Hotels for the Wedding

This is the email I sent out to our immediate family. Please just let me know where you book so that I can look into shuttles from some spots that are nearest to the hotel(s). I am ALL about saving some money, so I figured just giving the list will allow people to find the cheapest hotels/utilize whatever points you may have etc. Thanks!!

Hi Guys,
I priced out hotels (just by going online) for September 4-7. I know some people will be coming earlier, some staying later but figured this was a good range. I didn't try to block rooms because they really didn't give me THAT big of a discount at the 2 hotels I tried. I figured everyone has their own preferences, and possibly points so here's the comprehensive list! All of these hotels are about 20 minutes from The Point. (I wish there were closer hotels but there aren't as the Point is residential) They are about 30 minutes from our house, and the airport as well. (Just different directions) I know that Casey's Aunt Nancy got the Fairfield for 50something/nt. online - she may have used expedia or one of those "name your own" sites but I'm not sure.
Let me know where you guys decide on so that I can try to see how much a shuttle would be from the vacinity of the hotels to the point and back for the wedding.
Thanks!
love
gina

*Holiday Inn Express - 877-863-4780 - this is the ONLY hotel that will NOT give refunds if you don't choose to stay there. As soon as it's booked it's done.
1 King or 2 Queens $90.00

*Fairfield Inn & Suites - 704-663-6100. This is where Casey's Aunt Nancy is staying. They include breakfast. If you have Marriott points you can use them for this hotel.
1 King is $94.00 and 2 Queens are $99.00.

*Wingate Inn - 704-664-4900. They too include breakfast
1 King or 2 Double Beds $76.30

*Sleep Inn- 704-799-7070.
1 King is $89.99. 2 Queens $94.99

*Hampton Inn- 704-660-7700. You can use Hilton points for this hotel.
1 King $129.00 2 Queens $109.00

The above hotels are all grouped together by exit 36. That is where the target and walmart and shopping centers are.
The below hotels are nextdoor to each other off exit 33. They are on the "quieter" side of town. Both sides are nice, the differences being the shopping and dining options. There are more at exit 36 but you can just go up 3 miles and be there in a minute if you stay at 33. I know, I'm rambling but I want to give everyone the best options and ideas of town.

These two hotels are also brand new - they opened within the last year.
*Spring Hill Suites- 704-658-0053. You can use Marriott points here as well. I blocked some rooms here, the price was about $100/nt. When I looked online this is what I found:
1 King OR 2 Queens $169.00

*Hilton Garden Inn- 704-663-6468. You can use Hilton points here as well. I blocked some rooms here too, and the price was about $100/nt. as well. This is what I found online:
I King or 2 Queens $93.00.

There are also three hotels to avoid at any cost. Yes, they're cheaper but yo'ure getting what you pay for here.
Super 8 - 704-662-6188 - $57.38/ 2 queens/nt.
Ramada Inn- 704-664-6556 - $63.20/2 queens or 1 king/nt.
Days Inn- 704-664-6100 - $59.46/2 queens or 1 king/nt.

Let me know if you have any questions or anything!!!

Love,
gina & casey

SNOW MUCH FUN!

So for many of you that live in the North East/Mid West and any of those "other" snowy areas, 6 inches of snow isn't much at all. BUT for those of us that live in the South - 6 inches of snow is cause for a celebration! The last time we had that much snow in Charlotte was about 5 years ago. Hell, we don't even have snow plows to deal with it and it cripples things, which is kind of a nice change of pace. Our snow storm actually started on Friday with all day rain which continued non-stop into Sunday. Sunday evening it turned into a light snow, which progressed and continued all night. We had so much fun!! Shelby is used to snow from going home to Maine for the holidays, but Izzy had never seen snow before. To make matters worse, we had her shaved down last week so the poor thing didn't have any fur to help keep her warm. (She's a golden doodle and while she doesn't shed she gets SERIOUSLY poofy. We shaved her once last year and decided to do it twice a year this year.) We (I) made a snow angel and then a snowman. We also wandered around town cause we couldn't get the cars out of the driveway. As I was telling my co-worker - even if we did have snow shovels you can't shovel a gravel driveway!

Needless to say, we had a fun snow day!

Oh! Well I guess since this is our wedding blog we should actually talk about the wedding! What's new since the last post? Oh! We went to The Point for their bridal show and got some great ideas and tasted some wonderful food! Now the decisions start! I also vetoed silk flowers. I was toying with the idea for the centerpieces because no one lives here. Our wedding won't be like most italian weddings where the older ladies grab the centerpieces and try to smuggle them home at the end of the night. We won't have that. SO I thought silk might be the way to go. Yeah, no. Mom and I went to a silk flower wearhouse and MAN were they tacky! They all look SO fake- which, well, I guess makes sense. I've also gotten the bridemaids presents nearly done and am very excited about that.

I was putzing around the internet and found AMAZING deals on flights from www.usair.com - round trip AND nonstop from most locations was under $200.00!! Hurry hurry! :)

Casey and I also STARTED registering at Target. We got sidetracked looking at things, debating things, and then trying to remember if we registered for them at Macy's. Who knew Target would be that much more fun than Macy's - though I suppose I should have expected that - I could live in Target.

Whew! Ok that's it for now, I'll update more soon, I promise!!

JUST ABOUT SIX MONTHS!! AHH!!

More pictures are on my picasa site: http://picasaweb.google.com/hipechic55/JustSnow?feat=directlink