Millbrook Winery Tour

With less than three months away from our wedding, the days have been filled with UPS orders, price comparing, picking up this, that, and the other thing, planning, dreaming...

But then-

I stumbled upon these videos when looking for pictures of Millbrook Winery to give to the videographer.  These were taken a month after we got engaged.  April 9th of last year we had made two appointments (the first two appointments) with Millbrook Winery and another.

We arrived at Millbrook first.  As soon as we swung open the doors to the winery barn/loft, we knew this was it.  We called the other vineyard and cancelled, we knew where we were getting married.

A lot of things in life you know immediately: adopting our cats, our apartment, each other.

Bus.



I wish we could rent this bus!



I spent hours researching where we/our guests are going to stay for the wedding in Millbrook, NY. 

Millbrook is a gem, it's on top of rolling hills and is a small quaint little town.  As much as this is a plus, it's also annoying to find/make accommodations.

In order to keep everyone safe and wasted we are trying to arrange a bus to shuttle everyone to and from the hotel.

The challenges aren't really finding a bus, I've emailed plenty for quotes, it's harder having everyone together.  The closest hotel to accommodate us is a half hour away.  All the bed & breakfasts cannot house more than 4-25 people.  Our wedding will most likely have around 150.  So gone are the fantasies of all the cute bed & breakfasts around, now it's the chain hotel.  Then again I'd rather have the chain hotel then someone wrapped around a tree.

DECISIONS.. read below.

Need bus decorating ideas.

Hotel A) Is further, 40 minutes, more expensive ($169-179) for our guests,but will help arrange a discounted bus if we book over 25 rooms or give us a free bride and groom suite with a whirlpool tub.  Doesn't really have a lot of nightlife.

Hotel B) Is closer, 30 minutes, cheaper for our guests($80-100), but doesn't have a bus service they use.  There's no swanky suites.  This part town is also a college town that has a lot of restaurants and bars, sweet.  

Both A & B will throw in a free Continental breakfast, both have pools, both have fitness suites (but really who cares about fitness).

Which is better?  I'm leaning towards B.

My reasoning...

Although we wouldn't mind a swanky suite for our wedding night, it shouldn't be on the dime of our guests...plus there will be our honeymoon filled with swanky, let's not be selfish right?

The discounted bus sounded great, at first, but when I did more research I found out the "discounted price" wasn't really discounted.  The price online was the same as the discounted price.  The Hotel said that it's originally $1000, but it's discounted to $800... the website says it $800.  Such bastards no?

  

So now I'm thinking of ways to decorate a bus to make the 30 min commute fun. 

Ideas anyone?

a beautiful, wonderful, mess

I stumbled on the most adorable group of ladies at A Beautiful Mess. BONUS: one of the bloggers, Elsie was married recently and had the sweetest-cutesy-vintage styled-wedding!  These are my 3 favorite pictures and will definitely go into my wedding inspiration scrap book for sure.  Please check this blog out if you love vintage, diy, recipes and all around amazing aesthetic.  Please and thank you.

Old Hollywood Inspiration

Yes, I know, the wedding isn't until July 2012.

Here are three looks that I am currently loving.

1. Elizabeth Taylor's fair skin and bold eyes with perfect brows.

2. Ava Gardner's natural but done look, lips look great even in b&w.

 

3. I love Adele's complete look.  The peachy colors and dramatic
but not over done eyes,  the hair too.
She's so gorgeous.



THE Engagement Postcard and Venue

As promised here are the front and backs of our postcards designed by yours truly.  We hope that everyone will hang the post card on the fridge for a little while.

Post cards are really a win:win.  Postage is cheaper 0.29, less paper, and you get to make a nifty little website to handle all RSVPS and etc...

I'm pretty excited to take out my calligraphy pens to address them to everyone!

Here's where we are hosting our engagement party... so in love with this place.

  



It's rustic with it's charming 1930's structure, wood floors, and open air views of the city and the back ground creaking of Hudson river boat basin.  There's even a beach on the edge.  The Palisades is one of my most favorite places to explore.

One second you're in dense forest, look down and you'll find a 500 ft

drop of rocky cliffs where it's interesting to drop pebbles off the end and listen where they land.  Look across and you'll see Manhattan, the GWB and the little red lighthouse (built in1880) that not many people know exist.

FUN FACT: that little red light house was built before the George Washington Bridge (built in 1931)...there's a great children's story about it. 

Also, there are abandoned mansions that are hidden in the woods from the late 1800's, check out this site too for better pictures.  The Cliffdale is the one that's most intact, a lot of others just have the foundations. 

John D. Rockefeller Jr., bought the surrounding area in 1930s, in an attempt to halt over-development of the cliffs spurred by the newly built George Washington Bridge.

In 1933, Rockefeller donated the land to the Park Commission with the request that the cliff line be returned to its natural state. In the following years, numerous turn-of-the-century mansions were bulldozed, including Cliffdale Manor.

Back story... Steve and I and our friends Lucy and Eugene went exploring and found The Cliffdale mansion... from climbing into a hole in the floor of the mansion... Lucy and I got poison ivy on out arms...Steve and Eugene... well they watered the bushes, so use your imagination as to where they were itching.

When planning a party what are some ways you are green and save some green?