I could just force myself to get the photographer's paperwork finished and returned we'd be all set...At least final paperwork-wise. Unless you count the license.