Dates and Venues... we are really doing this!

A while ago, when first considering wedding dates, I had targeted August as the ideal month to get married.  It seemed perfect:  It would provide us the maximum amount of planning time.  It would give Ammon a chance to get settled into a new job somewhere.  It would be a summer wedding, since we have students and teachers both in our families.  It really seemed like the best time possible.  Better yet?  We would potentially be sharing a wedding anniversary with my homegirl, Alyx.  It seemed like all signs pointed to August.

That is, until none of the signs pointed to August.

My childhood best friend's wedding is scheduled for the Saturday before the date I wanted.  Ammon's step-mom starts clinicals for her NP.  2 of my cousins are completely unavailable for the entire month.  Excuse after excuse piled up, and I realized that August wasn't going to work.  So one night, over a heaping bowl of the best comfort food known to man:

This is Pho.  It is the best noodle soup you will ever taste.  Try it.

We re-grouped.  We picked 3 other wedding dates that worked for us, and we sent the list around to our immediate family.  Nobody raised objections, so we moved forward with finding a venue that could accommodate 150 people, on the wedding date of our choice. 

Immediately, I found out that finding the ideal wedding venue would be the most difficult decision I would have to make of this entire process.  First off, venues are flipping expensive.  Second, in order to appear workable in your budget, they don't list prices, but post misleading statements, like "Able to accommodate any style and budget."  What they really should be telling you is that "You can have a budget wedding, so long as it's small."  Jerkfaces.  The next issue was style.  I have been envisioning and attempting to create a vintage picnic themed wedding.  It's a broad type theme that can encompass a lot of different elements.  However, I am not willing to budge on having iconic picnic activities like the Tug of War, Cornhole, and 3-legged races at our wedding.  There had to be enough space for the ceremony, the reception, and fun activities if a space was going to make the grade.

Oh, and I wanted to find something for under $2000.

... Yes, you can all roll your eyes at me.  Except, we DID IT!  After a lot of searching, too many emails, 5 or 6 breakdowns, and lots of "are you sure" talks later, we pulled the trigger on our vintage picnic venue on Monday.  Even better, they had our #1 choice wedding date available!  I've seriously never been so happy to pay someone $100 for a deposit on something in my life.

So, Ammon and I are so thrilled to announce that our wedding will be held at

Beautiful Osborn Farm in Loveland Colorado, on JUNE 22, 2013!!!

So we have a date, and a venue.  Guess what???  It's really happening!  We're getting married!

Don't worry, we'll be telling all about this venue in future posts.  But I just had to let you all know the amazing news!