The reason why we decided to go see a premarital wedding counselor was because Eva’s parents are divorced, and we have friends and colleagues that are divorced. We wanted to make sure we were secure in how we would handle the big issues that would put a strain on our marriage, like job loss or a death in the family or the stress of kids. In speaking with Julie, Eva and I were able to come up with a plan for dealing with important issues. Julie was really great at helping us develop our communication skills. I think this experience really bonded Eva and I closer together, because it was a chance for us to talk through all of our life goals and fears, and really see how much we would rely on each other in the years to come. It was really worth our time and money.

We decided to make the rehearsal dinner fun because we figured people would be stressed out with the wedding details. I think taking everyone to the racetracks might be a strange way to start a wedding, but really, it’s fun and none of us are serious gamblers. Because the season comes to an end on Labor Day weekend, we went the week before, on a Thursday, also known as Buck Thursday because general admission and scorecards are only a dollar. To make the evening more special, we had reserved the President’s Suite for our friends and family. This was the only room that could accommodate the size of our group, about forty, for a reasonable price. It was a nice room, closed off from the racetrack, which was nice because we were able to give our speeches and we had everyone’s attention. We went with the plated meal instead of buffet, just because we thought it would made less waster, and we also found that it was less expensive when you compare it to the costs of buffets and appetizers. Eva and I had this idea almost a year before, so we booked it way in advance. I think everyone was in a good mood, it was great weather, and after the meal we were all able to mingle and hang out.

Reception Site: This is a beautiful restaurant, and what I like best about the place is that is has so much charm and atmosphere that we didn’t need to bring in our own decorations. The place had an ambiance that was romantic, trendy and young, and perfect for a wedding party like the one Eva and I had in mind. We had an option of about five menus to choose from, which included some really delicious savory appetizers. The flatbread is great, I personally love the pizza there even though we didn’t serve it to our guests. They have a really great wine selection, and I think the whole night was a success because the staff and owner are amazing people, and really went up and beyond what is expected of them. Great place, and it was fun going back, too!

I knew that pictures were going to be a big part of remembering our wedding day, which was why we went ahead and looked for a professional photographer. We had read that Bella Pictures was a good source of photographers, and from working with them I guess this is a national company that out sources its contacts to local photographers. We got to see the portfolios of the photographers who were available for our wedding online, and then we got to meet with her once before the wedding. I would have been nervous because this was all being organized online, but our photographer Vanessa was professional. She showed up on time, was professional and nice, and took amazing photos. We were a really good-looking and happy couple!

I decided that I wanted to wear a tuxedo right after we had booked the Downtowner as our wedding reception site. The restaurant was classy, and I wanted to make sure that I looked like the guy who had just gotten married. I also think there are not many opportunities to wear a tux. I need to take advantage of the opportunity when I can. I thought I would have to buy a tux, but I tried on one of the rental tuxedos and it fit me really well. The rental tux was also much nicer than the one I would have been able to afford. It looked brand new, it fit really well, and it didn’t look at all like I was wearing someone else’s suit. The staff was really great about helping me to decide what would fit my needs best, and also took the time to make sure that everything fit really well. I was super happy with the whole process.

When we started looking online and in stores for cards, we found out the vistaprints.com made postcards for free, if we paid the shipping and handling. We thought about using the postcards for the response cards. Once we started going through the vistaprint webpage, and saw how much of savings were to be had using their services, we went ahead and ordered our cards, the RSVP cards, table numbers, and envelopes. We were also able to have the envelopes prestamped, which probably saved us time and money. Eva chose the template, though we could have uploaded a picture and had something really original for our wedding cards. They were nice, they arrived on time, and I know it was better than making them ourselves.

Save-The-Dates: this online company let us have a one month free website, which was nice because we got to let everyone know that we were getting married, and the date. It was great because having a website saved on stamps.

We weren’t giving out presents to all the guests, rather we let them know that at each table they sat at, a donation was being made to a charitable cause, such as habitat preservation or feeding a US family for five weeks. A small card at the center of the table let the guests know what it was that their table represented. For those in the wedding party, we had bought them each a glass crane from the rainforest site. Eva and I had traveled to Japan before, and loved the peace symbol of the paper crane. We thought that these glass cranes would be a great reminder to our family of the happiness and peace we have in our lives together.

I have two pieces of advice for renting a park site for the ceremony site. First, they get booked up fast. We knew this, and we made sure that we were there on the first day they were opened in January to get a park site. We knew about all the parks and had made a list of our favorite sites just in case our first or second choice was no longer available. We were also prepared to change the time of our wedding if we could only get a noon or late afternoon spot. Second, it really helps if you’re a resident of St-Paul, because otherwise you have to wait an extra month before you can book a place. Maybe you can get a friend who lives in St-Paul to book it for you. It’s really inexpensive to get a park site for a few hours, and we choose Irvine park because there is a gazebo there just in case it rains. It’s beautiful, the parks are really well taken care of, and it was exactly where Eva and I wanted to say our vows to each other.

I had a bit of a financial advantage walking into Target, mainly because I work for the company and get 10% off all my purchases. For this reason, I had spoken with Eva’s mom and told her that I wanted to help to decorate and cater for Eva’s wedding shower. I had in mind an Asian Theme, mainly because I confused wedding shower with baby shower, and thought that Eva was suppose to be sitting on the proverbial lily pad throughout the party. Regardless, we got these really great pink Chinese paper lanterns to hang from the ceiling, along with streamer and a sign that read “Bride to be”. We also picked up a great set of pink paper plates and wedding shower napkins. It was girly, but not tacky. The room looked great. I also got lots of Chinese appetizers, like spring rolls and sweet and sour chicken, along with lots of fresh fruits and a cheese platter. Eva’s mom and best friend picked out the bridal shower games and frilly invitation cards. We spent about $300 on the party, and I know that Eva loved it.

I had been engaged to Eva for about a year before we started planning for the actual event. Once we picked the date and location in the middle of January 2008, I bought tickets to a Swarm game and invited my close friends. We all played lacrosse in college, so it’s always fun for us to watch a game together. I had let them know that Eva and I had set a date before the game started, and said that I hoped that they could make it. Once Minnesota scored their first goal, I turned to my best friend and yelled at him “BE MY BEST MAN!”. It was pretty hilarious, because Jordan turned to me and we hugged, and I’m sure it confused the heck out of everyone there. Everyone was super happy for Jordan at that point, and we all got drunk on the $5 beers and it was just like old times. We stayed up till six in the morning and it turned out to be a great unexpected night. After that, I couldn’t see how any night out with my friends would top that.