Indiana Weddings

Mon Lac Ciel - The Final Word

2009-08-11T20:56:00.000-07:00

As any of you who have read my blog before knows, I was due to have a wedding on June 20th at Mon Lac Ciel in LaPorte, IN. We had the wedding, and it was the most perfect day, but it was not at Mon Lac Ciel. So before I tell you the story of the wedding I did have, I will tell you why we decided to pull the plug on MLC at the last minute. It took me a while to form my thoughts and gain a little psychic distance on the events that took place in the weeks before my wedding because...well the whole thing was completely stressful, chaotic and just really unpleasent - which are not emotions you want two weeks before you marry the man of your dreams.

When I last left you it was five weeks before the wedding and we found out Mon Lac Ciel was in foreclosure. We had so much invested in the place, not just our plans but our vision, that we were just crossing our fingers that they would pay the bank. My parent's started constant communication with the owners, checking in to see if progress with the tent and bathrooms - which they kept pushing the completion dates back on - was moving along. Every time we spoke with them there was nothing but confidence that they would not be in foreclosure and the property would be in tip-top shape, 300 person tent, bathrooms and all for my wedding.

The problem was their promises were empty. Two weeks before the wedding, there was a tent, but no floor, no bar, nothing even securing it to the ground. One stumble into a pole and wedding distaster! And still, the only bathrooms in sight where two scuzzy port-o-lets they kept saying the were replacing with more civilized bathroom trailers. And we STILL didn't know if they were going to pull themselves out of foreclosure. They said they were, but they hadn't kept any of their promises up until then. When we called them and their voicemail said it was full and the cell phone number we had said the client was not taking messages I just decided I couldn't take the suspense any more. Do I or don't I have a place for my guests to arrive was not a question I wanted to ask myself two weeks out.

We were lucky and found an alternate venue, plus a crew of my amazing family and friends helped us for days before the wedding with the set up. We had to call all 280 people and make sure they had the new information and everyone had to change their hotel reservations. It all worked out, but the hardest part for my mother and I was letting go of our "Prarie Chic" vision. For 11 months we molded the wedding to fit this particular place and it was very hard to make it fit in a new venue (although it worked and was beautiful).

MLC really is a special place and it's sad that it has been so mismanaged. I think the owners have good intentions, but have extremely poor business skills. They don't know how to manage client expectations, are constantly giving "poor-me" personal excuses when things go wrong and are, clearly, bad with the finance aspect of their business. I can not recommend anyone have any event here.

I want to thank Darci at With This Ring for her help and suggestions when I was scrambling to find a new venue and my awesome readers who left wonderful links and ideas. If anyone has any comments you want a reply to make sure to leave your email or email me at sara@porcelainmanifesta.com. I'm happy to answer any questions.

I want to leave you with a few comments left on my original post about MLC from people who have had expiriences with Mon Lac Ciel.

From Kathy on June 9th, 2009

"What a gorgeous place for a wedding, but wait...May 30 2009 my daughter was married at this location. The owner purchased the property in 2008 and had a whole year to get things ready. My daughter paid $1350 to use the facility (tables, chairs, linens and dishes) and I paid $1600 for the family and bridal party to stay at the mansion 2 nights. Sound like a good deal? Maybe, but when we arrived, what a surprise. The water smelled like sulfer, no trash baskets in the bathroom, no hand towels, no towel racks in many of the 7.5 bathrooms, and some of them did not even have a mirror over the sink. No toilet paper. Sheets were new, but had not been washed, so they were scratchy--not a problem if the dryer had worked, but it did not. The ice machine stunk and was filthy. Electrical outlets were missing covers, and there were other holes in the walls with exposed wiring. Alarm system was not working and was beeping every 6 seconds all night long (my husband disconnected it after the first night).

One month before the wedding we were notified that the owner did not have insurance to cover alcohol, but offered wine glasses and boasted of a bar (which did not exit yet). We had to scramble to get wedding insurance to cover the serving of alcohol.

Yes, the owner had a lot of excuses for why things were not as promised, or even as stated in the contract. However, a contract is a contract, and Ms. Bell left a great deal to be desired. Obviously, we won't be doing business with them again!"

From Anonymous on July 11, 2009

"I'm parent of the couple to be married. Our families toured the property for 2 hours with the owner for a 2010 wedding. The property, while it has potential, seemed in disrepair, but the owner told us that the cement floor for the tent was going in 2 days from our visit, the mansion would be updated and cleaned and the lawn would be mowed for our event. The place looked like it had not been occupied for years. The owner looked 5 people in the eyes, promised the fairytale wedding, and told us several times that for $3500 we could have the entire property, including the mansion, and tent for the wedding for 4 days. Also offered a horse drawn carriage (additional). When the contract arrived the price went up 300% with vague language including the fact that the owner could cancel within 7 days of the event. She also neglected to tell us that the property was under threat (an actual date had been set 2 weeds from our visit) for foreclosure. While the owners managed to save the property from foreclosre this time... If it sounds too good to be true, it is too good to be true. Don't chance your wedding day. Beware!"

Mon Lac Ciel - The OH NO Edition

2009-05-13T16:47:00.000-07:00

The bad economy has struck my wedding! Since people have been commenting on my original post about Mon Lac Ciel and the foreclosure, I decided to address it. Yes, I said foreclosure. My wedding is in 5 weeks and we found out yesterday. (Thanks to the kind reader with inside info who emailed me.)

Note to wedding guests and family - DO NOT CHANGE YOUR PLANS. We are still progressing as normal for now and you'll hear from us if even one thing should change. There will be a wedding on June 20th...somewhere.

We have spoken with the owners and they are fairly convinced that they will be able to pay the bank in time. Our invitations are sent, many of the replies are in, all of the events around the wedding are planned, people have flights and hotels. We are crossing our fingers that the owners come through and everything goes as planned. I mean, with 5 weeks left, there is little else we can do without compromising our vision and totally changing the wedding of my dreams. I refuse to settle. So I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

If, however, I should be made to settle, we are working on a plan B. I hate plan Bs. I would rather have it in someones back yard than a hokey banquet hall or hotel...so that may be an option.

