And the Venue is…

I’m writing two large deposit checks today and I couldn’t be happier about it!

WE PICKED OUR DATE AND VENUE! This is such exciting development in the wedding planning timeline.

We’re getting married in Odessa, DE on October 31. This is SUCH a special date to us — it’s when we first started dating, when Johnny proposed, and now it will be our wedding day! It will definitely not be a Halloween-themed wedding (only I get to wear an amazing costume ;), but I’m envisioning pumpkin-related food and decor.

We visited several venue locations to scout options, and this was the first one that 1) fit our budget nicely 2) made us both feel really excited and 3) motivated me to actually get into the idea of planning a wedding. Plus, the coordinator and caterer were both super awesome,  I’m looking forward to working with them.

Things I like about this location

1) Historic. Odessa screams history. From the brick buildings to the large streets, and the calmness that surrounds – it’s simply breathtaking.

2) A long, dramatic aisle to walk down. I didn’t even think about how cool this is – but imagine the drama on the wedding day as I make a l-o-n-g walk toward Johnny. Commence the goosebumps.

3) Close to home. I love the idea of a destination wedding, but at the end of the day I think I value having a venue close to home even more.

4) The food. We stumbled upon Cantwell’s Tavern when we spontaneously came to Middletown to see a movie. From the awesome historic tavern atmosphere to the exceptional service (and friendly staff), to the amazeball burgers, we knew we’d found a special date night place. Even better, they love sourcing local ingredients for their dishes. Perfect!

More photos of the areas where we will host our ceremony, cocktail hour, and reception (which will be in a heated tent).

I can’t wait to marry Johnny here on Halloween!