Recently in Musing Category

Ok...In an attempt to get everyone on somewhat of the same page, I am posting RE: travel. If you want to carpool, reply to this post. I already know of one couple who is flying into Louisville and is interested in carpooling with someone. Holler if you want to be added to the list:)
On the wedding update front:
I FINALLY got bridesmaid dresses!! YAY! The flower girl dresses are on the way also. Whew! I am almost done with the arts-n-crafts and veil. I just need jewelry and to pick up my dress. Slowly but surely it is coming together.

Whew....
Rachel

Yeahyeahyeah...she told me to elope. But did I listen to her? Nope. "Oh mom, you are being silly because I am not going to sweat my wedding." Two years later I cannot believe I only have like 50 days to go! I am almost there, but people keep holding me up.

I am currently building the cover for the huppah and trying to start on my veil....it would be helpful if my dress designer would give me the material I need for that.

I FINALLY found some shoes for my dress...yipeeee! I think we are doing all right as far as the planning goes, but who knows until the day. Kris....this had better last because I am NOT doing this again so you better love me forever buddy!! :)

Kris is back from his bachelor party. Last night he was calling out Coop's name....should I be worried;) Kris said he had a blast and I have his boys to thank for that.....Good job guys! I can't wait for mine.....mwahhahahahaha

me

So while we were in TN hanging with Rachel's sister and nieces (who are also our flower girls), she decided to help them, um, learn a dance for their school talent show.  How did we decide on what they would dance to?  Well, Abigail (the youngest) suggested Souljah Boy's Crank That.  Since I had a computer, and free access to the internet (thank you nameless neighbor), we downloaded the song on youtube. 



And the instruction video.




And... after many hours of playing the song over and over on my computer... this is the result.



So I ask you... who's got the rhythm in this relationship?  And, I guess the real question is, will they dance this at the wedding?

So Rachel dragged me to a Bridal store today... Actually, she didn't drag me.  She brought her nieces to the Bridal Store to pick out Flower Girl dresses.  So, after months of prodding, I finally pulled out a tuxedo rental magazine.

And, based off of Rachel's wedding colors, here's what I think for the Groomsmen.  For me, Ivory on Ivory.  For the Best Men... Wine colored ties/vests.

Here's the link:  http://www.menswearhouse.com/wishlist/published.jsp?WISHLIST%3C%3Ewl_id=55782

Hey all... so unfortunately, we forgot our camera to update everyone with pictures.  BUT, we can tell you that we have a caterer!

We tasted with Jarfi's Bistro -- downtown at the Kentucky Center for the Arts.  And the presentation was perfect, the food delicious, and the Chef gave us the time of day regarding our menu.  Thanks to Julie for recommending Jarfi's for us to even consider.


AND... we also found a florist.  After much consideration, we are probably going to go with Nanz and Kraft florists... one of the oldest and largest florists in Louisville, KY (founded in 1850).

Oh, we also found a cake vendor too... Heitzman Bakery.  Nothing special for our cake (food comes first).  But again, this vendor is another traditional vendor who's been around for over 115 years.  Because most of their money comes from their regular bakery, wedding cakes are something they do because they want to.  In other words, they can take the time and save the dime.

Well, the good news is, Rachel and I are headed back to Kentucky (and Tennessee) for a visit in about week.  So we're once again going to try and find a caterer to work with.  We've been put in touch with two caterers which were recommended to us by personal friends (as opposed to Naiman's Catering which we pulled out of a phone book). 

We will be meeting with Jarfi's Bistro (located downtown in the business district and frequented by the theatre going crowd), and with Mirabelle Gourmet Catering.  Both look good and we're optimistic that this time, we'll make a match.

On another note, Rachel and I just booked out tickets for the honeymoon.  It's confirmed, we're going to Costa Rica.  And we've decided to forgo "rest" days after getting back to town in favor of spending as much time in the country as possible.  (Thanks to all our friends who've been there and are giving us tips!) 

We might get an itinerary up here eventually... but then what would we have to talk to people about?  Well, I guess there is the three-hour post-honeymoon slideshow we can bore you all with.  :-)

Well, I can't say I'm happy about this, but we lost another potential caterer.  And I have to write to complain about this one on the sole basis that it took him OVER THREE WEEKS to turn us down.

Specifically, we were turned down by a restaurant in Louisville called J. Harrod's restuarant in Prospect, KY.  The caterer in charge turned us down because we have a limited guest list (about 100 people) and he would need to travel his staff about 40 miles out to our farm.  Understandable, all of it.  It's a perfectly legit reason to say no.

