a brief introduction

We're getting married.

In this day and age, wedding may conjure up images of fluffy tulle, roses and organ music. Men in tuxedos, a woman dressed in white, and lots of pomp and circumstance. Or it may be a relaxed setting on a beach, with people barefoot and a woman dressed in white.

We knew what we wanted and didn't want. We wanted 100 people. We wanted cool, funky, modern, urban. We wanted cocktail reception. No cake. No dj, but itunes playlist of Frank, Dean, the Duke and the Count. No hotel ballroom. No party center. Creme brulee instead of cake. We wanted someplace between our hometowns on the east and west sides of Cleveland, preferably in the Heights area, University Circle, downtown, Ohio City or Tremont. A reception inside, because Cleveland weather is way too unpredictable. A ceremony at my family's home church. Things we must have are a service with communion, good food, good music and an open bar.

We then talked with our parents.

Contrary to the myth propagated in wedding porn, this is not my special day, or even, our special day. This is a day where two families are joined together. And as everyone should know, being part of a family (or two!) is about compromise. Additionally, when we began to look at reception facilities, there was a lack of decidedly hip and funky industrial lofts in Cleveland. Central European Ethnic halls and party centers are more the norm.

So. There will be a cocktail hour which we will attend. There will be a sit-down dinner and an open bar. There will be 150-200 guests. There will be a live swing music. This will take place in a hotel ballroom in downtown Cleveland. The will be creme brullee instead of cake. The wedding will be at my family's home church. We will have the things that are most important to us- good music, food, drinks and ceremony- but the rest have been upgraded considerably from what we were originally imagining.

Have we succumbed to the pressures of the WIC?