BIG PLANS: 2008

Thursday, February 14, 2008

RECOMMENDED LODGING PT 4

Club Quarters
52 William Street,New York, NY 10005
2 minute train ride across the east river plus 10 minute walk
10 minute cab ride
40 minute walk across the Brooklyn Bridge

I think this is it. It's close and fairly reasonable at around $200 a night. Awesomeness. They have a special wedding program. This is what the website says:

For weddings, Club Quarters has invented the "Wedding Headquarters" Concept.

13 Prime big city locations
Very low cost hotel rooms
Free suite for the Bride and Groom *
Free suites for hospitality*
Complimentary upgrades for parents of Bride and Groom*
Optional Rehearsal Dinner and/or Gala Breakfast (and in some facilities Wedding Receptions)
Transportation and other customized arrangements
Private, with restricted entry
Warm hospitality

*certain restrictions apply

I called and left a message - I expect to hear from them tomorrow maybe? I think this is the way to go.

RECOMMENDED LODGING PT 3

THE MARRIOTT BROOKLYN BRIDGE

333 ADAMS STREET, 11201
$259 per night.
Within walking distance to Pochron Studios
5 minute cab ride
5 minute walk to the F train for a 2 min ride.

Pros, Pros, Pros: Close to EVERYTHING, safe, good customer service, good restaurant, clean, clean, clean.

Cons: They charge for EVERYTHING. Internet is $12.95 a day. I read that a rollaway is about $30 bucks. Extention cords are $8 plus tax.

RECOMMENDED LODGING PT. 2

The Park Slope Inn

www.parkslopeinn.com
917 627 8047

This place has 3 guest rooms at $150 per night and a studio apt for 4 people at $215 per night. This might be a good place for all of your family to stay in one place.

RECOMMENDED LODGING PT. 1

Holiday Inn Express Brooklyn Bridge
625 Union Street, 11215
$187 on GTA.com
15 mins by cab / 30 mins by subway - 2.5 blocks to the station

Exterior View

View from across the street.

This was a pretty honest review from TripAdvisor.

"When you're inside this Holiday Inn Express it seems you could be at most any tollway exit around the country. They're pretty standard, with clean, modern rooms. But this new nine-story hotel (opened in early 2006) has been plopped down in the middle of a Brooklyn block, surrounded by three-flat apartment buildings and auto repair shops.

I was told that this block was filled with drug dealing just a few years ago. The surrounding neighborhood is still rough and walking outside alone at night wouldn't be smart. But a couple of blocks over at 5th Avenue we had a great dinner the night we arrived and good lunch the following day. (OK, so we did see some rats run across the street ahead of us on the way back from dinner and the guys on the stoop of the apartment building next door were sitting outside late smoking pot.)

While skeptical about staying in Brooklyn (my client made the plans) it was the right choice. Not only was our room less than $200 a night (try finding a decent place at that price in Manhattan ), we were close to the business we needed to do in the Red Hook neighborhood of Brooklyn .

If you need to stay in Brooklyn , this is a good option."

I think:

I would have no problem staying here or recommending this to anyone This hotel straddles the hood. 2 blocks south is one of the best areas in the city (just like that place that we had brunch at in Chicago). But half a block away is the PJs but its not ghetto - just "community". I would have no problem walking here at night but since it'ill be summer there is a good chance of seeing a few block huggers - not for the high falootin'.

Renee Huber, yes. Jeanne Gray, no.

What say you?

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

WEDDING ANNOUCEMENTS

Gary Coleman, 40 and Shannon Price,22 were married this weekend in "the mountains".

Price, who wasn't aware of his fame, met Coleman just over 5 months ago on the set of the movie Church Ball while handling the sale of his memorabilia on e-Bay. "I didn't grow up with Diff'rent Strokes," she tells Inside Edition. "I actually didn't like watching TV when I was younger."

Gary says that this is his first-time-ever romantic relationship. "I never got the opportunity to be romantic or feel romantic with anyone," he says. "I wasn't saving myself, she just happened to be the one."

As for the 18 years between them, "I don't have issues with age, I have issues with intelligence," says Coleman. "She's more intelligent than I am, and that's what matters to me."

"We may go a week and not speak to each other," he says, while she claims, "He lets his anger conquer him sometimes. … He throws things around, and sometimes he throws it in my direction. I dont like the violence."

Best wishes to the happy couple!

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

So I'm searching craigslist...

