caterers etc.

I send out so many inquiry emails I'm forgetting who I'm requesting information from.. At some point I need to go through my sent mail and find out, and then keep track in one of my beloved google doc spreadsheets..

Anyway! I got a few responses from inquiries over the weekend, a couple of them are promising.

Caterer: The Purple Onion Catering Company. I got a really detailed response with a wide range of catering prices, and since I asked her specifically about catering at Cabells Mill, she gave me the full quote on all the supplies I would need to have an event there (chairs, linens, china, etc etc), which was nice. Most companies I've contacted send me some meal quote with an asterisk saying "does not include beverage, labor, tax or gratuity." This lady sent me quotes including all those things, and one buffet-style full dinner with staff, linens, china ETC (all but the alcohol, which we could provide and use their bartender), was $5,500 something (and that was for 80, would be slightly less for the 75 we're shooting for). That is really reasonable, and the sample menu looked pretty good, though I would want to change out some of the options. Anyway I think Cabells Mill is pretty much out unless we get desperate, but this company operates in Arlington, DC and Alexandria too so they are on my list.

This weekend I went through all the wedding magazines I've collected the past couple weeks and ripped out bunches of pages of dresses I liked, catering company ads, honeymoon ideas, etc etc etc. I found an ad for a catering company that advertized itself as environmentally friendly so I will be contacting them for more info. We're Considering doing a totally vegetarian reception.. Well haha I asked Zach if he would be ok with that and he said, "Umm sure?" I'm going to get some quotes and see if we can get some yummy vegetarian options. I saw an article about food suggestions and they had a picture and description of some seriously delicious looking vegetarian risotto, which gave me the idea.. Should be less expensive AND more environmentally friendly so I like the idea. And the vegetarian Sara(h)s will approve. ;)

I also got a quote back from a possible officiant - A.C. Warden, of Capital Ceremonies. She seems like a cool person, she personalizes every ceremony and her quote was a range of $500 - $800, I guess depending on a lot of factors. I'll probably contact her again for a new quote when we have our venues booked and we've thought a little about what kind of ceremony we want. I would love to find someone cheaper! I think we might be able to pay someone at the courthouse $50 to come out on a Saturday and perform the ceremony, depending on our budget we may just do that. But it would be nice to have a full-service celebrant.

We met with Meg on Saturday about being our photographer - we're excited! We're going to contact her again in late March/early April for an engagement photo session, which should be fun. We're trying to think of locations we'd like to have the photos taken, so far our ideas include:

Lincoln Memorial/Jefferson Memorial/Tidal Basin (cherry blossoms!)
Metro (train and bus)
Singing Karaoke (maybe at Freddie's Beach Bar?? hahah! or Sobe, would be a lot quieter)
eating at Bob & Edith's diner
Teddy Roosevelt Island (where he proposed)

Anybody has any suggestions, let me know.

Oh and Zach loved the pinata idea! woop woop!