Oh Where Oh Where Should the Wedding Be?

Hello All,

We are in desperate need for some opinions and we know you guys have plenty.  So let’s put them to good use.  Below are the Costa Rican vacations that are being considered for the Chatneuff-Jester civil union.    There are many reasons I am excited over these hotels, but I refuse to tell you any of them until you pick your favorites.  I also included a few pieces of information that interest has already been expressed in.  Happy day dreaming everybody!

Villas Sol

Rooms are a 5 minute walk to the beach.  A rumored 20 minute drive from the airport.

http://www.villassol.com/

Ylang Ylang

Longest airport commute estimated 2.5 hour drive from the Liberia Airport, so probably around 3.5.  There are other means of transport including a ferry or prop plane.   Accommodations include rooms, bungalows, tents, and suites. 

http://www.ylangylangbeachresort.com/

Punta Islita 

Rooms are a 5 minute walk from the beach.   One of the longer commutes by car from the airport, probably near three hours.   Offers multi bedroom villas.

http://www.hotelpuntaislita.com/

Sugar Beach

Rooms are 60-120 meters from the beach.  We would most likely have the whole hotel to ourselves.  Free local travel service for the guests.  About an hour and a half drive from the airport.  Accommodations include hotel rooms, family suites, and two beach houses. 

http://www.sugar-beach.com/eng/

Flamingo Beach

Approximately a 50 minute drive from the airport. 

http://www.resortflamingobeach.com/

Destination: Wedding

Sooo the word destination has been used in the same sentence as wedding, sooo let's explore this idea.  If you two love birds were to do a destination wedding what would you want the attraction to be?  Beaches?  Adventure? Kittens?  Culture? 
Europe does not encourage Americans to wed there, by that I mean it's nearly impossible.  I will also take the liberty of ruling out all the "A" continents, so that leaves us in the Western Hemisphere. 
If you do decide to do a destination wedding would you still be loosely committed to the spring?
I would love to hear some thoughts before I get too carried away.

Baby Step 1

Good golly, there’s so much to do! 

Let’s start with what we know.  The wedding will occur in Richmond with slightly over 100 people and nobody wants to spend any money.  The happy couple is leaning towards a February wedding, but hasn’t committed yet.  Ok, so we don’t actually know when it will be, but this list was so short. 

But what about the rest!  Before we (me) can plan anything else there needs to be a budget and a venue.  I am assuming most the budget will be consumed by food and alcohol, and considering the couple they will actually pick out those items.  For the rehearsal dinner, is Jakobson’s family going to 100% pay for it, or are they just going to give you a set amount of money? It’s pretty easy to cut corners on the rest (or spend an exorbitant amount), but we need to know how hard to cut.   

Let’s start with a venue.  Baby steps right?  You want to have the wedding in the same place as the reception, so how much space will you need?  Do you envision it all in the same room and people milling around will their cocktails and appetizers then you guys stand up in the front, do you’re the deed, then we all continue milling around.  Or do you want a separate room for people to migrate to/from?  Do you want a place set up like Macy’s wedding that had lots of rooms (to hide) or do you want one grand room?  The issue with a place with separate rooms is while many have the overall space for everybody, the do not comfortably accommodate 100+ in one room, especially if you want any tables set up in there.  The downside of one big room is no intimacy is created.  Also, what amount of time will you need the hall for?  When can you answer these questions by? 

I am proposing you have a venue (along with a confirmed date) picked out by Labor Day.  Oh no, deadlines!  Dates!  Might this actually turn real!?! 

Let's plan a wedding

So A & J have done it, they decided to commit the rest of their lives together!  Before we get too caught up in celebrating, there’s a lot of work to be done.  So let’s get started!