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Wedding Oh my Goodness! Exciting [crazy?] update!

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Wishful! The flight will be fine-I just know it! I''ve flow to CA (LA, not San Fran, though) sooooo many times and I''ve only ever been delayed by a few hours. EVERYTHING WILL BE FINE!

And just in case, if you happen to have a St. Christopher (patron saint of travelers in case anyone doesn''t know) medal lying around...take it with you!
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Thanks for the encouragement, thing2 [otherwise known as a *reality* check
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No saint memorabilia lying around, but FI is my good luck charm, and so far we''ve been having great luck, what with scoring the last available spots for marriage ceremonies in SF City Hall in the midst of a wave of people rushing to get married and cheap flights in an age where that''s increasingly difficult. We''ll just hope for the best!
 
I can''t even tell you how excited I am for you and FI! Yes, yes, yes... 1 hour is plenty of time to get tons of amazing shots and city hall is huge and gorgeous... oh and the outside!.. The outside area is gorgeous! Have you seen the interesting looking trees right outside the building on JK''s site? If I can find a pic I will post it, but they are soo pretty and I wished I had a few shots of them. Also if he gets a wideshot of the outside of the building I might need to borrow it and pretend it was from my day.
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I didn''t get one and I wished I had one since my family has never seen the outside of the building.

One tip I will give you with working with the photographer is feel free to suggest any shots you would like to try. He sorta told us where to go the whole time but it wasn''t until we were at the beach that we had a couple of suggestions and he was all for it. I realized I could have been making suggestions the whole time.... He''ll do whatever you say so just speak up. Oh I can''t wait to compare stories...

Ha ha! I know your stressed that it is so soon, but I''m selfishly happy because we won''t have to wait long to hear about it and see pictures!
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And you''ll get the pics within 2 weeks!
 
Ahhh, you are so sweet, mia! Talking to all of you about it is making me even more excited about all of it because FI and I, while we are basically dying of happiness that we are going to be married to each other, are having such a hard time not spilling it to every single person we meet- PS is a total outlet right now, and fixing my craving for a band of wedding-crazy people who are excited as well.

It is so helpful to have your tips about the photographer, mia. I will ask for a wide shot of the outside of the building, for sure! Having your input is like having a preview of what to expect, which makes it easier to book from so far away. Otherwise I''d be very nervous. I am definitely excited to share stories! I did see those awesome trees outside of the building on the photographer''s website, which is so unique and fun. So pretty. I have never seen the outside, but I hear it is gorgeous.

I am so excited to be married, and also so excited to get our pictures and be able to share them with everyone- both our families and all of you on PS who have been so supportive of us. Very fun. I''m also PSYCHED about the turnover time for the photos from this photographer because I think I''d die if I had to wait months and months for them. I will share them asap with all of you, for sure!

Now we just have to find a hotel to stay in that won''t cost us a ton of money [ahhh, budget
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] but is still nice enough to be a *wedding night* hotel, lets people check in early enough to allow us to get ready in our room there, and is close enough to City Hall that we won''t break our necks trying to get to City Hall on time, especially if the flights are running late. We can''t afford to book a car, so we are relying on public transit and cabs, if need be. Of course, not knowing where things are or where we''re going slows down the process a bit. I''ve also developed this fright all of a sudden about how crappy my skin looks and really want to get makeup done, but I have no idea where we could even do that or if we have time.

Any suggestions about any of these dilemmas would be more than welcome from anyone in the area! I will start a new thread if no one responds, but maybe we can do it here so I won''t feel like I''m crowing the forum main page!
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What''s your budget on all of these items?
 
As close to $0 as is physically possible.

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Okay, really. Something less than $200 for a hotel room and I have NO idea what makeup goes for in SF. Or anywhere, for that matter. Actually, come to think of it, I have no idea how much hotels cost either. Whatever isn''t going to be horrible because it is so cheap. I would love to know what is realistic to expect.
 
It's tough to say because it depends on how nice of a place you want to stay in... it can vary in price range. Makeup I don't know about in SF but there's always the MAC counter for example... but that's easy enough to find. Under $200 in SF may be tough.

Have you tried www.yelp.com? I swear by it most of the time! If find something on there I can answer questions you might have.

ETA: my cousin stayed in a place like a block away from city hall awhile back let me see if I can find it. he said it was nice and affordable.

ETA again: I just tried a few places and they seem to be booked up, what dates did you need the reservation for?
 
Thank you so much for your help, violet! If you could find the info for the hotel your cousin stayed in that would be great! Our definition of "nice" for hotels, by the way, is very loose given our pricerange. We just want clean sheets, preferably soft rather than sucky, someplace comfy that isn't infested with vermin of any kind, and a shower or tub would be awesome. Pretty flexible, I'd say.
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Sorry if this is a ridiculous question, but how does it work to get makeup done at a MAC counter? Do you just show up and they do it? Does it cost anything? How do we find out where one is located? I am... not a makeup person, in case that wasn't apparent. We aren't looking for anything fancy, for sure, just something to make us look a little more put together than the "usual." :)

ETA: the reservation would be for the night of Oct. 28th, preferably someplace where we could check in around noon. I know they do that around here, but I'm guessing SF can be a very different ballgame in many respects. Again, you can feel free to reality check us if need be. We're hoping to be able to get dressed someplace other than a public restroom, considering how...poofy... our dresses are.
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ETA: I have to get some sleep [late here!] but I will check back tomorrow. Again, I can't thank you enough for helping us out.
 
