Weddingbee

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This ring was so stylish and sophisticated on Mr. Cherry. The little splash of color was just the thing. And check out the craftsmanship - Coge Designs has actually fused the gold layers with the platinum rather than just filling in the grooves in the platinum.

Mr. Cherry Pie loved this ring too, but he said he’d be perfectly happy with a tungsten band. I went back and forth for a while on price, because the platinum band was considerably more than I had budgeted (it was $2500 before tax and sizing, whereas the tungsten bands were anywhere from $200 to $800). Ultimately, I decided that with all the love and work Mr. Cherry had put into designing my engagement ring and my wedding band, I wanted him to have the ring we both loved the most.

So here is his beautiful band, straight from Germany…

I picked Mr. Cherry Pie’s ring up last Friday at lunch and surprised him with it after a special dinner. We went out on the porch for what I said was a toast to the longest day of the year, and had Mr. Cherry close his eyes for some delicious chocolate. When I was “unwrapping the chocolate” I got down on one knee and proposed to him with his wedding band.

And wouldn’t you know it, even though we’ve been engaged since August 2006, my heart was still pounding when I gave him his ring. D’awww.

He put it on to check the sizing and now it’s safe and sound in its box until our wedding day. That is, when I’m not taking it out to ogle it.

Is anyone else super-excited about their/their FI’s wedding band? I can’t wait until mine is ready!
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Stacks of paper for our invites, RSVPs, Thank You cards, and more. You can see the envelopes for both, as well as the red and brown papers that will be used to make our sashes. The canisters in the upper right are our inks!

Mmm, Rives BFK paper. So luxurious…

Our press plates. Look at all the details!

The plate for our map and directions.

As a color test run, Kristin pressed the wheat for our Thank You notes and hung them to dry in her studio…

Mmm, wheaty.

All the little invites are having a lovely time at letterpress summer camp. We miss them, though, and we hope they come home soon.

Where are you at with your invite design?
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In the photo above, the mailbox is being used with vintage postcards in lieu of a guestbook. That’s a cute idea - I know there are booklets of vintage Glacier National Park cards out there. But wouldn’t it also make a darling card box?

I started looking for a mailbox that would look nice and rustic, heartily used and varnished with the patina of age. But MAN, mailboxes, even NEW ones, are expensive! So imagine what real, functional, vintage ones cost. And with online shopping, you have to factor in the cost of shipping (a metal box) on top of everything else. Oy.

I looked high, I looked low. I looked in street markets antique shops. Nuthin’.

Until…

In a little antique shop in Columbia Falls, Montana…

What’s that? Is it…? Could it be?

DUN DA DA DAAAA!!! My mailbox!

It’s not as incredibly awesome as the Grapevine mailbox, but I think it’s perfect.

It came to me bent up, rusted, and well-loved. I bathed it, re-bent it, and secured the front closed with velcro. (The lock has long-since broken.)

As you can see, it has a hole in the front where the address plate is supposed to go. We’re going to letterpress some cardstock with our names and the date and secure it in there, and it will be all good to go!

Right now I’m leaning toward using it as a card box, secured to a post so no one walks off with it. But, on the other hand, I’m not a big fan of guest books (call me callous, but I don’t think I will ever look at one), so maybe the postcard idea is the right way to go.

What do you think?
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Inside, there are a few tables and a tiny bar. Check out the woodstove!

The walls are lined with local art and some good old Western kitsch.

The saloon keeps a few beers on tap (served in mason jars, of course) and provides a menu with both bar snacks and dinner entrees.

When we first decided on Polebridge as our venue, we didn’t know if the saloon would be able to cater for us, or if they did any catering at all. That’s when we started working with Cimmaron Cafe for catering in Columbia Falls, as I mentioned in my last tasting post.

Our contact with Polebridge during the Winter was rather limited due to off-season and record snowfall, but at some point we established that they did provide catering and we started to work with a seasonal chef through the saloon. But a few weeks of non-returned phonecalls and emails later, we found out that the chef had not in fact been hired for the season and we were back at square one.

We had assumed that Polebridge would work with us on food, but as we were closing in on our date and didn’t have any real confirmation, we kept Cimmaron on the hook as a backup plan. Honestly, with some of the miscommunication that happened before I went out to Montana, it seemed like Cimmaron was looking like our first choice.

As part of our visit to Polebridge, we talked food with the owner of the saloon. She was more than happy to commit to catering our wedding with fresh, local, and organic cuisine. The menu will be something similar to what we tasted at Cimmaron but with different local flair. Again, we’re opting for a grill menu, as it’s easiest to make for a large number of people. Our menu will be something similar to the following, with some flexibility allowed for food shortages and price fluctuation:

• Fruit, cheese, crackers and (maybe?) quesadillas for appetizers
• Wild Alaska salmon with fruit chutney or marinade
• Montana buffalo tri-tip with marinade
• Grilled organic veggies and fingerling potatoes
• Vegetarian rice pilaf or mushroom dish
• Fresh greens with strawberries and homemade vinaigrette

Before our trip to Montana, I asked Polebridge about doing a tasting. But that’s not really their thing, so we decided we’d just stay for dinner at the saloon and see what it was like.

