One Year Ago Today....

Today is the one year anniversary of our Wedding in Vegas...

WE'RE IN VEGAS!

Here is our Vegas schedule:
After dinner on Friday night...say maybe 9pm-ish, we will be in the cental lounge in TI...I think it's called the Breeze Bar, and it's an open area that is centrally located, right in the heart of TI. Stop by and say hello.

The Ceremony will be held Saturday at 12:30pm, just outside in the Siren's Cove.
There will be an area cordoned off for our guests, but as it's standing only, you may want to get there a little early and Rochambeau each other for the best spots...and don't worry about standing, it will all be over before you know it.
After the ceremony, you are free to do what you please...but you may want to head over to the Hofbrauhaus sometime around 2pm for our reception luncheon.
(We haven't made up our minds about anything substantial on Saturday night yet.)
Sunday, we're going to try and spend a good portion of our day in the sportsbook lounge, watching football...so make sure and find us before you head out.

So we arrived in Las Vegas this morning...basically without a hitch.
(We give Southwest Airlines a thumbs-up)
One of the flight attendants made an announcement about our upcoming wedding, then she made Rae a bridal veil out of cocktail skewers and a trash bag:

Budget car rental...not so much love for them.

We set a pickup-appointment for 11:15am.
At noon, we were still sitting in comfy chairs, watching Lord of the Rings, wondering why we weren't driving down the strip.
Apparently, the car we ordered was...well...oversold by Budget, but the were willing to have a driver pick us up and take us to the Stratosphere, where we would be given the car we ordered.
Fine.
The driver was a dead-ringer for Confucius. He had the beard an everything, and was about a year shy of 1,000. When we told him where we were from, he explained to us that Philadelphia was the most miserable city on Earth, that he had spend 9 months working on the docks there, and promptly sped up to around 90mph and began weaving in and out of traffic...as if he just wanted to get us out of the van as quickly as possible before we started having a cheesesteak fight and ruined his interior. Oh...and I forgot to mention...the whole time he was speaking, he was simultaneously trying to cough both of his lungs out.
We arrived at the Strat alive, but frightened...where I then had to wait in line because the were understaffed, while Rae stayed with the bags on the curb. By 1:00pm we were on the road, but by this time we were both looking for a fight rather than enjoying the atmosphere.
Thumbs-down to Budget car rental!

The Bridal Shower

While Jake and I visited Seattle this summer my mom threw my a Bridal Shower. The attendee's were all lovely women whom I've had the pleasure of growing up with. They are Aunts, Cousins, Neighbors and Friends. To me, they are all family, and I would not be who I am today without them. Thanks to everyone who attended... I appreciate all of the beautiful gifts.

Me with Nicki:

Cute Lingerie:

If you love us, you'll buy us pretty things.

The following is based on about twelve identical conversations that we had:

Cherished Friend/Relative> Where are you registered?
Us> We're not.
CF/R> What do you mean? When will you register? The BIG DAY is fast approaching!
Us> We aren't going to. If you want to get us something, then pick out something you think we'll like and get it...but don't feel obligated, and don't stress about it. It's not a big deal.
CF/R> That's crazy. You're going to end up with 5 toasters and 50 gift certificates to JCPenney's that way. You HAVE to register, that's the way weddings are traditionally done.
Us> We're getting married on a pirate ship. Do you think we care how things are traditionally done?
CF/R> We want to get you a gift. We want to get you something that you want and can use. A registry will help us do this. If you don't make one, we'll buy you things that you'll just end up taking back anyway...probably to a mall. Think about that for a second. THE MALL...crappy parking...door dings...the food court with pizza that has been sitting for who knows how long...
Us> FINE. We'll register...but we don't have to like it.

Truth is...this registry thing was harder for us than planning the wedding and reception combined. Really.

