Planning a long distance wedding

Both Geoff's parents and my parents live in New England, and we both grew up there, so we would very much like to have our wedding there. Trouble is, we live in Los Angeles now. That's three thousand miles away, in case you've never seen a map. Can we really do this?

I haven't seen much on the internet about this, but I know a lot of people out here do it, so I thought I'd keep a record of my experiences, in case someone else is looking for guidance a year from now. Check back soon for me pulling my hair out and being generally disappointed!

Some things I know so far:

• I want our wedding to be in Cape Ann. Seems like a good middle ground for everyone in New Hampshire, Boston, and Connecticut. Also, my parents live there.
• I want our wedding to be relatively inexpensive. There are so many more important things I want my father's money for... I mean, to spend money on. For example, a home, a car, children. Frankly, I'd rather drop a lot of money on our honeymoon, since it's going to last more than an afternoon! I would like to spend less than $6,000. Is that possible? We'll soon see!
• There will probably be about 75 guests. That could be completely inaccurate, I just wrote down a quick list of everyone I know I want, and added twenty.
• I would like to get married within a year. I think a long engagement would be more stressful. This way I've just got to make some decisions and get it done. I think May 2006 would be nice, but I may be forgetting what springs in New England are like (they are nice, right?!)

Alrighty, thus begins my blog.

We're Engaged!

On the third anniversary of our coupledom this past Monday, Geoff proposed to me. His mother gave him the ring a year ago (let's call it an heirloom and not a cast-off from a first marriage), but he was waiting for the right time. Turns out the right time is after a lot of badgering and whining on my part, go figure.

Geoff was planning on driving me up to the park in Caballero Canyon, where the sunsets are gorgeous, and proposing to me there. Of course I didn't know that; I didn't think we were doing anything at all because we had celebrated our anniversary on Sunday, so I didn't actually show up in time for his plans. I took my time leaving work, and then I stopped by Target to look for some stuff I needed... anyway, by the time I got home, the sun had set and the park had closed. We went up to the Canyon anyway, in the dark, to the locked gate of the park, and he did it there.

Our good friend Justin sells jewelry part time, so he is going to help us shop for a new setting for the diamond (he also sells paper so he's going to be very useful to us). This ring is pretty but it is a bit too thin to be comfortable when typing and we would also like to make it our own. My friend Marianne suggested I get it blessed to erase the taint (she was kidding I think). More later on how that turns out. Possible before and after pictures.