There''s a MAC counter at Nordstrom''s which is on Market St. not far from where you would want to be. I believe you can make an appointment with them to do your makeup.

Oh and www.kayak.com also rules in terms of finding flights, hotels etc. I''m checking that out right now.

Gosh I wish PS had a PM system. This would be easier over email sometimes!
 
I''m going to second the MAC... your not going to find anything cheaper, and they do a great job. I had my makeup done at MAC in Bloomingdales at the SF shopping center, not far from City Hall at all.

Hmmm let me think of a spot to change into your dress that isn''t a bathroom.... You know I changed into mine in a nasty parking garage bathroom because I completely forgot to do it earlier
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Maybe you need to book a hotel near city hall, get make up done first, then go to the hotel to check in and change.

I''m not great with hotels in SF because I''ve never stayed in one, but I can ask for recommendations.
 
Hotels near city hall can be tricky since the tenderloin is right there. I tried checking a few that yelp had good reviews for nearby but all booked. I''ll keep looking!
 
It''s so exciting how quickly this is coming together! I''ve heard good things about Cartwright hotel and I think it''s been renovated recently, always a plus. I''ll ask around for other recommendations.
 
Ooo, this is good news! Congratulations!
 
Wishful, just wanted to throw my hat into your and S''s support ring. I am so excited and thrilled for both of you. Looking forward to lots of gorgeous pictures.
 
Congratulations, wishful! I wish the two of you all of the joy and happiness in the world
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Thanks so much for all of your help and well-wishes!

FI and I just booked a hotel! It is the Hotel Whitcomb, located pretty centrally, apparently just a short walk from City Hall. The BART is also right next to it, which makes it very convenient for us, as we''re not renting a car. Very exciting. We booked a queen room, which was right in our budget. Hopefully it''s not a horrible hotel! It looks nice on the website and apparently has good ratings. We have pretty low requirements, though... as I said before. We are definitely not going to be spending a ton of time in the room- we want to be out enjoying the city!

Anyways, this is just one less thing to think about now, which is great.

Mia - Did you book an appt. in advance at the MAC counter to have your makeup done? If you don''t mind my asking, how much did you pay for it? I hope you don''t think I am rude! We''re just trying to get an idea of how to budget for the rest of the trip. :)
 
Yes call now! They usually aren''t that busy during the weekdays, but you guys are two brides. Make sure and tell them it''s for bridal makeup and they will make the appointment for 45 minutes. Oh and if you do decide to go to Bloomingdales, they have 2 different MACs in the store so they should be able to get you in one, but try and see if you can get your makeup done together at the same time. Otherwise, they may send one of you upstairs to the other kiosk. The MU application is "free" but you have to make a minimum purchase of $50 You can buy eyelashes if you want them, or gloss or powder to keep your makup fresh.

Good luck!

Oh and one other thing... You know if you wanted I could probably rearrange my work schedule and drive you guys around. Or at least pick you up from the airport. I just feel like if I were in your position I would be nervous using public transportation and cabs are expensive. I know I am a complete stranger, and maybe you guys would just like focus on each other and not have another person you don''t know there. But I thought I''d just throw it out there in case your worried about the costs of getting around...
 
Thanks, Mia!

We just scheduled appointments to have makeup done at the MAC counter in Bloomies! We also canceled our reservation with the Hotel Whitcomb after stumbling upon a site that had HORRIBLE reviews. Instead, we''re now booked at Hotel Union Square, which is supposed to be really nice. We will be just a few blocks away from the shopping center, and very close to City Hall as well.

All of the details are coming together so nicely!

You are wonderful to offer to drive us, Mia, but I think we will be fine on our own. :) We are right in the vicinity of the BART, which will take us directly from the airport. It''s a little nervewracking using public transit, but we''ve done it before. I definitely don''t think it''s worth your re-arranging your schedule for. We also haven''t told ANYONE we''re doing this, and want it to really be just *us* throughout the entire trip so that we''re really fulfilling our intentions of not leaving anyone out... if that makes sense. Thanks again, though!

Maybe you or other bay area PSers could chime in about whether the BART is actually reliable or anything weird or complicated we should be looking out for! I''ve heard it is pretty decent in terms of ease and reliability, but I really have no way of knowing. If worst comes to worst we can take a cab, though.
 
Congratulations!! I hope you have a wonderful, beautiful day!
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Lots of dust your way! It''ll all come together.
 
Duh! Totally forgot the BART runs through the airport! Yes that''ll be perfect! I haven''t taken the BART too many times but when I have it has been pretty reliable. Maybe someone who uses Bay Area public transport. will weigh in....