...And I find PRICILLA'S AD for her wedding stuff!!!!!!!!! How random??????

http://newyork.craigslist.org/brk/clo/549332361.html

For Beyond the Big Day...

8 Things No One Tells You About Marriage - I thought this was well written and generously honest.

Monday, January 28, 2008

Middleton is nice, but how bout...

PARTY RENTAL COMPARISONS

www.allaffairs.com .60 pc China/ .40 silverware / 7.00 Ballroom Chairs / 3.75 Folding Chairs

www.partybuster.com .50 pc China/.50 silverware / 6.00 Ballroom chairs / 3.00 Folding Chairs/

www.partytimeofcourse.com Eh. This site might have deals but it's unprofessional and confusing.

There's a ton of chair rental places in NYC but not many of them have websites. :-(

Sunday, January 27, 2008

REHEARSAL LUNCHEON

I like this 40's style vintagey look for rehearsal dinner. We can use paper flowers as a huge running center piece with long tapered candles. Williams - Sonoma makes these napkins for $20 for 50. We can get half that say Middleton and the other half to say Montenegro. I mean,since it's the first time (and possibly the last) both our families meeting and my last day as a Montenegro. It'd be nice.

We could have rehearsal at 11:30 am and have everyone stay for he luncheon at 1pm.

LINKS FOR REHEARSAL SUPPLIES:
www.platesandnapkins.com

www.finestationery.com

www.dontdodishes.com This site is flipping awesome - plastic plates and flatware that look like fine china. Almost.

www.partyatlewis.com Good site for plastic champagne flutes.

VALIDATION!

Some one else had the big tissue paper idea... In my opinion they didn't do enough of them to really make the space look warm and full. From what I can see they only did 22 of them. This means we'll need at least 80 of them. The bridesmaids and family can do these a night or two before. It looks like a real bonding experience.

DARE TO DREAM

How fun would one of these be for everyone!?!?!?!? Just in case we have an extra $1,600 2 weeks before the wedding... Ya never know! www.nycphotobooth.com

THE VINTAGE DJ

So far we have no dancing, but we still need music. This guy is awesome, I used to go to his shows in NY. He uses oldschool classroom record players and wears old fahioned suits to set the tone. He can play old school music from the 30's- 60's that are really good songs but are obscure and unfamiliar so they won't encourage the dancing mentality -Just happy mellow good time vibing. Check him out and listen to his stuff at vintagedj.com

I just emailed for a quote - Are you sure you're ok with no dancing? I prefer no dancing, but it's ok if you change your mind.

AMBIANCE!

Previous couples used paper lamps, random fabrics and christmas lights to create ambiance and make the loft space feel fuller.... Check the girl on the left - She totally hates it.

I like what these people did with the bubbles, but they don't exactly fill up the space. I'd like to intermix the bubbles with my idea below.

I dont understand why this type is linking... but anyway, this is my idea. We can make dozens of them to hang from the ceiling in various sizes and shades of soft yellows, oranges, and blues. They are easy to make and really cheap - Just string and tissue paper.

voila!

Saturday, January 26, 2008

NY STATE MARRIAGE LICENSES

Highlights from the NY state page on marriage license requirements.

A couple who intends to be married in New York State must apply in person for a marriage license to any town or city clerk in the state.
Although the marriage license is issued immediately, the marriage ceremony may not take place within 24 hours from the exact time that the license was issued.
A marriage license is valid for 60 days, beginning the day after it is issued.
The fee for a marriage license is $35 payable in money order only. No other method of payment will be accepted.
A person is required to establish proof of age and identity by submitting to the issuing clerk a birth certificate and a drivers license.
To be valid, a marriage ceremony must be performed by any of the individuals specified in Section 11 of the New York State Domestic Relations Law. These include: a member of the clergy or minister who has been officially ordained and granted authority to perform marriage ceremonies from a governing church body in accordance with the rules and regulations of the church body; a member of the clergy or minister who is not authorized by a governing church body but who has been chosen by a spiritual group to preside over their spiritual affairs;
The person performing the ceremony must be registered with the City of New York in order to perform a ceremony within the New York City limits. The officiant does not have to be a resident of New York State.

(The brother doing our talk can go to the City Clerk Website and download the appropriate forms. We can call 212-699-8090 to confirm the registration has been processed).

And for the Charlestonian in you:
A marriage may not take place in New York State between an ancestor and descendant, a brother and sister (full or half blood), an uncle and niece or an aunt and nephew, regardless of whether or not these persons are legitimate or illegitimate offspring.