What isn't legit... is the time it took him to say no.  We first talked to him on December 4th.  At that time, he told me that he would HOLD THE DATE unless someone else came along.  And he asked me to email him some options.  Which I did.  After that, I didn't hear back from him until TODAY.  I called him once during this time and he didn't answer or return my call... but it's the holidays, so I understood.  Caterers are hopping at this time of year.

Then, yesterday I wrote him this email...

Mike;

First, happy holidays... Now that we're in that brief period of respite between Christmas and New Years (at least for some of us), I wanted to touch base with you regarding the bid for our wedding on October 11, 2008.  Is there any information you still need from us?  Also, when can we expect more information from you?  We're trying to plan a trip to town in January and would love to get all our ducks in a row before then.

His response to me came today...

Kris, I really appreciate you considering us to cater your wedding.

The size of our staff combined with the travel involved and the venue is not a good fit for J. Harrod's.

Why did it take him a month to figure that our?  And why didn't he tell me sooner, when it occurred to him?  The fact that he kept me stringing along for three plus weeks without a word... all this time thinking I was set for a caterer... pisses me off to no end.

I guess customer service just moves slower in Kentucky.  Frankly, it almost makes me want to set up a rant-n-rave sit for caterers in Kentucky.  I've dealt with enough of them.

Into every wedding a little complications must arise... did I just mix my metaphors?  Oh well.  Either way Les Naiman from Naiman's Catering has backed out of our agreement to cater our wedding.

Our side of the story is that Naiman's contract that he provided us, well, it doesn't protect us or him.  In fact, we had several lawyer-friends informally look it over and they all agreed... it had a lot of holes in it.  Holes that could leave either party open to be screwed when the final bill came due.  So we suggested a new contract to specify the exact duties that both sides would be expected to perform. 

In other words, we simply spelled out what it was we had talked about and orally agreed to.

Bottom line: Naiman didn't want to be bothered with addressing our concerns for a more spelled out agreement. 

Here's his first email to us...

I received the document you emailed  to me on Friday and have decided not to accept it. I sent you my  simple contract , stating the necessary terms for a client to confirm a date for an event. In over 30 years, I have never had to negotiate terms to cater an event. . I provide excellent  food and service for a specific time and the client pays me according to the terms of my contract.

I already have 2 large weddings on the date of your reception ,and  I don't feel that we have a good fit to continue .

In other words, he didn't even negotiate.  Instead, he simply declined to be our caterer in lieu of several other "big weddings" he booked on that day.  (Should I take that to mean that apparently if you're a "small fish" you aren't that important to him?)  I'm guessing, it's easier to drop a client for someone with less demands than deal with them.

Are we upset?  Of course.  It is a bad thing?  Probably not.  From our perspective, if he can't give us the protection of a contract that we feel comfortable with... then he's right.  It's not a good fit.  If he can't provide us with written assurances that us he won't drastically change prices on us, alter other elements of the wedding or otherwise slip in an unforeseen charge come billing, why would we want to go with him?

So another vendor we recently booked was the DJ.  A very important part of any party.  But you know me, I can't just give up complete control of the music list.  That's my favorite part of the party!  So I've been studiously thinking... what songs do I need in my wedding playlist?

Obviously, there will be a few "sections" that need to be filled...

Cocktail hour music:
Jerry Garcia + David Grisman (we are in Kentucky)
The Bad Plus
Pickin' on Zeppelin (sounds better than it does on paper)
Herbie Hancock (always reliable jazz!)
Muddy Waters (whichever song isn't about heartbreak -- I know that's like one)

Dinner music
Should I go electronic (like Thievery Corporation) or old-skool Jazz (like Ella)

Dance Music
Okay, here, I know we have to have blocks of swing, blocks of danceable-booty-shaking-music, some New Orleans Funk, and the requisite Jewish-themed-song.  But it's easier for us to list what we don't want then what we do... SO, any recommendations out there?

(Here's some don'ts: Chicken Dance, Shout!)

Incidentally, let me just give a shout-out to our DJ... Gary Chism.  He's the father-in-law of one of the groomsmen, Jason Vivona.

If you're anything like me, you've got tons of film canisters lying around with undeveloped film in them.  Why?  Because compared to the ease of digital film, it's just too expensive to develop them.  However, film still has that something special about it... at least in my opinion.

So just last week I gathered up the six or so film canisters I had sitting around and got them developed.  To my surprise, one of those rolls was from a trip Rachel and I made in October of 2005 to Kentucky.  The photos are BEAUTIFUL examples of what we hope the farm will look like for our wedding next October.

Here are just a few hints... click on any photo to see the full album.