So here it is:
1. Presents are optional. We didn't invite you for the presents.
2. If you want to get us something, but are short on ideas...here it is.
3. If you have an idea in mind, but you don't see anything on the list that comes close to your idea...go with your idea. The list is stuff we'd like to have; it can't really compare with things that are given from the heart. So either pick out something that you saw that just screams 'Jake & Rae', or check out the registry for some ideas...but either way, don't feel obligated.

So here they are:
Amazon.com, REI.com, and Greenfeet.com
Greenfeet to expand our collection of Earth-friendly stuff, REI because we're outdoorsy hiker types, and Amazon because they have everything else under the Sun and offer free shipping.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/wedding/homepage/
http://www.rei.com/giftregistry
http://store.greenfeet.com/wishlistsearch.asp

We'd love to hear some feedback on this, since it's something that we really struggled with...so send us some email or something.

EDITED NOTE of CLARIFICATION:
Amazon.com offers free shipping on most items.
With REI.com, you can have purchases shipped to our local REI store for pickup and you won't be charged shipping. Our local shop is in Conshohoken, PA.
Greenfeet gets you with shipping...sorry, we tried. (and yes, the colors and quantities on things are correct. We want one of every color. We already have some. Our plan is to mix and match...it's festive and fun, like Rae on Cinco de Mayo. Thanks for humoring us.)
We are also going to register at Bed, Bath & Beyond because people have specifically asked us to pick another store where they could go and see items in person. We'll keep you updated on that.

Let the countdown begin...

5 months until the big day! We are getting so excited, however Jake and I have both been so busy that we're trying to figure out everything that needs to be done. The wedding will be around noon on Saturday, with a lunch reception at 2pm. The invitations will be mailed sometime during July...so be on the lookout.

Answers to FAQ, vol. 1

1. Where are you (meaning Rae & I) staying?
-We're going to stay at Treasure Island, which is also where the ceremony will be, which just makes things easier.

2. How far is Treasure Island from the Airport?
- You're not going to walk it. It's about 4.5 miles.

3. Are there any other good hotels nearby Treasure Island?
- Fine, so you don't want to be a pirate. There are some great hotels within walking distance of TI, tons within driving distance.
Walking: The Mirage, The Venetian, The Wynn, and Casino Royale are all in the immediate vicinity.
Click here for great maps and information on hotels.

4. What's the best way to get around in Las Vegas?
- We've walked all over Vegas, and we swore we'd never do it again. Vegas is deceptive spaced...much in the same way that Washington DC is: things appear much closer than they are.
That being said, the only way to really experience Las Vegas is by walking the strip.
Every hotel offers free valet parking.
There is a trolley that runs the strip from about 9am until about 1am.
The monorail runs behind the hotels on the east side of the strip.
Taxis are everywhere, but if you plan to use them extensively, consider renting a vehicle instead.

5. I'm confused about this Pirate Ship thing...what's the deal?
- Don't feel bad, my mom still can't get her head around it.
We're getting married on the pirate ship at TI, which means that it's an outdoor wedding. It's probably going to be a comfortable low-70's temp, but don't worry, it's going to be a short ceremony. Check the Treasure Island link for more information.

6. Do you have rooms reserved at Treasure Island?
- Yes! We've already blocked off a couple rooms and locked in the rates. If you want to get in on that, then please get in touch with us and we'll give you the information.

7. Isn't it Rhiannon's birthday today?
- Ummm...oh wow, yeah. Ok, that's the last question for now...I have to ummm...go do some stuff.

Save The Date

Our Save The Date cards have been mailed. If you haven't gotten one, it's probably because:

a) You moved and didn't tell us. (possible)
b) No one had your address at mailing time and we are currently employing private investigators to track you down. (possible)
c) We're not as fond of you as you think. (unlikely)
d) You've been victimized by the US Postal Service and they've lost your card. (most likely)

If you didn't get one and you've heard about this site from a friend/relative, then contact us and we'll assure you that you weren't forgotten about and mail you another one.

Where in the World are Our Guests?