Does anyone have any experience with this type of thing? Has this happened to anyone? How did you get through it? Or if anyone knows of some land in Northwest IN that we can throw a tent up on... Any advice or suggestions are EXTREMELY welcomed.

Eco Round-Up

2009-03-29T12:41:00.001-07:00

I am constantly trying to make my wedding as green as possible. Here are some green items that I have come across in the last few weeks...

100% receycled card awesomeness from Made By Girl. Via - Earth Friendly Weddings, of course.

Earth friendly and conflict free engagement rings and wedding bands, not to mention gorgeous jewelry of all kinds - Brilliant Earth

Gorgeous eco-wedding dresses from Poetic Justice. I love how this dress looks both vintage and natural at the same time. VIA.

A variety of green invitations and paper products at Twisted Limb Paperworks, via Offbeat Bride.

Shower Invitations

2009-03-22T13:30:00.001-07:00

We hit our 3 month mark on Friday and it appears that this is the time for pre-wedding event invitations to start arriving! On Friday I got my invitation to my bridal shower and I was floored by the amazing-ness of these hand made invites.

My aunts, Mary & Peggy, know that I am working on making my wedding (and my life) as green as possible, so they stayed with that theme and it begins with these invitations. They made them out of folded paper lunch bags and they are more than just invitations...

If you can't read the text in the left corner it says: "Sara and Hillary live too far away; please send your gifts to their home in LA. Please bring back this brown paper sack filled with a little something you feel the bride shouldn't lack." (How cute is the rhyming?)

So they request that all of the shower gifts be sent directly to Hill and I, but then to bring a small little trinket to the shower in the paper bag. I think the idea is some useful thing the giver loves themselves and feels like they couldn't get along with in their every day lives. So the paper bag invite gets up-cycled into wrapping paper.

I think these are so fantastic and can't thank them enough for taking the time to DIY these invites. (Thanks to my mom and Riley too, since I know they had a hand in the creation of these). More on the green shower next month. I can't wait!!

The Invitations!

2009-03-14T14:38:00.000-07:00

We are days away from being at the 3 month mark. So I have a little under a month to get all 175 invitation envelops addressed and get these beautiful babies in the mail. They arrived on Thursday and I have not stopped looking at them since. I took one to work and set it next to my computer to brighten up my cubicle. They are just so lovely!

And for that Hillary and I have to thank our wonderful friends Matt and Lindsey. Matt designed and printed 200 of these for us and while I don't know the extent of her role, I'm sure his amazing wife (and my bestie) Linz, had a helping hand in getting these to us. They are both talented artists and wonderful friends.

When I first discussed what I wanted with Matt my goals were for them to create as little waste as possible (no second envelope and the reply card is a post card to eliminate an envelope needed there) and for them to be casual and represent us and the day. The only 2 pieces not pictured are the envelope and directions card, so I think we achieved our goal there. Matt's design fits perfectly in with our "prairie chic" theme. I am just thrilled with them!

P.S. - Sorry for my lack of blogging lately - here is my excuse.

Maids and 100 Days

2009-03-12T18:26:00.000-07:00

I am so excited to say that all of my bridesmaids have their dresses and all before the April 1 deadline. I had them all pick something they loved, that fit their style and body type in any shade of green they wanted. My only request was to have it about knee length. So without further ado...

The MOH, Erin, will be in this sassy little number, from J. Crew. I am in love with the color!

My sweet and adorable cousin, Riley, got this Express dress this weekend while shopping with my aunts and mom. The pink shoes take the cake! (That is actaully her pictured, the only Maid who sent a pic of themsevles in the dress, which was my mother's doing, I'm sure.)

My friend, Lindsey, got this dress from an Etsy seller! Out of the 6 girls we have 2 prints, which is the perfect number. Linz is going to look amazing in this dress!

Leigh found this fantastic dress at Nordstrom. I heart the side bow.

I'm not actually sure where Julie got this adorable little frock, but I can't wait to see her in it!

And last, but certinaly not least, Jana found this cute halter at Target. Great find!

All of the ladies did a fantastic job and I am so excited to see them all in a group. Today marks the 100 day countdown and guess what we got in the mail? Our invitiations! More on those to come. You will die at how amazing they are.

Mavris Cultural Center - Indianapolis

2009-02-26T17:54:00.000-08:00

As I've mentioned before I try to stay away from the bigger cities, because cool places tend to be so much more accessible in them. But I couldn't resist this one, featured on Bobbi + Mike.

Initially Hillary and I wanted our wedding to be in an industrial, warehouse-ish venue, but just couldn't find the right thing in our general location area. The Mavris Cultural Center would have been perfect!

I love the exposed brick and duct work. And you can't beat those wood floors. Such a cool place!

All photos were taken by the marvelous Bobbi + Mike. Go to their blog to see more of this amazing wedding and that gorgeous bride...seriously, stunning!

Contact the Mavris Cultural Center via their website or email them here - maec@mavris.net

Phantastic Photos

2009-02-21T10:47:00.000-08:00

{Via}

My dear readers, I have been remiss in blogging lately, but it's all for a good reason, which I will explain soon.

For now, I have a round up of advice for taking great photos. Everyone could use some reminders for getting the most out of all that money you are paying for a wedding photographer.

Above is some great instruction on posture from Dr. Natalie Cordova. My dress is strapless, keep your shoulders back is going to have to be my mantra for the day.

Check out the Unbride's site for some great tips on posing.

And Photojojo has 10 things to remember to look decent in any photograph.

Does anyone else have any tips or tricks to add? I'd love to know!

Wedding Nightmares

2009-02-06T19:16:00.000-08:00

{All images from Container Store}

I feel great. I'm not stressed about the wedding, the finalization of my thesis, the fact that the economy is in the toilet and my company is on the lay-off band wagon. It will all work out just fine. I know this. Or do I?

