FOUND the perfect venue!

Contrary to popular belief (ahem, isabug), I have not abandoned the blog. This has just been a very busy summer whence I've been traveling up and down the east coast as well as the Caribbean. SO, I think it is high time I update the world wide web on what's been going on wedding-wise.

So about two weeks ago, Joseph and I were still seriously considering the Aquarium (and leaning pretty heavily towards it, I might add), but we also thought the Maritime Center might be a nice place as well.

Unfortunately, I cannot post pictures from the Maritime Center's website. But you can view it here.

As soon as I walked into the area where the reception would be held, I immediately saw our relatively small budget vanish with the amount of money we would be dropping on decorations ($800 for rental plants!) just to make the place not look so austere.

So as all good daughters do when they find themselves in a tight spot, I called my dad. He told me to run all of our numbers again, just to make sure that we had carried all of the ones and added everything up correctly. We had. Then he reminded me that a year ago in March I had fallen in love with Cypress Gardens in Moncks Corner. I hemmed and hawed at the idea, but dad told me to call them and visit the Gardens one more time-- just for posterity. So as all good daughters do when their dads tell them to do something, I called Cypress Gardens and set up an appointment to see the venue.

And I fell in love with it all over again. In case you've never been to Cypress Gardens, or you think that I'm referring to the one in Florida, let me give you some pictures that will paint a lovely image of what we should see next June:

If you look closely at the second picture, you can just make out an alligator swimming through the cypress swamp. I took all of these pictures myself when Joseph and I went last March. As you can see, it is going to be amazing! And I know what you are all thinking: that bridge is going to be a perfect photo opportunity for the bridal party! For more information about Cypress Gardens and all it has to offer, please visit their website: www.cypressgardens.info