Can you say yuuuummmm-eeeey!

Chicken, cheese, and black bean quesadilla:

Wild salmon with grilled veggies, salad, rice pilaf, and fresh-baked bread. In the background a pork chop with morel mushroom sauce and grilled potatoes:

It may not be “gourmet” or have haute-couture food presentation, but I’m quite pleased to say that we expect our wedding meal to be delicious and homey, beautiful and colorful. Just the way we want it!

Is anyone else opting for down-home cooking for their wedding?

Oh, and before I close the curtains on my Super Wedding Weekend in Montana, I want to share one last story…

On our way back down the North Fork road, we stopped because there was a large dog standing in the road. After a quick double-take, we realized it wasn’t a dog… it was a WOLF! I’d never, ever seen one in the Park before and they’re pretty rare!

It stopped and regarded us from the road for a few long seconds. Then, as a car came barreling from the other direction, it retreated into the brush. My damned memory card was full, so this was the only picture I got, but here she is… isn’t she beautiful?

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2. Photo Coaster
Personally, I like coasters, but I know they aren’t for everyone, and some people are very specific about using coasters that look good in their house. These photo coasters are cute souvenirs but at 5 bucks a pop, they are so expensive that we could only afford one per guest. Is one coaster kind of lame?

3. Body Products
A company in Whitefish makes a variety of body products that are branded by the Polebridge mercantile. They include shea butter balm, healing lip balm, and Jojoba bath bar. They’re all about $5 a pop, which is at the high end of our favor budget but we could potentially get a bulk discount. We could offer one type of body product OR an assortment and allow guests to pick one.

4. Photo Magnet
This $4.50 photo magnet is perhaps more accessible than the coaster. Everyone has a fridge, right? And it’s sort of a classic kitchy souvenir, but not particularly personal. I did buy one for myself before I left!

5. Drink Cozies
For only $3, our guests could have one of these Polebridge-branded beer cozies! Too bad we’re having kegs…

6. Polebridge Coffee
The merc offers a delicious Polebridge blend of coffee. I think this 8 oz bag was above our price limit, but we could potentially offer a slightly smaller quantity and stay in budget. We could also pretty easily add personal touches to these bags. Mmm, coffee.

7. Montana/Glacier Wildflower Seeds
I like these flower seed packages, even though they’re not Polebridge-specific. I believe that the mercantile sells a variety of these seed packets for $2.50 each, which would mean that each guest could be given as many as two packs.

Now, while I would love to give something purchased from the mercantile to be locally supportive, my wedding planner can get these flower seeds wholesale. The packets themselves would run between $1.10 and $2.50 apiece, depending if the price is retail or wholesale.

The retailer, Created by Nature sells a large variety of Montana and Glacier National Park-specific seeds that also come in mixed boxes for a discount and in lovely “seed garden” packages that I think would make great favors. The Montana one even sort of matches our color scheme!

I’m a little confused as to the pricing of the boxes and seed gardens though, they seem to be listed at two different prices on the retailer’s website ($6 vs $12 and $7.50 vs $15). I don’t know what’s up with that - maybe a 1/2 off sale? Needless to say, as cool as they are, they’re kind of pricey. Hmm.

My top three favor contenders are (in no particular order):

• Polebridge cookies, packaged in cellophane with a ribbon and tag
• An assortment of body products, probably just with original packaging
• Montana flower seeds, possibly a box/set (depending on price) or 2 packets repackaged in brown baggies with stickers

Those are my thoughts.

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Well, at the time I posted those invite proofs, I was operating under the assumption that our permit to wed in the Park at the lake had been approved. Two days later, I found out it had been denied.

It turned out that while the Special Permits coordinator had been optimistic, the on-site ranger had decided that our event (90-110 people) was simply too large and would prevent regular use of the lake. It was disappointing to hear, but not entirely unexpected, so we switched back to our original plan of having both the wedding and reception in Polebridge.

On the down side, the plates for our invites had been made that day and we had to recast three of them to reflect the changes. I’m only out an extra $45, so it’s not too big of a deal, but it did add some more time to the turnaround.

Oh well, at least our invitations reflect our actual ceremony location this time… and it’s the same location it was to begin with: Polebridge.

We visited Polebridge the second day of my Montana “Super Wedding Weekend.” It was a relaxing change of pace after all the wedding-errand related madness of the day before.

And now, for your enjoyment, here is the “somewhat grand” tour of Polebridge:

1. The approach

New growth in the wake of the 2003 Roberts Megacomplex, which burned along both Camas and North Fork roads on the approach to Polebridge

Mountains in Glacier Park set back against one of the many fields lining North Fork road.

2. The Mercantile & Saloon

The classic red roof of the Polebridge Merc, which will bake our wedding cake (vanilla with huckleberries and a buttercream frosting) and mini-pies (cherry and huckleberry)

To the left, the Northern Lights Saloon & Restaurant, which will provide our food and drink as well as function as a cash bar for guests. To the right, a sand volleyball court (yay!). In the center, set back, you can see the main stage

3. Stage and soft seating

The wooden stage, currently shuttered, where our band will play post-reception. To the left, by the old BBQ, you can see a little covered nook, which we will decorate and use to offer guests ice water, bottled coke, signature cocktails, and beer/wine during the dancing.

