This weekend, Mandy and I took a trip to Detroit to get away from the status quo for awhile and relax. We visited the Detroit Hard Rock Cafe, got a massage, and did some shopping at the Somerset Collection. Had a really great time!

On a somewhat related note, I got Bloc Party's new album “Weekend in the City” from eMusic, which is one of the best new albums I've heard in a long time. A perfect soundtrack for our weekend in the city.

Eric and I are quickly flying through our monthly to-dos on The Knot's handy checklist. I've ordered my dress, my fabulous bridesmaids have selected their classy J.Crew dresses, AND we finally found the perfect spot for our reception! After scrutinizing my Dad's pictures over email--planning long distance is NOT easy!--we are thrilled about finding the Mill Street Grill. Its hardwood floors and columns enveloped in white lights will radiate the perfect glow for some romantic reception dancing. It also worked out that the hotel, reception and rehearsal dinner, situated in Staunton's historic downtown, are all located within walking distance of one another. Staunton (pronounced STAN-ton) is the birthplace of President Woodrow Wilson and was one of the few towns in the Shenandoah Valley to escape the Civil War unscathed. Many of its 18th and early 19th century homes and buildings still stand and are wonderfully preserved. Personally, I'm excited about riding the city's trolley to explore the 10 or so art galleries located downtown as part of Staunton's Fourth Fridays Gallery Open House.

About NotObvio.us

In early September of the year 2004, Mandy appeared at a Michigan Christian Grads (MCGrads) meeting sporting a Guster t-shirt. Eric was there leading the worship band; as he began to croon Waterdeep’s Those Who Trust, it was love at first sight for Mandy. As Eric glanced at Mandy across the room, he knew he had to make a point of talking to her after the meeting. By 8:48pm on October 24th, 2004, after a Death Cab for Cutie concert, a fantastic Thai dinner, a poignant prison poetry reading, a game of Egyptian Rat Killer, and lunch at Angelo’s, Mandy received a life-changing e-mail from Eric. It read:

Mandy,

I had a fantastic time with you this weekend. In case it's not obvious, I think you're pretty amazing...

Those brief words spawned an epic romance.

About Mandy

Mandy grew up in Harrisonburg, VA, and developed a passion for children, poetry, and nature at an early age. After teaching sixth grade language arts and science for four years in Charlottesville, VA, she decided to journey out to the Midwest to pursue a master's degree in education at the University of Michigan. She just graduated from U of M in December and is currently formatting middle school science curriculum for the University and substituting in area schools. She plans to return to teaching in the fall.

About Eric

Eric grew up in Kansas City and spent many a day engrossed in music, playing the piano, strumming the guitar, and singing, especially songs by his favorite band, U2. Eric attended Grove City College and is currently the Director of Campus Life at Concordia University in Ann Arbor. Eric is also finishing up his Ph.D. in Higher Education at the University of Michigan.

About the Engagement

On Mandy’s birthday (November 6, 2005), after a mouthwatering dinner at Carson's, Eric began to ask his famous "birthday questions" (a set of questions Eric asks his friends to allow them to reflect on the previous year). Mandy and Eric were both sharing their answers, but when it came to the best memory from the previous year, Eric was elusive in his response, replying only with a little smirk of a grin. Instead, to share his favorite memory, Eric drove Mandy to U of M's Wave Field, the spot they reclined against the wave-like grassy hills, gazed at the stars, and shared their first kiss. Eric handed Mandy a small box, and Mandy, expecting a necklace or such for her birthday, was completely shocked to find a ring (and an amazingly beautiful and unique one at that)! Beneath the starlight (with some help from Eric’s keychain flashlight), Mandy discovered that Eric had designed the ring just for her!

About the Wedding

Mandy and Eric will be married on May 27, 2006 at Mandy’s childhood place of worship, Dayton United Methodist Church, in Dayton, VA. The ceremony will begin at 3:00 PM with a reception following at Mill Street Grill in Staunton--make sure to bring your dancing shoes!

Retirement Home

Ever's Fried Chicken Buffet

James Madison University Cafeteria

Mandy's High School Gymnasium

Barn decorated with Confederate flags and stuffed Grizzlies

So, I have joined the exciting world of blogs and of course, wedding planning, woo wee! It's very thrilling and yet a tad bit overwhelming. Anyways, so what's new and interesting in the world of Eric and Mandy wedding planning? Well, we are trying to select that perfect spot for our reception. Eric and I, like I’m sure all couples, would like our day to be special and “unique.” So, we’ve been scouring the beautiful Shenandoah Valley for all available options. We checked out a retirement home, which had some lovely light-blue wallpaper, but some potentially conflicting smells, and Evers restaurant, which ignited in Eric an excitement for some good ole Southern home cooking. We also strolled through the soup and salad food service islands at James Madison University’s student center, which overlooks JMU’s swan-inhabited lake. We considered my old high school gymnasium, but that would mean our first dance would have to be to Stairway to Heaven, the favorite song of my awkward high school dances so long ago. We even checked out a couple of barns— one was refurbished to commemorate a nearby Civil War battle, decorated with Confederate flags, stuffed bears, and deer heads.

Hmm...which place would you choose?? I hope Eric and I can arrive at the right decision before this weekend!

Update: You can now vote in our official reception poll.