Wedding Pictures

Finally, after what seemed like forever but in reality was only about two months, here are some pictures of the big day. More to come shortly, think of these as an appetizer:

Stuff to Do, Stuff to Eat

Not that the two of us will have much time to frolic in the shade of the Rockies (this is turning out to be less of a vacation than we had hoped), but you might. And we are thinking of you. In your honor, here are some ideas for things to do and eat:

Breakfast:

Boulder is a breakfast town. Expect lines where ever you are. Dinner is a different story. Good luck finding something after 9:00. That's not a joke.

1. Dot's Diner- two locations, the one on the Hill usually has a longer wait, but it is worth it. They have THE best biscuits in town. For a breakfast town, that's saying a lot.
1333 Broadway, Boulder - (303) 447-9184

View Larger Map

2. Lucile's- an easy second for the biscuits. Cajun breakfast food. Also Sonja's old employer. It's her vote for the best breakfast. Even though she did get sick of eating grits every day, she will be back for a bite.
2124 14th Street
Web site

3. Foolish Craig's- great crepes. Good for lunch too. On Pearl Street, so it's an easy walk to the mall, where you can see the Jamaican contortionist.
1611 Pearl Street
Web site

Lunch:

1. Mountain Sun- a brewery and burgers place where we considered having our rehearsal dinner. In a typical Boulder fashion, all the servers have dreadlocks and mushrooms are painted on the walls.
1535 Pearl Street
Web site

2. The Kitchen- slightly more upscale than Mountain Sun (read: the dreadlocked servers have Ph.D.s). All locally grown, mostly organic produce.
1039 Pearl Street
Web site


3. Hapa- the Japanese word for a person who is half-Japanese, half-American. As you might expect, sushi with a slightly more western take.
1117 Pearl Street
Web site


Stuff to Do Besides Eat:

1. Drive up Canyon Road. This road leads into the mountains and eventually into Nederland, which is what Boulder was before the hippies left. The Boulder Creek runs all the way along the edge. It's gorgeous, and there are a lot of little hiking trails off the sides. Here's a map with directions to Canyon Road from the Broker Inn:


View Larger Map

2. Drive up Flagstaff. An incredible, twisted road that makes you really feel like you're in the mountains. If your car has bad brakes, skip this one. There are a lot of shorter hiking trails all along here and scenic pull-offs where you can see all the way to Denver. The best thing about this route is that you pass Chautauqua Park, also a great place to hike or get married (like on Saturday at 4:00). Another map from the Broker Inn:


View Larger Map

3. Rent bicycles- Boulder is a serious biking town. Don't try to ride up Flagstaff, you will never walk again.
University Bicycles- ubikes.com
Full Cycle- fullcyclebikes.com

4. Celestial Seasonings Tea Factory- You can take a tour of this tea factory, whose headquarters is just outside Boulder. There's a mint room to calm your nerves if you have had a lot of wedding planning to do recently and feel a little stressed- oh, wait, that's just us.
Web site

5. Pearl Street Mall- It's not like a regular mall, it's an outdoor walking mall. Stores and street performers galore. Good place to people watch and get an idea of what Boulder is like.
Here's the Wikipedia entry:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pearl_Street_Mall

Maps to Chautauqua Green and Sunflower

As you may recall from your invitation, our ceremony will be held at the Chautauqua Green. The reception will follow at Sunflower.

If you click on"view larger map," it will lead you to the Google Maps page with complete directions for those of you who prefer words over maps.

Directions:

From Denver to Chautauqua via the Boulder Turnpike (36):


View Larger Map

From the Boulder Broker Inn to Chautauqua:


View Larger Map

From Chautauqua Park to Sunflower Restaurant (1701 Pearl Street):


View Larger Map

Just a little picture for your relaxation.

If you check today's weather for Colorado, you're likely to see a blinding storm of snow. The great thing about that state is that in two weeks (it's coming so quickly!) there's a strong possibility that it will look like this photograph.

Fingers are crossed. Counting down the days.

Expect a post soon with a top ten list for Boulder. We'll include ideas for short (or long) hikes, restaurants, etc. Maybe the post will just be hikes and restaurants, because that's pretty much what you do in Boulder. It's not New York City, we don't have Broadway show recommendations. Just enjoy the nature. And the food.

NYT Writes up Boulder

The New York Times recently published an article about Boulder's Bouldery-ness. You might want to take a look at it to see what you are entering, or reentering.

Be prepared to recycle.

Twenty-Five Square Miles Surrounded by Reality
by Florence Williams

The Gift Registry

So we finally came up with a list of items that would make our lives more adult and/or cozy. The highlighted names are links to the sites:

Bed Bath & Beyond: Registry #3839838. Just go to Bridal and Gift Registry. It's listed under Sonja Semion.

Crate & Barrel: On main menu go to Gift Registry/Give a Gift. It's listed under Courtney Law. There is another registry with an uncannily similar name (Courtney Laws), so watch out for that one.