I have been hyper scheduling myself (Target - 10:30 a.m. to 11:15; facial from noon to 1:30; meet Hillary for lunch at 2:00 - 3:30 etc...). When I'm not paying attention I find I am suddenly scrolling the online pages of my own personal therapy retailer. Some people have Barney's, or Neiman Marcus, I have The Container Store. Looking at these photos are equal to a half hour of yoga for me. From past experience I know that I ramp up the things in my life I can control (my schedule and how organized I am) when I feel certain other aspects are out of control.

And my final clue that my subconscious is worrying more than I'm realizing is that I've started having nightmares. Wedding related, which are really more funny, when I wake, than scary, but they are very upsetting mid dream. So this brings me to my first weekly installment of Wedding Nightmares - A weekly feature, coming to you every Friday, about my worry filled dreams.

Monday's Nightmare: Wedding day, we arrive and there is no tent for my 250 guests, not even a concrete slab where the permanent tent would be. The bathrooms have disappeared, like the place never had them. What? For most of the dream I just ran around screaming at people. {Logically I know, this will not happen, because my venue is great.}

Thursday's Nightmare: Hillary's new suit arrives in the mail and he intercepts it. When I ask him if it came he tells me yes, but he lent it to our friend Marshall because "he needed a suit." I freak out on him. He tells me to chill. Then the formerly lovely, and not cheap, suit comes back with wine stains all over the jacket. (Not that Marshall would ever ruin Hill's suit, if he did end up borrowing it.)

B-Ette Party Invites

2009-02-02T19:06:00.000-08:00

If you follow my blog you know that one of my best friends is getting married just weeks before us. I just received the most adorable invite, made with love by her sisters, Kadie and Tracy (Tracy says Kadie should get most of the credit) to her bachelorette party.

They were sent in a vertical, pocketed, tri-fold, inner envelope with a pink ribbon wrapped around them (which my cats promptly claimed as theirs).

Inside were three adorable stacked coordinating pieces of paper with important info on them. Julie is in Austin, but her sisters live in Milwaukee (which is close to where we grew up) so they are taking the entire weekend to celebrate Jules and have tons of girlie fun!

I love the rhyming and the lingerie shopping idea. Especially helpful for people traveling long distances who may not want to haul a gift.

The last page gives all the most important info. (It's scalloped but because of the white background you can't see that.) Kudos to Kad and Trace! Great job.

The sadness? Because of my maxed out wedding travel budget and lack of vacation days due to my own wedding and honeymoon, I can't go. WAAHHHHAHAH! I will be missing a great time, as you can see.

Men in Suits

2009-01-29T19:19:00.000-08:00

{image via The Crew}

My guy needs a suit. He doesn't have one at the moment and we have several events this spring/summer that he will need to wear one. He has a good sense of style, but doesn't like to spend much on his self. So I've been scouting Overstock.com and the like to find something nice, at a low price.

Then the new J. Crew catalog comes to the house and he's like - how about this one? And points to the suit above. I almost started jumping up and down. I can't wait to see him in it. Who's gonna have the hottest fiance and then husband of the summer? That's right, it's me.

Dinnerware Disaster

2009-01-23T15:40:00.000-08:00

Remember when I posted about the first plates we got off of our registry? Remember how exceedingly happy I was with them? It was only a few days ago that I took them out of their boxes and danced around the kitchen at the thought of 12 full place settings filling my cabinets.

Well today tragedy struck when I checked my registry for purchases (as I do often) and my dishes were gone! I thought perhaps maybe one of my amazing friends or family bought them for us, but no...they would still be listed there. So I checked the main page and they were gone from there too!

Why was I not warned so I could buy them up? I have called, I have emailed and no one at Rosanna, Inc is getting back to me. I'm quite distraught. I loved these dishes because they were from a small retailer and were so unique. I built the rest of my registries around these plates. I'm heart broken.

Does anyone know of a place were I can get unusual, fun, well made dinnerware that isn't at a major chain store??? I know, it's a tall order.

What am I going to do with the 3 place settings we have?

Happy Inauguration!

2009-01-20T16:37:00.000-08:00

{someecards}

And the page is turned...

Every Day Dishes

2009-01-19T15:31:00.000-08:00

{The dishes in their lovely boxes}

For Christmas my mom, really my parent's on my mom's action, bought Hillary and I our first dishes from our registry.

I am so in love with them! I took a chance and registered for them online without seeing them first. They are such great quality and are visually stunning.

We got two place settings (dinner plate, salad plate, bowl & mug) a set of latte mugs and a set of dessert plates. I put them back in their pretty boxes until we get the whole set so they don't get scratched or marred. But I want to use them now!

I found the amazing site Rosanna Inc. last year, before I was even engaged, on the fab site With This Ring - I know, I know reading wedding blogs before the engagement... So I fell in love with Rosanna and the designs on the page and new I would register there as soon as it was socially appropriate to do so.

PS - I love your comments and always love to hear from you. If you have questions about my venue or any other on the site, feel free to email me at sara@porcelainmanifesta . I'd love to talk to you!

Save The Dates - Fini!

2009-01-18T13:31:00.001-08:00

I showed you the front of our save the dates a while back and told you how our amazing friend, Matt, designed and printed them for us. I'm happy to say that they have now all been addressed and mailed. It's very exciting!

They are post card style, so I wrote personalized messages on each one saying how much we would love for each person to join us in June. There were more than these, but I already mailed a bunch out earlier in the week. We made the decision, because of our extensive 260 person guest list, only to send to close friends and family, not that we don't want everyone to attend, just to cut down on costs a bit. Everyone will, of course, get an invitation.

And no, I did not spill water on them and smudge the calligraphy pen. The program I used to blur the addresses did that, which I kind of like.

Hooray for Milk Glass!

2009-01-10T11:46:00.000-08:00

Thanks to a tip from one of my favorite blogs, Frolic (If you don't already read, you absolutely should), I have just acquired 20 lovely milk glass vases for centerpieces!

