Why we are glad we aren't getting married in October

Last weekend, we travelled to Asheville with our parents to check out a wedding that was held on the front lawn. In an effort to fill the weekend with productive wedding planning items, we also met with a hotel, the rabbi, wedding planner, tasted wines and designed a cake. Michael discoved he loves fondant and everyone enjoyed watching him try to eat an entire block of it. We also learned that 40 degrees is too cold for an outside wedding as the entire party was hiding in the house avoiding the cold and the string quartet required a portable heater to play. The affair was "interesting" with a mixed theme of wood and crystals. They also had a lounge complete with photo booth.

Even after meeting our parents, the rabbi is still ok with marrying us! We drank a lot of wine and ate even more cake (especially Michael and that fondant). Information about hotel blocks should be forthcoming in the next month or so. For those guests that smoke, the entire Biltmore Estate is non-smoking and at least one of the hotels we are considering is also smoke free.

We would like to thank our families for joining us this weekend.

Karen and Michael

Questions and Answers with Karen

For this Q&A session, Michael will be interviewing Karen.

Michael: Is there an airport nearby?
Karen: Yes, in fact Asheville has an airport with frequent flights from and to popular destinations. The airport code is AVL.

Michael: Do you have a hotel block yet?
Karen: No, we are working on this and will post further information when we have it. We will be offering two hotels in close proximity to the Biltmore. We will likely provide shuttle service to and from each of the hotels for the wedding since the Biltmore driveway is miles long.

Michael: What is there to do in Asheville?
Karen: Lots and lots! Everybody attending the wedding will receive tickets to tour the Biltmore House for free so please do not purchase tickets on your own. Other activities in the Asheville area include hiking, golf, and shopping. We will post more ideas for activities closer to the wedding date.

Michael: Could you provide some information about the wedding weekend?
Karen: The actual wedding ceremony will take place on the front lawn at 7 PM. It will be followed by a cocktail reception and reception which will include a plated dinner. On Friday evening, we will be having a dinner for guests. We will also be having a brunch on Sunday morning. Details to follow.

Michael: Is there anything else you would like to add?
Karen: Parts of the wedding ceremony and reception will be on grass. High heels are not advised! The temperature in Asheville in September will fluctuate between 70s in the day time and 50s at night. Wind will not be a factor because the reception is tented but please dress accordingly.

Michael: Where are you registered?
Karen: We are registered at Williams Sonoma and Bed Bath and Beyond.

Michael: Karen, thank you for taking the time to sit down with me today on our lovely couch to answer these important questions. Next time, we will ask about healthcare, the state of the economy, and where the closest bowling alley is.

Karen: My pleasure. I may be suspending my interviews to focus on the real issue of our time: cake tasting. Please be sure to vote in our honeymoon poll on the right!

Welcome

Welcome to Karen and Michael's wedding blog. As most of you know, we will be getting married on September 5, 2009 at the Biltmore Estate in beautiful Ashville, North Carolina. This blog will include messages about our excitement for the occasion as well as information that would be useful to all of our friends and family that will be joining in our celebration.

Karen and Michael