Oh and I totally understand wanting to be alone. DH''s coworkers and the family I work for wanted to be there of course too, but we had to tell them that it was off limits because in a way it''s sometimes worse when the people you are close with can''t be there but casual aquaintences can...
I did let my boss come with me to get ready, but that was mostly because otherwise I would be completely alone. Anyway, just thought I''d offer it in case.

Have you really not told anyone yet?
 
Bart is reliable.. Every once in a blue moon something happens but it usually is in hayward, not SF. So, you should be good to go! My only comment would be to just make sure you have enough money on your card. (it can be a pain when you run out, mid trip)

I just wanted to chime in and say CONGRATS!!! I hope you and your *soon to be* wife have a magical day!


As a Cali voter: I voted NO on 8.. Im rooting for ya!
 
I just saw this thread! How exciting for you and your FI!!!!!!
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Not sure what your budget is, but if you want to splurge and take a towncar from the airport, DPM limo is who I always use. It's a flat rate, something like $40-45, you just have to call and schedule a day in advance. The town cars are really nicely maintained, and the service is impeccable. Here is their site http://dpmlimo.com/

they are AWESOME. can't recommend them enough...much better than sitting in a smelly cab!
 
Ok I know i''m suuuuper late for this but CONGRATS! I''m super excited for you! I''d never have the courage to elope. It''s just going to be so amazing and special, just the two of you!
 
Many thanks to all of you!
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We remain totally excited, as usual, but swamped with the details of leaving our busy school lives in the middle of the week... doing all of this extra work beforehand to prepare is a total drag!

mia - Okay, so technically we have told some people.
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We don''t have cars at school and our public transit is non-existent, so we''ve needed some rides from friends this week to get our dresses all figured out. Probably 4 or 5 people know, all out of necessity. We are trying to keep it as hush as we can while still figuring out how to get to and fro! We''re both sad to tell anyone other than our families beforehand, but sometimes that is just the way it works out. All of our friends are VERY excited for us, though, and are really sweet in giving advice about how to talk to family members. I am also planning to call my sister tonight and let her know what we are doing. She is almost the same age as me, and it feels weird to leave her in the dark. I hope she reacts well, though!

stryeyes - Thanks for the info on BART. The last part of your post about prop 8 made me cry, legit. I am so happy to hear about the people who are rooting for us in all of this, even when the prognosis is looking so bad that we feel we need to fly in a hurry to wed before Nov. 4th. I hope so much that it fails.

rockzilla - That sounds delightful! I wish we could, but our budget is as close to $0 as we can manage at this point. Thanks for the info, though- someday!
 
Wishful,

I wanted to add that Bart is, in general, really reliable. DH and I usually BART to SFO when we go on trips. From SFO to Downtown it will cost you $5.35 each and it will take about 30 minutes assuming you don''t have to wait for the train. The train comes once every 15 minutes so you should be good in terms of time. I recommend using this trip planner enter in SFO as your starting location and the hotel address as your ending location. You could do the same thing to find out how to get from your hotel to Bloomingdales or to city call. Once you are downtown, everything is in walking distance, it just depends on how much you want to walk. Also, taking Bart is more reliable than Muni, both will cost $1.50 in downtown.

Plan some time to take pictures in Bloomingdales. The building is really nice too. Also, have you given any thought to what you want for dinner?
 
Thanks for the info gtn! It''s so helpful to hear from a seasoned pro.
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For dinner we are thinking of going to Cheesecake Factory. It''s not the ritziest food out there, but we really enjoy it when we go, and they have a wide range of selections which helps with our picky eating habits! We have also gone there on anniversaries, so it has meaning in that way. Apparently the CF there has a cute outdoor area as well, but I don''t know how difficult it will be to get seated there. Perhaps if we go there in our dresses we''ll get preferential treatment...
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WishfulThinking, I am so excited for you. I have a bunch of sorority sisters living in LA, and they are all voting a big N-O on Prop. 8. We''re pulling for you!
 
Congratulations! I''ve been over in ATW with you and missed this totally! How wonderful, a really great decision for both of you. CA has to vote no on 8, they don''t want MA to be that much more progressive than they are.

Love is always legal
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Oh, and BART is fabulous, so much better than the T, you live in W MA, right? Guessing N Hadley? ;) Its unreal, SF public transport is clean, spacious, you should have no problems! (well, here in boston I''m on the red and green lines everyday, so perhaps I''m easily impressed.) You will have awesome photos, people will love helping out two lovely ladies by taking your pics! OH! so exciting!!!!! Take a trolly ride with your photog! So happy for you both!
 
I think it is awesome that you are going to the cheesecake factory. I know they normally don''t accept reservations, but maybe you could call and speak to the manager. Tell the manager that you wanted to surprise you DW with your wedding dinner there. The worst thing that can happen in that you have to wait in line right? I have seen restaurants who don''t normally take reservations make exceptions. In some cases, they will have you call in advance and they will put you on the list so you don''t have to wait as long.
 
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