Two Wishes

Gocco lost, Gocco found....

It's here!  It's here!  After many months of waiting (more on THAT below), I finally have a new Gocco in hand!

I have wanted one of these babies since reading about them in the very first issue of Craft magazine.  At the time, though, the company had stopped making Goccos, and even if you picked up a used version there was no guarantee of future supplies.  I've already seen the supply chain cut off for one of my hobbies, and the resulting feeding frenzy was a pricey nightmare.  Plus, the expense was hard to justify for just a hobby....

But then, along came wedding invitations!  And the company started production of new Goccos.  And life seemed rosy.  I went on Ebay and purchased a PG-11 for the amazing price of $117 after shipping.

Unfortunately, it never showed.  I waited and waited, getting more and more jealous every time someone on Weddingbee mentioned Gocco.  I emailed the seller multiple times, asking about the tracking and insurance.  No answer.  Finally, I turned to Ebay's Dispute Resolution (Item Not Received) process, only to learn that the dispute must be opened within 60 days of purchase and I'd missed the cutoff.  Thank heavens for my first rule of expensive and/or international Ebay purchases -- always pay with a credit card.  I contacted my card company, and hopefully will receive a refund through the chargeback process.

Meanwhile, I researched all the available purchase options and once again decided Ebay was my best bet.  But this time, I went with a long-established seller with 100% positive feedback!  For those of you who are considering Goccos of your own (and I know you're out there!), here's what I learned in the purchase process:

-  Most Goccos for sale are the basic model, called PG-5 (formerly B6).  Rarely, you come across a PG-11 (formerly PG-10), which is the same size but makes for easier multi-color prints.  There's also the PG-Arts (formerly B5), which makes bigger prints but is MUCH more expensive.

- Ebay generally has the lowest prices, even if you factor in roughly $45 express shipping from Japan.  I paid $175, after shipping, for a brand-new PG-11 from seller PrintAddict.  In contrast, PG-6s run roughly $145 after shipping.  You can also find Goccos on Etsy from sellers like feltcafe, PrintAddictJapan (same as my Ebay seller), and alittlegoodness.

- If you'd prefer to order from the US, one excellent source is Northwood Studios.  They had the PG-11 and a basic kit of supplies for roughly $250 after shipping.  If you factor in the cost of supplies, this was only about $25 more than what I paid on Ebay.  But I'm cheap, and I also wanted to pick my exact ink colors rather than relying on the basic kit.  I did order all my start-up supplies (ink, extra bulbs, masters, etc.) from Northwood, and they had excellent customer service.  A good list of other US suppliers is available on SaveGocco.

- Looking for more information or tutorials?  In additional to all you'll find on Weddingbee (link goes to a comprehensive list of posts), there's a huge set of links here.

Now ... to figure out what exactly to print.  Invitations are hard!

Based on the amount of discussion on the boards, it seems there's a lot of interest in Gocco out there.  Do you plan to use a Gocco for your invitations or other wedding items?

Hey, this wedding might actually happen....

'Cause we finally found a place to hold the ceremony!!

Finding a ceremony site has befuddled us for months now.  Neither of us attends a church that would be an automatic choice.  And while I was technically open to finding some random church for the ceremony, as a non-Christian the idea made me a bit uncomfortable, as if I'd be sending mixed signals in some way....

If you're foregoing a church for your wedding ceremony and on a budget besides, where does one go?  We considered several places owned by the National Park Service.  Including this location in Lafayette Park, which has a rather striking backdrop:

But March weather can be questionable.  And, though the Park Service apparently does allow chairs in its event permits, it does not allow tents.  (I never actually got around to contacting them; this is all hearsay from a friend who got married on the National Mall during cherry blossom season.)  Anyway, tent rentals are so expensive that they would take away from the budget aspect of the park locations.  Overall, we basically spent months (note summer clothes in the photo!) paralyzed by thoughts of "Gee, I like the parks but fear the cold March rain."

This month I finally started scouring the Internet for indoor sites.  And, after stumbling aimlessly from link to link for hours, came across The Athenaeum:

Located in painfully charming Old Town Alexandria (VA), The Athenaeum was built in 1851 and originally housed the Bank of the Old Dominion.  It served as Commissary Headquarters for the Union Army during the Civil War (no word on what Old Dominion customers like Robert E. Lee thought of that!) and then returned to banking.  After the bank failed in 1905, the building spent 20 years as a talcum-powder-grinding facility for a local Apothecary, and then nearly 40 years as a Methodist Church preaching to what was then Alexandria's red-light district.  It was bought by the Northern Virginia Fine Arts Association in the 1960s and now hosts art exhibits, children's ballet classes, and special events in the local arts.

Inside is just a beautifully blank room with lots of light:

(Image from the NVFAA website.)

The iron railing at the back of the room is a staircase that leads up from the basement, so that's probably how I'll make the big bridal entrance.  (Praying that I don't trip on my unaccustomed high heels and break my leg on the way up!)  There's also a nice, brick-walled garden out back for photos.

Renters must be NVFAA members, but it's easy enough to join.  Rental fees are $150/hour. 

Are you holding your wedding ceremony somewhere other than a church?  Any unusual spots that people might not have considered?

