erik and kari

Dec. 20: A busy day for us in terms of reception site shopping. After looking at 5 sites in person and numerous websites, our heads were spinning! I traveled to Charlotte with a mission in mind: finding a site before the clock rang 2006! I could feel the pressure brewing with thoughts of other couples getting engaged over the hoilday and knew that we needed to make a decision and run with it. We talked it over and decided that we wanted 3 things out of our reception site.

1. Some character. We were tired of seeing the bland hotel ballrooms with "busy" carpeted floors and textured wallpaper.
2. We wanted a place the would break the piggy bank and leave us on a PB&J diet! j/k
3. We REALLY wanted a place with an outdoor patio option! Why bring people from across the country to enjoy controlled air? The south is WONDERFUL in the fall!

We started out in the morning with The Palmer Building, a building that has a mysterious history on our blog site (an anonymous poster recommended it to us in October. WHO ARE YOU?)

From the minute we walked into this 1930's rubble structure building, that once served as the fire school, my gut told me this was it. We were greeted by a sweet southern twanging host named Beryl. She took us through all the info, and shot us straight about prices and telling us how it was with all the freedom we would have if we chose them. We hugged Beryl goodbye and told her we would be in touch.

Next, we travled downtown to a site outside the Bank of America Stadium, the home of the Carolina Panthers! What we went to see was a developing building that was booking receptions for 2006, but was new to the scene. The Roof with a View is a work in progress that has excellent potential and has a unique charm that will be something special when they are finished with all the details. The price was great, but I wasn't overwhelmed with the experience. I would love to check this place out in 2 years, but we needed something FAST!

We went home and talked it over. We needed a night to sleep on it. So the next morning Kari left for Indy and I headed back to Greenville.

Dec. 26: After Kari weighed out the facts and figures, Kari and Marvin (Kari's Dad) signed the paperwork for our reception at The Palmer Building via fax.

WE HAVE A RECEPTION on... drumroll...........SEPT. 30 2006! GET EXCITED!

NOW ON TO PLANNING A CEREMONY! YIKES!

-ERA