Thursday, May 23, 2013

We're Making It Official



You can read all about how he asked me, and I said no, then I asked him and he said no, and then I asked him again...but this time I didn't ask, I just told him, right here. But no matter how we finally decided to finally get married after 33 years, we're really doing it. Because we're better together. Just like Jack Johnson sings about.



If you're here at this website you had darn well be someone we invited to the wedding, which should be a very interesting mixture of rough and polished. And Eddie's family will be there too.

Anyhow, here's the details.

Friday, June 21, 2013
6pm
Callahan's Mountain Lodge
7100 Old Hwy 99 South
Ashland, Oregon 97520

Getting there is easy. It's 8 miles south of Ashland at the Mt Ashland exit on I-5 (exit 6). No matter which way you came from, you'll turn left. Just don't get back onto the freeway.

Directions to Callahan's

After the ceremony, we'll have dinner under the stars (if the weather cooperates), and dance to a jazz combo. Eddie's wearing a tux. I'm wearing a classy dress. I'm pretty sure everybody else will be wearing either jeans or ballgowns. So no matter you wear, you should probably fit right in.

There are plenty of places to stay in the area...from camping at Emigrant Lake, the youth hostel downtown (as featured in Cheryl Strayed's book "Lost"), to the posh Ashland Springs Inn. But you're also welcome to stay at Callahan's with us on our wedding night. Well, we plan to have our own room, and no you can't crash on the couch. But the rooms are amazing, they include a hefty credit for breakfast in the restaurant, and there's a special rate for wedding guests. Please get in touch with them asap to reserve your room. (Just let them know you're part of the wedding party. There's a chance that the lodge will fill up, it only has 19 rooms. Last time I checked, there were still a few available.)

Want some other lodging ideas? Click here for a list!
You don't think your presence is a big enough gift? Fiiiiiine. Check this out.

I hope you can make it! Get in touch if you have any questions. You can also always email us at eddieandvalerie@yahoo.com

The Wedding Registry

Registering is for sissies!
OK, actually, it's for people who are far more organized than us.

As you know, the biggest gift you're giving to us is your presence as we get married.

But people have been demanding asking a lot about it, so we are registered at Target. Here's a link to our registry.

Know what else we could really use...Lowe's gift cards! Find out more here.

There are a few things we would really like to do, things that could really use updating in our home. Things that we couldn't imagine asking you to purchase for us (at least not on  your own). These are the kinds of things you'd be contributing to with this type of gift:

A frontloading washing machine and dryer (Eddie is hard on these things. And it has been established that he really hates cleaning gum off the inside of the dryer. Even if it's his. It's always his.) UPDATE: Thanks to the most amazing parents in the world, this one has been taken care of!

A patio dining table, market umbrella and fire pit Something a little larger than the little bistro table we've been using, especially since Eddie has a grand plan to use the cast iron base for one of his wood carving projects.
A new deck If you've been on my deck in the past year, you know why we need to replace it.
Some new fencing for the back yard Something that would be a better deterrent to anyone sniffing around the yard. Something that would keep out the skunks.
A better motion sensor security light system The one I have now only seems to work if you're standing directly underneath it, with one hand on the light, shaking it.

If you prefer cash (who doesn't love cash?), it'll go towards planning a real honeymoon, which we're hoping to take in the winter.

Lodging for the Wedding

So the lodge is all full, too rich for your bones, or you'd just rather hole up somewhere else?
We understand!
Here's several ideas!

The Ashland Mountain House B&B is actually the closest B&B to Callahan's. It's a splurge. Eddie and I stopped by this place last week on our way up to Callahan's, because I wanted to show him what's left of Barron, OR, just south of Ashland, which was listed on the1920 census as the home of Eddie's great great grandfather. It was just a stagecoach stop and post office. Now it's a B&B. Turns out the owner is a huge fan of my radio show, which we found out when we got out of the car, introduced ourselves, and he got excited and hugged me! It's an amazing place. Wish they did weddings. $180-$220.
Ashland Springs Inn ($125-$150) This is the old Marc Anthony, smack in the middle of downtown. 7 story white building, can't miss it.
Village Suites at Ashland Hills ($125-$130) This is the old Ashland Hills Inn, at the south Ashland I-5 interchange, 8 miles from Callahan's.
The Super 8 (also at the south Ashland I-5 interchange) is $75.
The Cedarwood Inn (on Siskiyou Blvd on the south end of town) is also about $75.
The Palm Motel is across from the university & is very cute, with a pool.
The Columbia is also owned by the same people. It's right downtown on the main drag. And it's very European. Which is code for shared bathrooms, but also very cool.
The Ashland Hostel is a few blocks from the center of town right next door to my former house back in my college days, and rates range from $29 (for a bunk) to $40, $60 & $89 (they even have private rooms!). And it was featured in the book "Wild" by Cheryl Strayed!
There is also the opportunity to camp at Emigrant Lake. They have both tent and RV sites ($20-$40).
And then of course, there's always the option of sleeping in your car. But you're on your own there.