I emailed Catherine (see photos from her amazing wedding on Snippet and Ink, another amazing blog) and after a few emails, we learned we're both midwest girls living in LA and we're getting together for a drink soon!

It just goes to show what great things come from the blog community. I am continually impressed and amazed with the inspiration and connections made through this fantastic form of digital idea sharing.

All photos of are from Catherine's Flicker page. Thanks Catherine! I can't wait to meet you.

My DIY

2009-01-07T18:56:00.000-08:00

{Photo by Eye Know Photo}

I debated posting this photo, because I want my guests to be surprised by our Thank You cards, but I decided that, in reality, not that many of my guests read this blog so it's okay to share with you. Also, this isn't exactly how the card will look, I have several other photos that will be included in the final product and, obviously, there will be some words. Expect the results in a post sometime in July after the wedding.

So above is my first wedding DIY project and also the only one to be complete at this point. I knew I wanted our Thank Yous to be a photo taken at our engagement session so I had to come up with something to express our gratitude.

I thought about making a sign or having our photographer snap a photo of Hillary and I spelling out the letters using our bodies and various other complicated schemes. Then I remembered all of the fabric patches I had in my bedroom from when my Gram J and I started a quilt, which I hadn't worked on in a while. So I sewed the pieces into letters and attached them to a small piece of blue rope. It would have been a lot easier if I'd had a sewing machine, but c'est la vie.

Other DIY projects in the works:

Guest book centered around our engagement photos.
Boutonnieres fashioned out of clusters of buttons covered with the same fabric as the tables - so excited about this one!
I'm learning calligraphy to address my own invitations.
Probably things I haven't even come up with yet.

Stay Tuned!

This Will Be Our Year...

2009-01-03T11:37:00.000-08:00

New Years'd Out

So here we are, 2009 brides, sitting right smack in the year we will be betrothed to our most loved for the rest of our days. We will create beautiful, memorable celebrations (with varying degrees of assistance) that reflect our personalities as a couple.

This year I will turn 30, I will stand up in the wedding of my great friend who I have known since we were tots and I will marry my dream dude - in that order. Even though my brain won't let me think past the honeymoon at this point (so I'm hitting a mental wall around the end of June 09), I am so excited for the months to come!

2009 will be a fantastic year, but the best part is, I know it's only the beginning. Spending the rest of my life with Hillary will be an adventure like no other. I am a truly lucky girl.

Love It!

2008-12-30T10:26:00.001-08:00

{The nearlyweds performing at an Obama fundraiser}

As you well know, I don't typically blog about celebrities, but this is too fantastic.

On one hand you have Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie fame. Death Cab is in my top 20 favorite bands of all time. This is more like a rotating list of 20 bands that all make it to number 1 depending on what time of day it is, what the weather is like or what mood I'm in in general. I envision it as some sort of circular conveyor belt contraption, something like what the hot dogs cook on at the 7-Eleven. ANYwhoo...love Ben and Death Cab.

On the other hand there is Zooey Deschanel, who is my favorite actor and I adore her vocal stylings. And not all in an OMG I LOVE HER BECAUSE SHE'S FAMOUS way, but in an - I respect and admire her for her talent and personal style as I do many of my close girlfriends. ( I realize I don't actually know her, but I have a friend who knows her sister, so I could some day maybe...I'm not stalking her, I swear.)

And now those two hands are planning on exchanging rings! The were engaged on Dec. 20th and per her manager she "was swept off her feet." Aww. I know what that feels like.

I am super excited for them...probably more than is normal for total strangers.

Oh Christmas Tree...

2008-12-18T15:53:00.000-08:00

So I pretty much had nothing to do with putting this tree together, but isn't it pretty? My mom always does such a great job decorating the house. (She's mad at me because I took the photos before she had the skirt on it.)

The trip home has been productive so far. We met with the florist and it went really great. Ladies in the Northwest Indiana area should consider talking with Dan at Earthly Enchantments. We explained out vision and he jumped right on board, telling us what we could do and suggesting back up flowers in case I can't have my bouquet of white ranaculous. I am happy with his suggestions and guidance. Now we'll just wait for the quote :)

After Christmas we're meeting with the cater and picking out the suits for the guys. Check, check and check! We're looking at 6 months tomorrow...yikes!

Holiday Wedding Planning

2008-12-12T20:55:00.000-08:00

Headed home for the holidays. My mom and I have tons of wedding issues to take care of. We're meeting with the caterer to finalize the menu and service details. We're taking Hill and my bro suit shopping so we can see what styles we like. We're making mock-up boutonnieres (more on that later) and, maybe most importantly, we're meeting with the florist to talk bouquets!

I love dahlias, but sadly, they are a fall flower and not available around the Midwest in June...or shall I say, not with our budget.

Green With Glamour Event

2008-12-09T12:56:00.000-08:00

I'm running about 4 days behind my social calendar on blogging lately, but late is better than never. Last Thursday we went to a fun little gathering at Photographer's Gallery thrown by Green With Glamour.

{our friend Emerson and Deana}

Deana one of our hosts and co-owner of GWG is not only lovely, but has impeccable taste for all things eco-chic. There were so many deals to be had that evening, I couldn't make up my mind who on my gift list would be the beneficiary.

GWG is a great site for finding that unique off the registry wedding gift or splurging on your bridesmaids, after all they've pulled out all the stops for you.

We stuck around for a while even after our shopping was over to enjoy the organic wines and vegan cookies (it was pointed out to me that just because they're vegan doesn't make them low in calories. So maybe eating 8 was going a little over board...they were small!)

I usually shop by rewarding myself with something for every present I buy for someone else, but Hillary's trying to discourage me from that this year...with the economy and all. So I didn't leave with one of these adorable organic cotton camis/underwear sets, but I wanted to.

My Dress Is In My Apartment!

2008-12-07T15:01:00.000-08:00

Holy crap! This might be a little too much responsibility for me. I think I liked it better when Nicole Miller was storing it.

