Karaoke Blast 2009

We've decided that getting a photobooth is going to be way too much. Nuts. We have alternative ideas that we might use, but for now, actually getting one is out of our budget. However, R and I had an incredible idea over dinner last night to rent a karaoke machine for the reception. That's right. I said it. Karaoke. Machine.

I've already priced the professional type ones that you can rent, and it's pretty affordable. 1,100 songs, five books, two mics, screen, disco lights...it sounds incredible. What's even more incredible is that we have this pretty stage that we'll be using for the ceremony, but how perfect would it be for karaoke for the reception?


I think it sounds like a blast. We could mix some singing in with some dance music so we get a little of everything. I know there's enough of you out there that would be all about it to make it worthwhile. Clear your throats, ladies and gentlemen, this idea might stick.

Location, Location, Location

I haven't updated in the land of wedding in awhile. I have a few updates! It is official, we are having the ceremony AND reception at the KC Athenaeum. See photos below! The date is officially decided as well, but I'm not going to post it on here for the sake of privacy. If you haven't heard it yet, leave me a comment, and I'll tell ya.

Next up in awesomeness: centerpieces. We've got them figured out! Well, for the most part. We won't be using any flowers. I don't plan to order any for the ceremony or reception. I just hate the idea of using such beautiful flowers for one day, then having to discard them. I would have donated them to the shelter or a nursing home or something, but I've never envisioned flower center pieces or bouquets, so that issue is solved on its own. Instead, we're going to use little tree branches from R's parent's land. We'll probably try spray painting them black or white, depending on the linens we get. I'm thinking we could alternate some white tables with some black tables. Then have white branches on the black tables, and black branches on the white tables. Fun, eh?

I'm playing with ideas for decorating the branches with just a little bit of something. Maybe a few tiny little silver jingle bells to hang on them, since the proposal involved a bell. I think I might also make some little tissue paper "poms" to make it look like the branches are blossoming. See?
I think I'd also like to get a few little candles to put on the tables for some nice lighting as well. Hooray for pretty things....

Video Guestbook!

I love, love, LOVE this idea! If I were to get the HD Camera I've been eyeing to use for videography(any of you out there want the responsibility of using my camera to take video?), I'd love to do a video guest book like this to go along with it. It's perfect, b/c no one would have to say anything, you just write things on signs, or like one couple, just make out in front of the camera, b/c that's not weird. This video was done by Hello Super 8.

Hello Guestbook from Megan Hill on Vimeo.

Wedding Nightmares

Since getting engaged, I think I can safely say that my dreams have involved weddings one way or another. It's consistently getting more and more annoying, b/c I don't want to have wedding dreams(nightmares) all of the time. I'm going to start keeping track of all the "horrible" things that happen to me in these dreams(which is strange, b/c they're all things I don't even think about or consider while awake, and certainly don't stress over).

-All of the gifts I opened were Cabbage Patch dolls, instead of registry items.
-I showed up to the wedding with no shoes
-I didn't get my bouquets made in time(I'm not doing flower bouquets, btw), so I carried a beach ball.
-R changed his mind about wanting to marry me.
-Nobody showed up to the wedding.
-Guests all left right after dinner, so I didn't get to dance at all at my own wedding.

I've stopped looking at bridal magazines as a result, and try to look at other things besides wedding ideas on the internet. Not that I was looking at massive amounts of either, but I think the wedding dreams need to be controlled a bit, especially since I never had dreams about weddings before. Hopefully they'll taper off, or they'll just go away all together. I miss my usual weird dreams.

Athenaeum, anyone?

I went by this morning on the way to work to check out the KC Athenaeum. It's a really pretty building, my only concerns going into it were about parking and the neighborhood. It's definitely an older neighborhood(for those of you familiar with KC, it's down the street from Martini Corner on Linwood, however it IS before you get to Troost, so I think that counts as safe). The man that let me in let me know that there IS a lot to park in beside the building, and that security guards would be out there watching the cars throughout the evening. That was quite the relief. He also let me know that there have never been any safety issues, and it's a pretty safe neighborhood.

Safety, check.
Parking, check.

I didn't get to talk to the wedding lady b/c she wasn't in yet, so I'll have to get some more details, but we'd get quite a bit more space with this place. One large ballroom, stage to get married on, two parlors, and the foyer. We'd also be in a prime location to go take photos anywhere we wanted in the city. I'm definitely wanting photos on the Swope Memorial. Other options would be the Liberty Memorial, Nelson Art Gallery, Plaza fountains, Loose Park, West Bottoms, etc... All pretty good locations for pretty photos. There's also a black and white mural a block or two over that has Martin Luther King and Walt Disney in it(I think it's right where Walt Disney's old studio used to be in Kansas City), which would be a fun back drop. Random.

Anyway, here are some photos. It's officially between the Screenland Loft(sans the theatre ceremony, I guess) or the KC Athenaeum for both the ceremony and reception. Comments welcomed.

Foyer

Parlor 1

Ballroom

Ballroom

Ballroom Stage

Ballroom

Stage up close

Stage lights

Ballroom entrance/Balcony

Parlor 2

This is starting to get ridiculous...

Well, I think we're losing the battle for the theatre ceremony. My mom seems to be so against it, which is frustrating, b/c I think it'd be a really intimate and pretty place....and convenient. While doing some research for work today, I came across a few other places on accident. Let's take a look at number one.

Thomas H. Swope Memorial: This place is in the middle of Swope Park, near the golf course. I haven't seen it in person, and to be honest, had absolutely no idea it existed. It's gorgeous, it's insanely inexpensive, and a dead man is buried underneath. How romantic. Just kidding. But it does kind of compromise my earlier thoughts on getting married at the pretty historic chapel at Elmood Historic Cemetery in KC. I just never pictured myself getting married ON a grave stone. The drawbacks...it's gonna be August, people. We all know that it's going to be hot, unless we're graced with some freakish Missouri weather, which does happen from time to time. We'd definitely have to set up a water/lemonade refreshment area, give the guests some fans, and possibly look into battery operated fans to blow on the guests. I might have to nix my crystal bouquet idea, and go for pretty feather fans instead of bouquets for the girls. Thoughts?

On to option number 2...

Kansas City Athenaeum: I haven't been here, either. R has seen it before, though. This would probably be a wedding/reception combo. It actually is priced decently, also. This would mean giving up the Screenland space, but it is pretty. I've inquired for fun. We could still have the stage wedding ceremony, and everyone could be seated at their tables or something. We'd have to figure that part out. Not really any cons that I know of yet, other than having to hire a security guard. Here are some photos...

Semi-Late Night Insanity

After listening to 99 Red Balloons about...99 times...I had an epiphany. An insane one, but an epiphany all the same. Bridesmaids walking down the aisle holding red balloons instead of a bouquet, while 99 Red Balloons plays. I'm giggling just thinking about it. Ladies, that's about 16 and a half balloons each. Can you handle that?

I swear I'm taking my wedding seriously...

Holy Super 8mm!

I love, love, LOVE the way these videos look! Unfortunately, this form of filming and converting to DVD is SO expensive. But I have a possible backup plan. I just need an HD camcorder, and someone to operate it, the rest would be taken care of. Watch the clips on the Layer Cake Films site! WATCH THEM!