So I'm planning my wedding reception — I got married last year at San Francisco City Hall — and to no one's surprise it's a stressful time because it's so damn expensive.

People, why.

I'm all about paying people what they deserve (as a freelance Art Director I definitely know the pain of the occasional client not willing to understand why I can charge what I do), but at the same time, my little wedding reception of 50 should not cost the same as a downpayment on a home in the Bay Area.

I'm looking for smaller intimate venues to party with my people in a small way and I'm becoming increasingly frustrated by the literal absence of sensible options. Even non-wedding venues have a wedding venue markup I'm finding — parks, backyards, restaurants, etc.  I have a fantastic and very reasonably priced Houghton slip dress being recut and tailored to the minimalist dress of my dreams as I type this, and my hopes are building that this is going to be as beautiful and emotional as I imagine it, but simultaneously I am losing all hope of sticking to any sort of budget. I'm all about making concessions for achieving a cheaper whatever, but this industry is just so not flexible. I'm feeling boxed in! I'd kill for a friend with a killer house somewhere in the middle of nowhere that I could settle in for a weekend and make my own. 

Anyway. Rant over. The fight continues. — I'm not done yet!

Look at those pretty pictures. Happy Friday. Etc.