Tomorrow is my first fitting. I have the shoes and the dress, now I just have to run to the store to get some Spanx. I was instructed to be as prepared as possible. I'm bringing a little extra body fat to this first meeting that I plan on losing before the final fitting. (Fingers Crossed)

Nearly Weds - Wedsite

2008-12-05T18:48:00.000-08:00

Last week we sent out our wedding website URL to the VIP list (immediate family, wedding party, etc...) and we've received so many compliments on it. Nearlyweds.com is such a great host. They have tons of great looking templates and you can even order invitations to match.

There is a one time fee, but it's totally worth it for no advertisements and complete control over your content. And you get a great looking place your guests can go for way more information than you get put on an invite. For example, I added a dress advisory section because our shindig is all outdoors and I don't want my girls to have their new Jimmy Choo's sullied with soil.

I had some tech difficulties the other day and so I shot them an email. I was quickly responded to by a very helpful tech guy and the problem was solved tout suite. Three cheers for Nearlyweds!

Mega Cakes from Kuwait

2008-12-03T17:47:00.000-08:00

I was sent an email forward from my friend Sandra, who doesn't really forward that much, but when she does it's typically worth it. This one totally was. Check out these cakes!

They are made for royalty in Kuwait by this guy - Omar Addihaoui.

I'm not a giant fan of over the top cakes, which these...dare I say it...take the cake (harhar), but if nothing else they are feats of engineering.

There is a website where you can see more...or you can just wait for the email forward to come your way.

This one is insane - look at the people standing next to it! They are dwarfed by it's giaganticness.

All photos from Omar Addihaoui's site.

Chucking the To-do List

2008-11-26T17:45:00.000-08:00

{Lake Michigan from the Indiana Dunes}

As the sun sets and our red eye to Charlotte leaves in about 4 hours, I am giving up on 50% of the wedding tasks I was trying to finish before the holiday weekend.

Task 1 - Get group booking contract from the hotel - CHECK, signed, sealed and in the mail.

Task 2 - Make reservations for the boy, the brother and the parents at the caterer's restaurant for when we are in the Chicago area over Christmas. - NO CHECK, called the caterer 4 times over the last week and can not get him to return my calls.

Task 3 - Get the prices from the local brewery we're using as the bar tenders that I've been requesting for over a month. - NO CHECK, called the brewery 3 times over the last week and no one will return my calls.

Task 4 - Make first of 4 fitting appointments with the seamstress. - CHECK, appointment made and my first fitting is the second week of Dec. Exciting!

So what is up with people in the food and beverage industry? You really can't get much more customer service oriented, and yet, I can't seem to get anyone to return my phone calls. Has anyone else had problems like these? Any good advice as how to handle?

Everyone enjoy their Thanksgiving and forget about fitting into that wedding dress for the day.

Engagement Photos!

2008-11-22T12:15:00.000-08:00

We had our engagement photos taken a couple weeks ago here in LA. We went to a few different locales in the downtown area and had tons of fun.

What did you say? You like what you see and wish you too could have your engagement photos done by Amy at Eye Know Photo? Well, yes, she is based in Los Angeles, but she's an Indiana girl!

The rest of the good news is that she'll be spending the month of December in the Indianapolis area and has a few spots open on her calendar for engagement shoots. Contact her through the Eye Know Photo website.

I love the way these turned out. One of the things we plan on doing with them is having a bunch printed, probably 4x6's, and putting them in a larger book to use as our sign in book at the wedding.

Hottie STB Hubby pic!

Thanks so much to Amy, we had a great time and couldn't be happier with the results! Check out more at my everything blog, Porcelain Manifesta.

Save The Dates

2008-11-18T18:23:00.000-08:00

I've been sort of holding these back because I didn't want to unveil them too long before our guests received them in the mail. And really I still have over a month before I send them out, but what the hell.

Our friend Matt did the design and he's doing the invites too. He's amazing and I'm totally in love with these postcard style save the dates. They definitely follow our casually elegant, vintage romantic, prairie wedding theme (if you can even call that a theme).

I can't wait to get them in my hands! (No pressure, Matt)

Adorable Couple Tuesday

2008-11-11T11:39:00.000-08:00

I saw these cuties on Ritzy Bee last week and was totally charmed by them. Not only are they adorable, but I love the simple, elegant style of their wedding duds.

The gorgeous, dreamy photos are done by Max Wanger Photography.

That's not a Ban.do is it?! I love it.

Hillary and his guys are doing the suit vest with no jackets thing for our wedding. Very dashing!

The Ohio Building - Terre Haute

2008-11-05T12:05:00.000-08:00

I came across this cool venue in Terre Haute, IN while browsing The Knot, which I do occasionally, but I'm knot (harhar) the biggest fan. This one seems like a great find though. I love the cool brick exterior, kind of warehouse-ish.

They do have a banquet hall that can accommodate up to 300, but with the dropped ceiling and the generic carpet, I think this venue is much more suited for a more intimate group on the second floor...

...which they call Casa Urbana. It's a private residence and can seat 80 for dinner.

They also have a rooftop that can hold 50 guests and has a fireplace. Seems like the perfect rooftop ceremony/indoor reception scenario to me.

I really like the mid-century decor this place has. It's modern and slick while still feeling warm and homey. And is that a fish tank in the wall behind the bar? Fun!

You can reach The Ohio Building at info@theohiobuilding.com or call them at 812.235.1145.

Photo Accessories

2008-10-29T13:04:00.001-07:00

{Kate Headley Photography}

Note to self: make sure to bring a bike for wedding photos... preferably with a basket.

Calling All Readers!

2008-10-20T20:01:00.001-07:00

Do I have readers that aren't from Northwest Indiana? (I already know that I do, I have stats that tell me so) This post is for you. I need your help!

I have canvased NW Indiana for my own wedding, so I know the territory. But I want to broaden my horizons and learn about awesome and unique venues all over Indiana.