The raised sound booth (left) has a beautiful, shady alcove underneath it, which we’ll use for a bride and groom’s retreat during the dancing. The center path leads to the volleyball field and mercantile. The building set behind the benches and tables is the saloon. The benches will serve as soft seating before the ceremony (while everyone mingles), during the cocktail hour, and during dancing. We plan on setting out tea lights in mason jars. The “fence” wraps around the whole stage area and is strung with lights… we might add ribbons and flowers to the mix.

4. Field for our ceremony and reception

Ignoring the wheelbarrow and burn pile, this is where our ceremony will be held. We’ll set up rows of chairs facing the mountains and we will be married standing on the edge of the creek that runs behind those reeds. In the late afternoon light, it should be beautiful. (Wildfires and weather permitting!)

Looking the opposite direction, you can see that the flat, grassy area extends back quite a bit toward several rental cabins and houses. Our tented reception will be set back from the ceremony in the field.

South of the field, there is a path that runs along the creek to a series of beautiful brushy areas and a small wedding circle. We thought about using this area for our ceremony as it is much more private than the lawn, but even with the brush cleared, the ground is too uneven for chairs and the approach is a bit too rough for the older guests.

5. Cabins

The old icehouse is one of several cabins for rent in Polebridge. This is where our wedding coordinator will be staying the nights before and after the wedding. It’s so cool (in temperature AND aesthetic) inside!

Very rustic - you have to bring your own bedding! We’ll also use the icehouse cabin for bridal staging after I drive in from the Park. (I plan to wear my dress for a few photos at Lake McDonald Lodge and then wear street clothes to Polebridge in the car before changing back into it in the cabin.)

The front of another of the cabins. Some of these will make wonderful backdrops for wedding photos!

6. Video walk-through

I put together a video walk-through of Polebridge so you can get an idea of what this all looks like in 3D. The walk-through is from the road by the mercantile (where guests will park or be let off the shuttle bus), past the volleyball field, into the stage and soft-seating area (for the pre-ceremony gathering, cocktail hour, and music), past the stage and into the field for the ceremony and reception. The last part of the video shows some of the wild areas along the creek.

Our wedding will be set up with signs and pathways so that guests will hopefully follow a similar route from the road to the ceremony.

And that’s it for the tour. Any questions?
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Well, despite Mr. CP’s reputation for being extremely fiscally prudent, he definitely has deep pockets when it comes to some things. So, he reached into his stock dividends account and pulled out a wad of $$ for a lovely, lavish honeymoon as his gift to us.

Usually when we travel, we fill our trips with a lot of sightseeing and activities. I love taking pictures, seeking out authentic ethnic experiences, and interacting with the locals. But, you know what? For our honeymoon, I wanted a break from that M.O.

I love shoestring-budget backpack traveling and train-hopping but it gets so, so, exhausting. And it can be very, very stressful.

Following our wedding, which I imagine will be exciting, socially overwhelming, and somewhat nerve-wracking, all that I want to do is relax. I don’t want to talk to anyone, I don’t want to schlep things from one location to another. I don’t want to focus on anything but myself, my new husband, and a quiet, gentle breeze.

So we decided to go somewhere warm, where we could relax… a place where neither of us have been before… a place that’s not too far from home.

Mexico!

I know, I know, HOW can NEITHER of us have been? Honestly, I’m not sure. But we’ve been to Belize, Japan, Amsterdam, and other less-traveled places together already, so it’s high time explored our own neighbors, right?

After reading Mrs. Dahlia’s honeymoon post at Bridal Guide, we were inspired to check out Amuleto, a boutique hotel in Zihuatanejo (near Ixtapa).

I have to admit, we were also sorely tempted by La Casa Que Canta, which is the #1 Tripadvisor rated hotel (also boutique style) in Zihua, and has won numerous awards for service, including one from the yuppie-tastic Conde Nast Traveler. But we really loved the thatched-roofed suites at Amuleto and the rooms with private, in-room plunge pools at La Casa were just unholy expensive. (Not that Amuleto is um, budget-friendly either.)

To my great pleasure, we will be sequestering ourselves for seven nights in the Palapa Suite at Amuleto, high above the Playa Los Gatos.

Check out our digs and rainforesty bathroom!

And what an amazing view from the patio and plunge pool!

[Source: Amuleto.net]

The hotel only has six rooms, so it’s bound to be quiet. They also have a larger infinity pool (pictured at the top of this post) and a restaurant.

While I don’t at this point want to do anything other than lie about sipping margaritas and having massages, we have been looking into day trips to Zihuatanejo, night clubs in Ixtapa, scuba dives, area hikes, and other activities.

We’ll be there during the “rainy season,” which doesn’t look TOO moist but guaranteed us the lowest rates of the year.

[Source: Weather Underground’s trip planner]

And, how auspicious… our last night, there is a full moon!

Ah, Zihuatanejo… here we come!

Is anyone else planning a “do-nothing” honeymoon?
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