CB2: Crate & Barrel's younger, art-school educated sister. On main menu, go to Gift Registry/Give a Gift. It's also listed under Courtney Law.

West Elm: They do not have a registry, but we would love a gift card.

We are also interested in matching motorcycle helmets. Once we find some we like, we will update the blog.

The RSVP Poll

If you're looking at this blog, it is likely that you have received your invitation. That gives us faith in the postal service once again.

This blog is set up to provide detailed information about our ceremony in a public forum. We have posts about hotels, ceremony information, and FAQs. More will be added as we get closer to April.

You have probably seen this RSVP poll feature. You may have added your name to the vote. We love seeing it change, but unfortunately it does not allow us to capture any information from you. You are welcome to add your vote to this feature, but please send an e-mail to whowearsthedress@gmail.com to let us know who you are, if you are bringing a guest, and whether you need any meal accommodations.

Thank you for visiting our blog. We look forward to seeing you in April.

Some FAQs

This post is to address a common set of questions we have been asked regarding our nuptials.

Q. Why Boulder? Is same-sex marriage legal there?
A. Uh, no. In terms of places that will sanction same-sex marriages, Colorado will probably come after Mississippi. There is no need to get into a political discussion about Focus on the Family, but let's just say that it's going to be a while for that state (or even the liberal city of Boulder) to recognize such unions.

We chose Boulder for a few reasons. Firstly, when Courtney was an undergraduate at CU Boulder, she saw a wedding at the Chautauqua Green (our location) and decided that if she were to marry, this would be the place. Secondly, all of you would kill us if we asked you to come to New York City and pay $300 a night for a hotel. Thirdly, Boulder is where Courtney and Sonja met. Even though the relationship was not official until we became New Yorkers, it seems like a good place to come full circle.

Q. Traveling to Boulder is expensive. I'm not sure I can afford it.
A. It absolutely is. We understand that not all of you will be able to afford the trip, but we hope to see you. We have secured a pretty good rate for the Broker Inn (see previous post). The rate is good for up to four people per room. E-mail us- we may be able to introduce you to a potential roommate, or someone to share a rental car with. Boulder also has a pretty great bus system that goes all over town and some decent options for cheap food. Just let us know what you need.

Q. Is this a marriage? A commitment ceremony? A civil union?
A. All of the above. We have referred to it in a number of ways and you are welcome to as well.

Q. Why not have your ceremony in a place that recognizes same-sex unions?
A. There are only five states that allow civil unions: Oregon, New Jersey, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Vermont. Massachusetts recognizes same-sex marriages, but couples actually have to live there to qualify. If we did go to one of these states and get "civil unioned" or married, the partnership would not be recognized by any other state. We support those states (and those couples) that have acted as trailblazers, but our reasoning not to have our ceremony in any of these locations is more complicated than that, but at the same time very simple. First and foremost, this is about us and our love. While the country debates this issue, we want to announce to our friends and family that we have chosen to commit to each other.

As an aside, we do believe that same-sex marriage will happen in our lifetimes. If you want to read more about the issue, or to help in whatever way you feel comfortable, check out this site: http://www.freedomtomarry.org.

Q. Do you have a gift registry?
A. Yes, but this is not the reason you are invited to come. We want your presence, not your presents. (Courtney gets credit for that line, btw). If you want to give us a gift, we will welcome it, but it is not necessary, especially if you are emptying your savings account to come to our wedding. As of this post, we are still updating our registry and will provide details either in a later post or upon e-mail request.

Q. Should I take it personally that I was not asked to be part of the wedding party?
A. Nope. We decided not to have a wedding party. We are simple women. There will most likely be a part in the ceremony where we ask our guests to give us a blessing for our union. We would love it if you participated in that way.

Q. Why doesn't the invitation include an R.S.V.P. card?
A. We are trying to minimize the paper and petrol used to send these things across the country. We have this site that can be updated with all pertinent information, and an e-mail address to capture all R.S.V.P. information. We will send out any updates via the e-mail address you use to R.S.V.P., but be sure to check the blog as well.

Q. Can I bring a date/partner/friend?
A. Sure. All we ask is that you include this information in your R.S.V.P. (send an e-mail to whowearsthedress@gmail.com).

Q. Who is going to officiate your ceremony?
A. We found someone from the Psychic Horizons Center in Boulder. She is a reverend, and pretty in tune with what we wish to express. It's Boulder, so we're allowed to be total hippies about this and have a psychic reverend marry us.

Q. Who is wearing the dress?
A. Both of us are. J Crew, if you must know. And no, they are not white.

Group Rate for Hotel

For all of you out-of-towners we have secured a great group rate for the Boulder Broker Inn. The rooms are available from 4/23-4/28 at $79 a night- which includes breakfast. The rate is for two beds, good for up to four people. This is an unbelievable deal for Boulder. The Broker is very close to Broadway, which has a major bus line leading to Pearl Street, and the Super Shuttle service to the Denver airport stops in their parking lot.

To reserve a room call 800-338-5407 and mention the "Law-Semion group" by April 1.