After a whirlwind weekend in the Florida Keys, we think we have accomplished what we set out to do. We found a wonderful place for our wedding called Coconut Cove and have set a date: October 6, 2007.

But let’s see what all happened around all of this.

Friday:

Left work early, didn’t reserve any hotels for the weekend but flew into Ft. Lauderdale, rented a car and reached Key Largo looking for vacant hotels. Checked into one of two rooms still open at the Bayside Resort around midnight which was one of the places we wanted to look into anyways.

Saturday:

Got up at 7:30, started down Key Largo and stopped in one wedding location after another. The good thing was, we really did some thorough research before we left. We just hit one after the other on our list. Stopped at Coconut Cove and stayed for much longer than we intended because we were really drawn to it.

We continued on our way to Key West and found a few other wonderful options as well along the way. Yet again, no hotel reservations, in the middle of peak season, at the start of spring break, we were saved by a pit stop to the welcome center where someone was able to book us a really expensive room. One of the very few left in all of Key West.

Went through all the wonderful historical homes in Key West that we had set up appointments with that would host a wedding. There was Mangoes restaurant which was beautiful, but there was a club upstairs which was where our semi-private reception would be held and the manager told us that they wouldn’t close the restaurant down for our reception without a hefty fee. So at the end of the night as our reception was winding down, he would make our space open to the public and anyone off the street would come to Greg and Selena’s dance party at that point. He told us this as if it was a sell. Greg and I deliberated this as we stood around a table made of an oversize Red Bull can.

The Hemingway House is another popular site, but I was not enticed by the 60 mutant cats on premises. Especially with my allergies, the last thing I needed was to break out in hives at the alter while my maid-of-honor picked six-toed kitties off of my train.

We spend the rest of the night exploring, thinking we deserved a break at that point. We stopped in a beautiful New Orleans looking bar with roof top entertainment. There was a bouncer. I guess we missed the sign saying clothing optional. Greg took one look around the bar, saw 4 or 5 completely nude men (and one in question) and we decided that we prefered some of the other floors in this bar.

Sunday:

More exploring in Key West and started back. Stopped in Coconut Cove again, this time really sat down with the owners, stayed much too long again, and left with a decision that this was the place for us.

Got to Ft. Lauderdale, again didn’t book a room, but this time it was much easier to get one, being a Sunday in Ft. Lauderdale. After all the expenses on rooms, we booked the cheapest one we found this time. As we were making the decision of whether or not we should book this, a couple pulled up. A man hastily jumped out of the car and went to the office. We walked in to book the room just as the man was leaving. We overheard him say, “…oh, you DON’T do that here? Okay. Nevermind.” And he darted out and sped off with his skanky looking partner. Greg said, “Thank God. I would have been really mad if we had lost our room to a couple that was trying to rent by the hour.” Quality.

Monday:

5:00 a.m., we get ready to leave. Airport mess occurs when I forget a ziploc bag for my liquids. I end up needing to go through security again, except I have left my ID inside the gate with Greg. I try to tell the security woman this, but she will not let me get within 10 feet of her. I am yelling my dilemma to her as she is screaming back, “STOP! Don’t come here!” and reaches into her pocket. I am traumatized by the experience.

We arrive in DC, we both put in a work day, we get together with our parents for dinner, and we go to bed and crash without waking up until this morning.