Venues, dresses, and invitations.

Today, we shopped for wedding dresses. It's a good thing this date was on the docket long before the change. After an outdoor brunch where we froze to death, the bridesmaids, the groom’s family, and I went to help Darcy find a dress.

Brides-to-be crowded the store. They were everywhere, as were flower girls, bridesmaids, and mothers. It was chaos, unlike what one sees on television, and Darcy found her dress within an hour. But I can't show that here.

In other wedding news, venue shopping is not for the faint at heart. I bet that by the time this is all done, Darcy will have shopped over fifty venues. How nuts is that? 

She asked me to meet her at a country club, and because she was late coming from work and the coordinator had another appointment, I went ahead and started the tour. It was a typical country club, and I am experienced in that; I grew up in one, worked for one, and now watch my brother run one. 

Darcy originally was not set on a club, but desperation has set in. This club was owned by the organization I once worked for, so we chatted while we walked from the inside wedding site to the two outside areas where they host weddings. 

There was already a visitor in the first area.

The coordinator was shocked. She'd never seen a gator this close and had never experienced one in the wedding area. 

Me: "This is Florida. Any body of water harbors alligators."

At this point, Darcy called me to find out where we were. She joined us, looked at the gator, and shook her head.

Darcy: "This is not a good selling point."

The second area was right in the middle of the golf course, under a shady tree and far from water. But we were told that they would stop the golfers during the ceremony. Meaning they would be sitting on their golf carts waiting and watching, most likely annoyed.

I'd rather have the alligator.

I toured another venue that I loved. I was ready to seal the deal and sign the papers. It was local and absolutely gorgeous, nestled off the beaten track on a horse farm. They'd redone the barn into a wedding venue and the horse stalls into hotel rooms! The venue also included using the four-bedroom house to get ready and had an option to rent. 

It was slightly out of the price range, but I didn't care. I loved it that much. Darcy, not so much. It took several days before she could tour it, and while she liked the reception venue, she didn't like the wedding areas. 

So, it's back to square one, but the invitations are being designed, and the bridal shower dates are confirmed!