Welcome to the Keys!

Welcome to Wedding Wednesday!

My once a week chat about my awesome Florida Keys Wedding! 

Just after Stud Muffin and I got engaged, the Crazy Lady had phone calls like mad from her amazing friends that wanted to do something for us. Seeing as though we lived far away from Oklahoma and my schedule is always crazy, we said why not throw a party in the Keys! This turned out to be one of my favorite things we did! Instead of a rehearsal dinner the night before the wedding we got to do the formal stuff Thursday night and then see all of our friends in a casual setting on Friday night. 

It was such a fun event. I had been turned on to this pin idea from another blog and sent the link over to the hostesses one day. I was so happy when they adopted the idea! 

And my dear sweet pregnant friend that couldn't attend the wedding made all the buttons!!

Basket to choose from as you arrived. 

The groom wearing his pin. He eventually added a Yankee pin as well.

I wore "I am the Bride" and "Boomer Sooner Baby".

With friends coming from all over, it was a fun way to see people interact. 

The party was at a fishing marina. The groom got a kick out of the pelicans. 

Not that you can tell from my disposable cameras... but the M&Ms had our faces on them! 

The food from Chef was amazing!!

As you can see, we were all having a grand ol time!

The kiddos were invited to this one and had a ball!

Gege had friends come too!! 

A giant thank you to all of the hosts and hostesses from the Welcome Party! We had a ball!!

Picking the Perfect Venue

Welcome to Wedding Wednesdays! The one day a week I talk about my BIG DAY! 
I am looking for all the advice I can get so please comment!!

The day after Stud Muffin proposed he did the sweetest thing in the world! 

He gave me these for my beach reading!!!

He apparently didn't know what he had done! I went into full wedding mode! (Lucky for me, Stud Muffin is kinda into the whole process as well.) I couldn't get enough!!

While I was totally clueless to the fact that I was going to get engaged, we had discussed what we would like to do for a wedding many times. I knew I wanted to be a beach bride and I knew that the Florida Keys were the place. Now, we just needed to find "the place". 

We had two thoughts about this. One, Key Largo:  this is where I spent all my spring breaks as a child and brought Stud Muffin to meet my Gege for the first time. Our 2nd option was Key West:  This was a stop on our first vacation together and the place where we were engaged. Both places had sentimental value and both places seemed like great fun!! 

Before I continue I would like to say that I have one real piece of criteria for my wedding:  Everyone must have fun!! Other than that... not too concerned about much. 

So... we thought we would get information on the place we were engaged as a possible wedding location. 

Sunset Key:  While pretty and extremely fun... WAY TOO EXPENSIVE!! $65,000 to rent the place out! (Please be advised that during these posts I will make numerous references to how everything costs too much. This is not to offend anyone who spent hundreds of thousands on their wedding, its just not me. Or remotely practical for me. + I was raised by someone who wants to cook burgers in the back yard... & no, I am not referring to Steve Martin in Father of the Bride.) $65, 000 could be a down payment on a house. It could feed so many people. Did I mention that they weren't even going to comp our room the night of the wedding? This was a NO NO NO. But at least we checked because I would have always wondered. 

Next Stop:  Casa Marina in Key West.

This is where I really thought I would be married. We walked in and I saw this aisle!! 

This would be a GRAND entrance I thought and could actually see myself getting married! I was really really excited. We didn't call to make an appointment with the planner we just thought we would stop by and check it out. The planner wasn't in, so we grabbed a brochure and had a drink at the pool bar. While having my drink I pretty much planned out what everything would look like. 

The next week my mother went to Casa Marina with my Aunt and Gege to meet with the planner. He said I couldn't use the walk way! Why? Because they won't block it for the 20 seconds it takes me to walk down it. He said they did it before and people walked through the Brides Entrance!! WHAT??? Really?? Craziness I tell you! This news did not make me think that I would count it out. Then came the... You can have the date you want but we do have a pirate convention that weekend so you will not be the only event. Hmm... maybe not. What about another weekend? Well, sure! In 2012!!!! Ooooooooookay.... NEXT!

We moved up the Keys to Islamorada, FL and checked out what I thought would definitely be the winner. Morada Bay Cafe! I love this restaurant and it has the prettiest beach in the Keys in my opinion. 

We met with the planner and there was a rather large site fee of $10,000. This included... the beach. Oh, and a few chairs and the normal restaurant tables that have no table cloths. At first I thought it would work but then when we went back with Mom in tow... those plans were gone. This is when I learned that My Mother knows much more about planning my wedding than I do. I had no idea what questions to ask or how to say no to things. Like always, I need my Mommy.

With my favorite Key West location out and my favorite Key Largo (ish) location out, I was very discouraged. Stud Muffin was pushing for Key West because he thought that in the "down time" his friends would have more fun and those that were planning to stay for a week long vacation wouldn't have to drive from one Key to the other. My parents really wanted it in Key Largo as it was sentimental to them. I really wanted everyone to stop looking at me and saying that it was "my choice... BUT". What I wanted was for someone else to make the decision and be the one to disappoint someone. I want to have a fun wedding and not worry about if it is sentimental to one group or more convenient for another group's vacation. Did I mention that everything looked too pricey? I just wanted to cry. I had been engaged a whole week and was OVER IT! 