So if you've had or are about to have your wedding at a place in IN you love or you know of a fantastic vendor we should all be aware of, do tell! Leave a comment or email me at sara@porcelainmanifesta.com

I want to hear from you!

Studio This Is/SOTA

2008-10-15T14:41:00.000-07:00

Unbelievably, I don't think I've done an official post on my photographers. It is unbelievable because I am SO excited that Studio This Is is photographing our wedding. Then I saw these photos from The Unbride's apres wedding shoot and I knew the time to feature them has come.

So these photos weren't taken by Studio This Is, exactly, but their partner/sister company, SOTA, who I believe is located in VA. These beautiful photos are much along the same lines of fantastic-ness that are plastered all over their website.

I am so in love with these photos! I'm sure it also helps that their subjects are just as fantastic as their talent.

Lubeznik Center for the Arts - Michigan City

2008-10-13T11:24:00.000-07:00

{bobbi+mike}

I am so excited to share these photos from Mandy and Katie's wedding in Michigan City, IN. They were married in July at the Lubeznik Center for the Arts. The venue is classy, modern and perfect for these wonderful brides. Mandy was kind enough to answer some questions about their day.

Gorgeous! {bobbi+mike}

IW: Why did you choose your venue?

M: I knew I wanted the ceremony in my hometown and not in a church. I'd read somewhere about a cool wedding in an art gallery, so I searched online for one in the area. I had forgotten The Lubeznik Center for the Arts existed! After touring their new, eco-friendly building, we decided it was just what we wanted.

I'm in love with this photo {bobbi+mike}

IW: Did the venue have a caterer or did you choose your own?

M: They had a preferred caterer (Great Lakes Catering), and we loved them. They were super professional, not afraid of doing something a little different (fettuccinni alfredo!), and they knew how to work the space.

{bobbi+mike}

IW: What was your favorite part of the wedding?

M: My favorite moment was when Katie's Best Woman looked around in amazement and asked, 'How did you do this?' I told her I had planned for a long time, but really, we just asked people to come and they came! I suddenly felt very lucky for being born into my family, and for all the friends we had. I was overwhelmed with everything in that moment.

{bobbi+mike}

IW: What would you do differently in the planning process?

M: I would either have hired a planner, or taken the whole thing down a notch. Somewhere along the way, it turned into a 'real wedding', which apparently meant a white dress and programs. I was very stressed about everything coming together, and it definitely affected my mood day-of. I was still nervous two weeks later! If I could go back, I would tell myself that all the little things weren't all that important.

{bobbi+mike}

I'm a big fan of Bobbi + Mike's photography. I'm also pretty sure if I wasn't in LA I would hunt them down and make them be my friends, they seem so super fun! Check out their website and the blog.

Thanks to Mandy and Katie for giving us a peek inside your day. It was gorgeous! You both did a fantastic job.

You can see more amazing photos of Mandy and Katie on bobbi+mike's blog. Here.

Reach the Lubeznik Center at artinfo@lubeznikcenter.org or call them at 219.874.4900

I Will! Nom Nom Nom

2008-10-02T15:20:00.000-07:00

I am not only a June bride, I am a June bridesmaid! My longest friend, Julie, is getting married to Hoss a few weeks before Hillary and I are getting married. (Our birthday is within days of each other AND we're getting married in the same month to guys who's names start with H...cosmic!) I am honored to be standing up in her wedding.

To my surprise, I got a package today. Unexpected packages are in my top ten favorite things. And inside was this too cute for words cookie asking me to be in Julie's wedding!

I love that it rhymes. It looks yummy, but I don't think I can bring myself to eat it...although saving it for posterity might attract ants.

You can find cute stuff for your Maids here. I'd love to know the creative ways you asked your girls to join the party. Do tell!

Seriously? They're Fake?

2008-10-01T14:45:00.000-07:00

I've seen these posted around the wedding blogosphere a few times this week, but didn't want to take a chance that any of you Indiana Brides might miss them. They are truly amazing.

By DK Designs, clay flowers. That's right, clay, unwiltable, nonfading, undying clay.

They are as gorgeous as fresh flowers and somehow make me want to eat them...just a little.

Check out the Etsy shop!

Culbertson West Mansion - New Albany, IN

2008-09-25T11:35:00.000-07:00

{Winters Photography}

I have a special treat for you Southern Indiana brides and grooms. This September marks the second anniversary of my wonderful friends Lindsey and Matt Dobson (aka Team Dobson). They were married at the Culbertson West Mansion in New Albany, IN.

{Winters Photography}

I asked Linz to answer some questions about the venue and her day to share with all of you. She got these fantastic pictures and answers to me in between working on her Masters and while battling a weeks long power outage down in Louisville. She is truly a wonder woman.

{Winters Photography}

IW: Why did you choose your venue?

Linz: Originally we were aiming for an outdoor wedding, but we couldn’t find anything in Louisville that was affordable or that spoke to our personalities as a couple. Since Matt is from New Albany, I searched southern Indiana for venues. Looking at The Sunny Side of Louisville’s website, I stumbled upon the Culbertson West website and liked what I saw in the photos. Initially I was opposed to it because the ceremony would have to be indoors, but when I took a tour with Carl and Steve (the owners) I absolutely fell in love with the house.

IW: Did the venue have a caterer or did you choose your own?

Linz: They have an onsite catering service that we used, and they were excellent. We sampled a few different options, and they worked with us on a mostly vegetarian menu (we didn’t want to single-out the meat-eaters). Everyone I spoke to afterward loved the food!

The beautiful couple {Winters Photography }

IW: What was your favorite part of the wedding?

Linz: My absolute favorite part of the wedding was stepping back with Matt at one point and scanning the room. The fact that all of these people, most of whom had traveled far to be there, were simply there for us was absolutely amazing. Words cannot describe the pure, unadulterated love that we felt from our friends and family. I’m still a bumbling idiot when it comes to describing that feeling!

They are amazing {Winters Photography}

IW: Is there anything you would do differently in your planning process?

