Because we're both planners, Jen and I had our wedding pretty much completely planned by the second week of our engagement.  We had decided ahead of time to keep it very small.  As we sat down to plan our micro-guestlist, we quickly realized that between our families, friends and co-workers, we be lucky if we could get away with only inviting 75 people. In an ideal world, we wanted to have about 30 people there, tops.

So, the planning began.  Once we decided on a space and caterer, started pricing out music, invitations, clothes, and all of the other extras and gratuities, we started to realize that we wouldn't be able to afford to have our wedding without taking a small loan.  We were (are) funding the wedding on our own, and we didn't want to start our marriage in debt.  We also had concerns about not being to invite everyone we'd want to, how divorced and remarried families would sync in the same room, and all of the other general stresses of planning a wedding.

On the day our deposit was due for the space, it was clear we were both having second thoughts about writing the check.  It take didn't much longer than a five-minute conversation to come to our conclusion: we had no desire to spend a great deal of money and endure a great deal of stress over and on an event that we didn't totally believe in. The wedding we were starting to write checks for isn't what we wanted, and the small wedding we wanted was unrealistic. Sure it's a little selfish, but it's our wedding.

So we decided to elope, sorta.

After researching many destinations, we agreed upon Napa Valley. We found an amazing resort called Calistoga Ranch, where we'll be spending 4 nights in June. (Allow me to gloat for a second: The resort is amazing. Our room is rediculous.) We then found a great service through which we rented the Hans Fahden Winery for two hours, soley for us. The service also hooked us up with a minister and a photographer. We're going to be married in the wine cave at the winery. If there's a better place for two people with a deep love for horror movies and wine to tie the knot, please let me know!

In this situation, the icing on our non-existant wedding cake is our families. The reason I said "sorta" about us eloping is that we told our families the plan. We had no intention of running off and eloping; by definition. It was very important to us that they knew and didn't feel hurt by our actions.  Some of them were (expectedly) disappointed that they wouldn't be at the actual ceremony, but all were extremely supportive of our choice. I can't image how we got so lucky.

We managed to pull of exactly what we wanted to do, and are able to combine an amazing wedding and a rediculously awesome honeymoon. In the end, the only thing left to do is wait. I'm so excited! At least June isn't that far away...