We checked out a place in Key Largo and as we entered Stud Muffin announces "I Hate IT!", we were still in the parking garage. Awesome! This is gonna be so freakin awesome! We checked out another place in Key Largo and he liked it a bit better. He still liked Key West the best (as did I) but said if this was more affordable it would be acceptable. 

I came home from our Keys vacation very excited about being engaged but with a bad taste in my mouth about the process that was beginning. All I could think was that I was never gonna get a date I wanted in a place that everyone wanted. I can't please everyone. 

Mom and Dad called and BINGO!!! They went and checked out a place that we kept overlooking assuming that it would be too expensive. Dad loved it, Mom loved it, my Gege loved it!! It was affordable and gorgeous! Stud Muffin and I have yet to see it but we trust my Mommy. They had a date on one of the weekends I wanted and it was the cheaper of the 2 weekends I had picked. Stud Muffin and I are super excited and I cannot wait to go take my own tour of Cheeca Lodge in July!! 

Moral to this story... Just let Mom do it!

Wedding Wednesdays are Here!

Because I am living and breathing this wedding and could talk about it for days on end, (Seriously, I am enthralled by this whole process and loving it!) I figured it would be best to just write about it one day a week and spare all my readers the torture of my crazy days! 

The day that I had NO IDEA was coming...

Sunday May 23, ,2010 began like any other day of vacation. Get up, have brunch + mimosa, go to pool + key lime colada, and then off to a nice dinner at sunset. Sounds about right. 

Stud Muffin plays with everything on the table. 

We love love love the pool.

And we also wear our SPF!!

We had dinner reservations at this great place called Latitudes on Sunset Key just off the coast of Key West. We had been there to see the beach the year before and thought the restaurant was so cute. So it didn't seem odd when Stud Muffin suggested that we go back for dinner this year. Here we are waiting for the boat to take us over to the island. (note:  in every pic someones hand in their pocket. and yet, I remain clueless)

We took the boat over with several other groups of people that were eating at Latitudes as well. When we went to the hostess stand she ushered us to what could be the best table in the place. On the white sand, out of the sun and this gorgeous view!

Stud Muffin and I took some pics while the sun was setting (Note: hand in pocket) and ordered our dinner.

After dinner Stud Muffin suggested we walk down the beach for some other great photo ops. We had to walk through this roped off area and I did not want to get in trouble but he had apparently asked the waiter about that while I was in the restroom. (Really Whitney? You don't know what's coming?!!) So, we headed down the beach with permission. ;) 

I would love to share the story of what my Stud Muffin said to me, but... I cannot for the life of me remember. I can tell you this. We were staring at the sunset and he was talking more than usual and the word WIFE came out of his mouth... I don't remember what else was said. I don't even know if he said "Will you marry me?" I think he did. He got down on one knee and all I could do was tell him to get up! I wanted to hug him and scream and oh yeah... I hadn't even looked at the ring yet! I was in shock! SHOCK!! 

When we got back to the table I called my Dad and Mom and as you can see... I was HAPPY!

We ordered dessert and I only ate about 3 bites. I dipped my hair into my awesome pomegranate martini and got red all over my white dress. I had NO IDEA I was doing that either. I was a hot mess I tell you! A happy hot mess however. 

While waiting for the boat to go back to Key West, this wonderful woman asked if she could take our "first picture" as an engaged couple. So happy she did that because I doubt we would have had one otherwise. 

It is now a month after the fact and I am still BEAMING. Never knew I was gonna be so excited. Stud Muffin in now ready to book honeymoon and I am super excited about wedding planning. Let the year long festivities begin! We are getting married on June 4th, 2011!!!

Vacation in the Keys!

So very sorry for the delay in posting! Things have been a bit crazy for me these past few weeks.... But I am back and ready to post like crazy!!

Stud Muffin and I took off on our usual vacation to the Florida Keys on Saturday May 22. The flight to Key West was quite interesting as Stud Muffin is deathly scared of flying and we normally drive from Miami down the Keys. (I will give more flight details later) Once we arrived in Key West in one piece, all was grand. We headed to the Westin and were ready for some sunshine!! Our room was not ready as we arrived about Noon so we just decided to lay by the pool! 

On our first night in the Keys we hit up some happy hour spots that are off the beaten path. LOVED them!! 

At one spot we got a dozen oysters and 2 drinks for... wait for it...

$10!!!!

We really enjoyed our first night on the town. 

After happy hour, I met a friend...

Foofa had a margarita at a Duval Street Bar...

We ran into a bike rally.

And then we finished up the evening at a bar overlooking Duval Street. 

Stayed tuned for more Key West Vacation Details.... hmmm.... I wonder what happens tomorrow? ;)