This is Not My Wedding

If I am 100% honest, this is not the wedding I dreamed of.  I haven't been dreaming of my wedding since I was a little girl or anything, 4 brother and no sisters will take away many girly things, but I did start to envision something when C & I got engaged or first started talking.

We picked Chicago location because it was the most convenient for our families and friends.  We knew that people would be traveling so it made sense to just split the difference.  I knew we'd have to make a planning trip at some point to start viewing potential venues and I knew that we would need to have the ceremony and reception in the same location.  

So I started looking online and instantly fell in love with Fulton's on the River.  It was everything I never knew I wanted.  It had a wonderful reception room with tall windows and all kinds of brick and wood.  It was right on the river with a bridge in the background and I could just see our pictures.  It was amazing.

It was also amazingly out of budget.  Not even just a little.  We learned that if we truly wanted to get married in Chicago, we couldn't actually get married in Chicago.  Moving outside the city took about $10K minimum off our bill.

We toured many places during our trip there but not Fulton's.  We saw hotel banquet rooms and golf courses and this amazing little country house.  You can tell where I fell in love.  

But, he is a guy and I am an engineer and that makes us both rather logical and we knew that we couldn't handle Danada with it's separate caterers and florists and SO MANY CONTRACTS to handle.  We decided that it was too much.

Pheasant Run was not my first choice, and amazingly enough, nor was it C's.  But when we sat and talked about things we needed and what made the most sense, there it was.  It doesn't have any exposed brick or even windows in the ballroom.  It doesn't have that sweet country vibe I loved.  But it does have 3 pools and 3 restaurants and everything our guests might need.  And they are treating us very well and have been super accommodating.

So while this wasn't the wedding I dreamed of or imagined, it will be the wedding I love.