Linz: Although I normally consider myself to be a very organized person, I got a bit carried away with all the details. I created personalized “wedding weekend itineraries” for the wedding party and our immediate families. Everyone seemed to follow along with them except for Matt...I had forgotten to make one for him! He called me in a panic the afternoon of the rehearsal dinner asking, “When am I supposed to be at these different places? Why does everyone else know what’s going on?”! Yeah, so it’s kind-of important to include the groom in his big day, too.

Breath taking {Winters Photography}

Thanks to Linz for being amazing and to Winters Photography for taking fantastic photos.

Contact Culbertson West Mansion at 812.941.8100 or email them at thirdcentury@iglou.com

P.S. Besides this day being special because two of my very best friends were married, it was also the day that I met Hillary. We walked down the aisle together! We plan on repeating that next June!

Barker Mansion - Michigan City

2008-09-17T12:38:00.001-07:00

Photo from flickr

I'm leading with a shot of the lovely gardens at the Barker Mansion, because I couldn't find any good photos online of the actual building. All I could find was the tiny little one on the site (below).

So besides the bad marketing team, wouldn't this be an awesome place for a fall wedding? It's very gothic and would be a great venue for an elegant or vintage wedding. You can do the ceremony onsite or at one of the fabulous gardens in the area.

Contact them at 219.873.1520 or c_zubler@comcast.net

Ring Ring!

2008-09-10T20:11:00.000-07:00

The Three Graces

Hillary and I considered a lot of things when we were thinking of our engagement ring and very little of it was asthetic. We knew we did not want to give any of our money to DeBeers and we have both social and envioronmental issues with the way diamonds are collected. We also knew we didn't want the symbol of the beginning of our life together to put us into debt.

We considered opals and other stones as alternatives to diamonds. Then Hillary's parents offered us his granmother's ring. It was the perfect solution. I have always loved thing with a history and family history, so much the better. Besides being stunning it has a deeper meaning to us. And we didn't have to purchase any new diamonds.

The Three Graces site is amazing. There are more than just engagement rings, they have jewelry from many time periods and it's all stunning. I want everything. Very reasonable prices too.

Displaying Self Control

2008-09-09T12:46:00.000-07:00

We had our annual family reunion this weekend and I tried to keep my promise to myself that I wasn't going to be THAT girl. The one who talks exclusively about her wedding. I knew people would want some details and there would be a few conversations about it. But I wasn't going to be the one to bring it up.

I have plenty of other things going on in my life, none quite so exciting or prevalent in my mind as the wedding, but things that would make excellent conversation fodder none-the-less. My job is good for a twenty minute convo, I am finishing my thesis, my midwest family is always interested in any start sightings here in Los Angeles.

I think I did rather well, if I do say so. There was a few little conversations, my aunts brought up throwing me a shower (yay! so excited!) and Sunday we had to explain our early departure to meet with a caterer, but all in all I think I pulled off being a well rounded person.

This one reminded me of Hillary. He is adamantly against a stag party. We'll see if his dudes let him get away with that. someecards are hilarious.

A Little Wednesday Inspiration

2008-08-27T15:04:00.000-07:00

Here's a little inspiration board I did for our wedding. The fabric swatches are Amy Butler, but I snatched the pictures over such a long period of time that I don't have the sources anymore.

Nicole Miller for President!

2008-08-22T12:20:00.000-07:00

The dress is in! (but not pictured here, I want to keep some mystery to this thing) I have to say that I had the best experience at Nicole Miller. Some of my best girls got their wedding dresses there, so I knew when it was my time I was going to at least check out the website. I found a ton of things I loved, one especially.

I wasn't really interested in spending three hours trying on a billion dresses in a giant bridal store. My appointment at Nicole Miller was private, I was the only one trying on dresses. They have a varied selection that has something for everyone, but doesn't overwhelm.

They offered us champagne (we opted for water, however, since it was 10 a.m. and we had to drive to Long Beach after...ok, probably more B than A) and took time to answer all my questions.

Annie in the Los Angeles store is Fabulous beyond words. The dress came in quickly and they recommended local places for alterations. And the prices are fantastic compared to how outrageous these things can be.

A+++ for Nicole Miller, I couldn't be happier.

Scottish Rite Cathedral - Indianapolis

2008-08-15T15:50:00.000-07:00

I'm trying to stay clear of the cities for this blog, just because those are already so...done. But the lovelies over at Wedding Chicks featured Scottish Rite Cathedral and what a beautiful location it is. Very grand.

AND it can seat 800, should you know that many people.

History of the B'Maids

2008-08-13T10:07:00.000-07:00

I don't really agree with the first part, how every little girl dreams of being a bride, because they don't. But the history of the maids is cool and the animation is adorable!

Mon Lac Ciel - LaPorte IN

2008-08-11T15:42:00.000-07:00

The papers are signed and the decor ideas are flowing like rapids. I believe it is time to introduce you to my venue! Or rather, our venue, as this is not just my wedding. In fact it seems to be many people's wedding...but I digress.

Cocktail hour patio in the back of the house

I am thrilled to be having our wedding at Mon Lac Ciel in Northern, West of center, Indiana. It's right on the border of Michigan City and LaPorte. The lake is close, Michigan City has plenty to keep the out-of-town guests occupied, but still I get a bucolic country side feel for our wedding.

The side of the stables, which is where I'm thinking of having the after-party

The lovely Tudor style manor is as charming as it gets for our back drop. The grounds have a stables, a chicken coop and a pond which are all perfect for photos and there is a ton of room for our 200+ person tent. The bonus for us is that the house has 8 bedrooms and you can rent the place for the entire weekend! So while, of course, the food, free flowing booze and DJ'd music will eventually stop, the party can continue. I have visions of guitar circles and iPod driven dance parties until dawn.

I feel like I've gotten in on the ground floor of something that will be growing exponentially here in the next few years. You should too!

Visit them at Mon Lac Ciel or call 219.362.1460 to see for yourself!

