after deciding to nix our "big, fat, stressful wedding," and choosing instead to plan a sweet & simple ceremony the morning before we leave for jamaica, i started thinking that maybe family, friends, and us(!!) may feel a little jipped after all the fuss we've made. yes, it's true that i didn't want to get sucked into all of that planning and the stress of whether or not i could appease everyone, so i am happy about that. however, i was looking forward to the memories we'd create of our wedding day spent with everyone. we can all be a crazy bunch and even just a few hours of hanging out will be enough for us. we had to think of something, even if it was just a small get together.

sooo, we decided to take jolee (chancellor's momma) up on her offer of renting out the community center in her neighborhood for a small reception after the ceremony. it holds 120 people, including tables and chairs!! has a kitchen, a courtyard, and playground for the kiddos!! AND it's a mere $75 for the day!!!

i'll be able to decorate it the way i planned for "the big wedding" and utilize all the diy projects i've been working on! yay!! i can still have the wedding i spent so much time and energy planning, but on a smaller scale that i'm more comfortable with. a morning/afternoon ceremony/reception is far less formal than a saturday evening "wedding." soo much better!

now, we were throwing around the idea of having brunch catered at "the big wedding" because a) it's our (well, my) favordist meal of the day and b) it's generally cheaper than dinner fare. now that we're having the ceremony in the morning, brunch afterward is a no brainer. my aunt insisted that we should still look into having it catered to alleviate day-of stress... however, finding a caterer and paying for it gets me stressed just thinking about it. i can TOTALLY do this myself. well, with help=)

here's what i came up with:

• a waffle station, complete with mix-ins like berries, nuts, and chocolate chips

• a variety of frittatas, potatoes, bacon, sausage, and cheese!!

• seasonal fruits and juices


• a variety of muffins and yummy flavored butters (including the pumpkin butter that was such a hit in our house last year)

• and beverages, of course. still trying to decide if we need to budget for the extra fees that come along with having alcohol at the site. mimosas and bloody marys just seem crucial. saving money on catering may allow for this extra. or i could just spike the juice=)

all of this will be much cheaper than a catered affair and sooo easy to do, don't you think? if you do think so, you can totally bake me a dozen muffins or prepare a fritatta casserole and i'll be much obliged.

i love that it'll remain casual but still make for a memorable, special day.

what do you think? am i crazy or should i just go for it and cater my own wedding=)