ch ch ch ch changes...

There was a fairly major change in plans over the weekend, regarding our upcoming wedding. Yes, we're still getting married but we have decided to have the actual ceremony in Boise in September.

Back when David and I really started planning, we realized that because all our family and friends are spread all over the country, people were going to have to travel to the wedding regardless of where we had it. So we thought "Well, if people are going to have to travel, we might as well make it somewhere worth traveling TO." Why make, say, friends from the east coast travel to Spokane for a 10 minute wedding ceremony and then have nothing else to do the rest of the weekend, ya know? So we came upon the brilliant idea of getting married on Maui!! Brilliant: encouraging everyone to spend a week with us on Maui enjoying the sun, snorkeling, beach-walking, BBQing...that would really allow everyone the time to get to know each other.

So I started doing some research to find a resort that would meet everyone's needs and also be somewhat economical. I looked, and read, and read some more, and worried, and fretted...I felt like if we were going to ask everyone to come spend a week with us, I had to find just the right place. It just seemed completely daunting, and nothing felt right. At all. I just couldn't get excited about the big, cinderblock "condo resorts", and yet that was the only option if we were going to book a large block of rooms. Finally we had to make a choice and get serious about booking. Unfortunately, those condo-resorts are not that cheap once you ad on (as they do) the "reservation fee" (WTF PEOPLE?? You're going to CHARGE us for making a reservation?!) for each unit we book, and the cleaning fee (because each condo is independently owned, there is no "maid service" as with a hotel) it really adds up. And, if David and I paid the deposit to book 10 rooms, as was our plan, for every room that we had to cancel they would charge us $100. And after all of that, it wasn't even a place we felt excited about other than that it was right on a lovely beach. We still ran the risk of it being "not right" for some people who, if they are going to spend a week on Maui, wanted to stay someplace nicer or with more character or more remote or whatever.

And the biggest factor was that after coming up with the real numbers, we had to accept the fact that realistically, most of my family wouldn't make it to Maui. So David, bless his sweet heart, talked me down off the ceiling by saying "You know what? Weddings are about FAMILY and FRIENDS. If they can't make it to Maui, we need to get married someplace that they CAN be there."

So. The ceremony itself will be in the Boise area in September (we think the 20th; we'll find out today if our "venue" is available that day) and then the celebration is still on for Maui for everyone who can come. We truly want as many of our friends and loved ones to make the trip, to have a reason to spend a week in the middle of winter on a beautiful tropical island with us.

So MAUI IS STILL ON for February 6-14th; but we are going to let ya'll choose your own places to stay based on what works best for you. Jen and Charles will want to stay at a 5-star resort, Cole and Martin might prefer a funky little beach-house over a condo, Rod and Julie will probably know of some awesome hippie-huts in the jungle, and David's mom might prefer a condo right on the beach. But it would be great if we could all still be on the same general part of the island, so that we can get together for BBQs and snorkeling with the kids and fun. David and Anna and I plan on staying in the Kihei area; that is on the south-side of Maui and has some of the best beaches, restaurants, snorkeling, recreation, farmers' markets etc. Nothing is that far a drive, though, so no matter where people end up we'll be able to get together when we want.

As far as resources for finding accomodations, I love and trust Frommers. For houses (and condos) there is Vacation Rentals by Owner. Better book soon, though, because February fills up due to sucky weather everywhere else!

OF COURSE ya'll will be invited to the ceremony itself, but if you want to save your money and vacation time for Maui, we understand and will see ya there!

Aaahhh. I feel like 10,000 pounds has been lifted off my shoulders.