Engagement Photos!

It seems to be engagement photo season around here these days -- I know several of the Bees have just gotten theirs back. And, so have we!

As you may recall, we were originally torn over whether to have a professional photographer for the wedding.... But it turns out hiring Punam Bean was a fantastic decision. She was a joy to work with, and we're in love with the engagement photos. Now we can't WAIT for the wedding pics!!

We traveled up to NYC for the photos, since that's where Punam Bean lives. (FYI, for anyone who needs to travel between DC and NYC, there's a new $25 bus with guaranteed reservations and wireless Internet onboard -- you can't beat it!) It was freezing all day and drizzled off and on, but we had a great time. Started the afternoon at South Street Seaport:

The area seemed to be ruled by seagulls. We were even buzzed by a seagull flyby. (Me: "I only have eyes for you, Mr. T." Mr T: "Well, maybe you should spare some for the enormous bird flying right at your head!"):

Then we traveled to the DUMBO neighborhood in Brooklyn, where I used to lived. There are lots of magazine photo shoots taken here, and my old roommate and I wax nostalgic whenever we come across one in a magazine. Many of them are shot on this street, with the Manhattan Bridge in the background:

And at the end of the afternoon, we ended up at a playground! (I love this next shot because of the grafitti underneath us, which we didn't notice till we saw the photo.... Also for the glimpse of the Brooklyn Bridge in the background.)

Finally, as we were packing up and some serious drizzle started, we noticed a patch of what looked like grass made of fiber optic lights, growing in a park along the river. And came away with this magical shot:

A few lessons learned from our e-pic session:

1. We were both really nervous because we tend to be shy in front of a camera. But it turned out to be fun just walking around together and exploring. The photographer takes so many pictures that you start to forget she's there. And when in doubt, you can always smooch! We clearly took full advantage of the smooching option. But it was great for neutralizing our tendency for goofy facial expressions....

2. Don't worry too much about what you're going to wear. Basics like color matter much more than the intricacies of style. I agonized over the issue, changing clothes multiple times before we left. (In summer, a flirty sundress or vintage skirt would be so easy. But what do you wear when it's 30 degrees?) And as it turned out, we never took off our coats!

3. Similarly, don't worry too much about location. Sure, sometimes fun locations (like Miss Petunia's amusement park) can make for equally fun pictures. But you can also get great photos on the street, on a bench, against a wall, wherever....

What words of wisdom for engagement pictures (or any pictures!) would you share with everyone?

More Fun With Themes: Paris

Hi everybody -- we're back from Paris!  Mr. T and I had a great time, and I can't wait to tell you all about it!  But in the meantime, I came back with a terrible cold and can barely think straight, so pretty pictures seem a nice, slow way to start.  Here are some Paris items, in honor of the WeddingBee brides who are using a Paris theme for their wedding or showers:

 

As always, you can click on the photo for a larger version. Images, from top to bottom and left to right:

1. Martha Stewart's fabulous cake, made to look like boxes from high-end grocer Fauchon and sprinkled with macaroons. (For a traditional French wedding cake, try a croquembouche of caramel-coated puff pastry. You can find a recipe here.)

2. Eiffel Tower painted on whimsical cookie favors, from Invitastions.

3. Toile patterns are a nicely subtle way to set a French mood. These fabric envelopes are $2.99 each from Bliss Weddings.

4. Fleur de Lis patterns offer another subtle French touch. This wrapping paper is from Midori Ribbon, which also offers Eiffel Tower paper in red, as well as a harlequin motif, crowns, and even Napoleonic bees. (Midori Ribbon papers are $4 per sheet at Romantic Flowers.) Elegant brocade designs, like this paper from Elum Designs, are another option.

5. Paris invitations from Renaissance Writings, $8.98 each with the pictured components.

6. Classic Eiffel Tower for cake topper or decoration, $225 at French-themed VintageWeave. Glass versions are available here.

7. Macaroons are wildly popular these days. And nobody makes them like Laduree.

8. Ribbon with French sayings like "Merci" (thanks) and "Je t'aime" (I love you), $3 for 2 yards, and Eiffel Tower charms, 5 for $3.75. Both from Impress Rubber Stamps.

9. Amazing paper cut-out of the Paris skyline. Available for $45 from Etsy seller Nikolya.

10. Though lavender is technically from Provence, lavender favors evoke a French feel. These simple tied bouquets of dried lavender are $2.90 per bundle from Splendid Palate. Provence lavender is also available here.

11. This paper does double-duty: wrapping, and finding your way around Paris! Paris map paper, $3.50 per sheet at Broadway Paper.

12. A bright Eiffel Tower felt tote from Plum Party would be great for holding bridesmaid or shower-hostess gifts. (Unfortunately, they seem to be currently out of stock. But here's a $15 tote from Etsy.) And you could fill it with items like elegant pastille candies, French home products, and the very funny language guide "Wicked French".

13. These French-themed labels are just one sample of the vast array of paper goods on Etsy. This enormous set of 80 paper tags would take care of many placecards or welcome-bag tags. Or you can find other Paris-themed items here, here, here, and here.

Are you incorporating a Paris theme into any of your wedding-related events? What other items or fun suggestions have you come across?