Head Gear

2008-08-05T11:03:00.000-07:00

I have such a girl crush on Jen Gotch. She is the oh-so creative lady behind my fav Polaroid Blog (and many other things) and now has opened an online store with these fabulous headbands and hair combs.

I adore the flower above. Check it out - Ban.do

Beyond Amazing Dresses

2008-08-04T13:53:00.000-07:00

Two words: Joan Shum. I am lucky enough to live about an hour from Long Beach, CA where the talented designer has a studio. My mom and I visited her this weekend and I got to try on a few of her amazing creations.

I am fairly comfortable with my body, but admittedly have no discernible curve to my waist. Joan trussed me up in one of her handmade corsets and voila, I had a waist! It was fantastic. I tried on the dress above. I love the net shirt under the corset and she uses vintage broaches, which she collects and keeps in a charming red jewelry box.

I really wanted to try on this skirt with the incredible rose bustle, but this lovely model is much much smaller than me and it wouldn't quite fit. Indiana brides, I know, I know, but she has an Etsy shop. She makes it to your exact specifications and measurements. You may have to fly to Long Beach for a fitting, but aren't these creations worth it??

Peacocks Anyone?

2008-07-29T10:27:00.000-07:00

Chitown Bride

Meyer's Castle in Northwest Indiana is a fantastic wedding venue. My MOH had her wedding there a few years back and it was lovely. The great old stone building is a fantastic back drop for photos and the permanent tented area works perfectly for larger parties.

And there are Peacocks! Look how gorgeous Chitown Bride's photos are with that stunning white peacock hanging around. I do not have peacocks at my venue, but I'm thinking about seeing if they are interested in purchasing a few...as an investment. Check out her blog for a full review of the venue.

Chitown Bride and I have a lot in common, not only our love for peacocks, but she used the same photographer I'm using, who I will blog soon. The examples on her site look very promising (not that I wasn't sold from their amazing website).

Check out Meyer's Castle here or call them at 219.865.8452

What's a Toast Without Jam?

2008-07-22T20:29:00.000-07:00

I don't know about you, but music is in the top 3 most important deatils of my wedding. 1 is obviously the groom, no contest. Location is 2 and tied for 3rd is music & photographer. On second thought, they might even beat out location in my book. Great music can electrify a drab room, bring elegance to a barn yard or romance to a warehouse.

Having lived in Chicago for more than half of my adult life I had tons of venue ideas for this wedding. But as I've mentioned, those were all happily (after a minute) thrown out the window for a more econimical location in Northwest Indiana. There was one thing I was not going to sacrifice and that was my choice of DJ.

Luckily I didn't have to. Toast and Jam DJ's are run out of Chicago, yes. However, they will travel for you! It's at a little extra cost, but they are worth it. I don't know how far they will actually go...you Indy brides or Southern Indiana gals may have to find your equivalent (and tell me about them!)

But Northwest Indiana brides - you have access to a group of amazing women DJ's who do far more than just weddings (There is one guy, who I'm sure also rocks.) They all have kick ass credentials and DJ all around the city.

Check out their Sample Song List - Their "Stale" list just about read my mind and I was so impressed with the "Sweet."

Taltree Arboretum - Valparaiso, IN

2008-07-07T14:13:00.000-07:00

Thanks to my parents scouting efforts we found some really great ceremony locations. We decided to go with a place that we could have both the ceremony and reception at, but I was really on the fence. Having a little time (more than just cocktails) for photos in between the ceremony and reception would have left us an option to go to a third location, but I'm happy with our choice.

An outdoor ceremony space I really loved was Taltree Arboretum. It's very well kept and has a lovely pavilion for cover, should you need it.

There are several areas and gardens to choose from, depending on your needs and wants.

You can contact them at 219.462.0025.

Marquette Pavilion - Gary, IN

2008-07-03T13:56:00.001-07:00

{Photo Credit: Gregory H. Jenkins}

No, seriously, Gary. It's Miller Beach, Gary's hidden lake side gem. There are very fancy houses, very lovely beaches and this great piece of architecture just waiting for someone to throw a party in it. Look at that patio...can someone say cocktail hour? Also it's right on the beach, ceremony on the beach, cocktails on the patio, dinner in the pavilion...presto!

For more information call Marquette Pavilion at 219.938.7362 Or Gary Park Department at 219.886.7113

An Explanation - Not That You Asked For One

2008-07-03T13:13:00.000-07:00

My Grandparent's - Married in Rensselaer, IN

The last thing the blogosphere needs is another wedding blog. I realize, this. But here's the scenario: In May my boyfriend asked me to marry him. We immediately started talking about the kind of wedding we wanted. We knew we wanted to get married near our families in Indiana. We also knew that we wanted a unique location that spoke to our personalities and not the average banquet hall (not that there's anything wrong with a banquet hall, but more about that later).

Our first thought was to have it in Chicago, easy to fly to, entertainment for all, range of hotel prices for our guests. But after contacting a few venues we quickly learned that the places we were interested in were nearly half our budget and that was just the rental of the space, not one stick of furniture or stitch of fabric included. So reality check. Let's bring this thing back home: I'm from Northwest IN, he's from Southern IN. We love our hometowns and are proud to be from there, so let's show them off to our Los Angeles and Chicago friends (and Charlotte and Atlanta and Louisville, etc...)

Easier said than done. The web is full of advertisements for standard banquet hall and country club wedding venues. This made the boy and I very drowsy and we just couldn't stop yawning. There is a definite benefit to places that do everything for you, trust me. I'm already well aware that our venue (to be reveled at a later date) is going to take much more work than a typical banquet hall...but that's the price you pay for wanting to make your mark on one of the most important days of your life and we're ready for the challenge.

So in our deep deep digging we found some really great places and that's what I want this blog to be about. Hopefully some of you brides and grooms out there will find one or two things that might help you along the way and PLEASE clue me in on stuff I'm missing. Have a great place in Indiana or anywhere that is off the beaten path? I want to know and so does everyone else.

Now to the good stuff...