!

…from our honeymoon and we are sitting at home enjoying our stocked fridge and clean apartment. (Thanks Maid of Honor) Right now we are just kicking back happy to have all the events behind us. We’re taking lots of deep breaths and enjoying referring to each other as husband and wife.

But we wanted to let you know, first of all, that you made our wedding so phenomenal, and our only regret is not being able to spend more time with you during the weekend and the big day.

And second that this site isn’t dead quite yet. We’re really looking forward to continuing to share photos and stories about the big day and our honeymoon and hearing all about your DC experiences, over the weeks to come.

More to come…
-The Connors

Ladies and Gents,

The wedding weekend has arrived!
I promised myself I would do one last wedding post today.

We’ve made recent updates to the schedule page and the map page.
Please check them out. They contain details about the after party and a Bagels & Mimosas event on Monday morning!

We’ve also started distributing copies of a guide to your weekend. Check out our recommendations on what to do in your down time.

We can not wait to see you all.

Much Love, Bride and Groom.

Only 35 days left till the main event! We are getting really excited!!! And we’ve got 4 important things we want to share with you.

FIRST!

IF YOU WANT A ROOM… BOOK IT NOW! We can only hold the block at the Topaz until September 10^th . That is this coming FRIDAY. The World Trade Organization is having a big meeting in DC that same weekend so a lot of hotels are already booked. Reservations: 800-775-1202

SECOND,

We want to introduce you to our officiant!!! We felt it important, that the person who marry us, knows us, reflects the importance we place in family and community, and is charismatic. So, a few weeks ago, we asked Erin’s Uncle, Dan Harris, to do the honors. And lucky for us he accepted! Read a more about Dan!

THIRD

August was a busy and productive month. We had an exclusive party for professional invitation folders, with visits from both Dan (Brotha-Dan) Harris, and Ben’s parents! Check out this catchup video to see those and a few other pleasant surprises! (Hint: our first wedding gift is AMAZING!)

FOURTH

At the ‘Folding Party’ I pulled some old footage out of the vault and recut it with a new spin.

Back from our trip to India we have loads of progress to report, largely due to Erin’s hard work while I was in Haiti...

With 100 days to go we can report having: a caterer, a wedding dress, one of the weddings rings, a photographer, our honeymoon plans, an officiant, a pastry chef and a florist! Plus we’ve made some serious progress on the registry front! We’d love for you to check out some background info we put together on all our different vendors. And if you are so inclined the registry page is now up and running.

Well it isn’t one of our original hotel suggestions, but we’ve found what we believe is the perfect mix for our out-of-town wedding guests. We’ve reserved 20 rooms at special rates starting at $159 in the Topaz Hotel. The Topaz is smack in the heart of DC, it has large modern rooms, and the bar in the lobby provides a stylish nightlife scene. It’s just feet from the classic Tabard in where the parents of the groom will be staying, and only 2 blocks from the apartment of the Bride and Groom. It’s central location, reasonable rates, and comfortable furnishing make it the perfect location for access to the wedding and DC at large. To obtain the rate and guaranty one of the 20 rooms available in our block you’ll have to book by September 9th.

The Topaz is by no means the only hotel in the area, but we feel that the rate and value they are offering will best serve our guests. If you have any questions about other hotels or neighborhoods, we are more than happy to answer them. We want to help you make the most of your time in our city!

We are still trying to iron out the online booking process but if you call 202-393-3000 and ask to book a room for the Meek/Connors Wedding you should be able to get our special rate and room in our block.

Sorry for the brevity of this post. Erin and I are leaving tonight to visit India for 2 weeks. We are attending the wedding of two of our friends and celebrating the 10th anniversary of our relationship (March 4th). We wanted to make sure we got this information out before we vanished. We’ll be back March 10th and then the wedding logistics will continue.

Love you all,
Ben and Erin

Hi Family and Friends,
We need your input. We are trying to get a good sense of what our wedding guests will need hotel-wise. We are eager to lock in some group rates, so you can all start booking your stays.

We have three favorite hotels in mind. Below you’ll see: descriptions, links and the price points we have been tentatively quoted (tax not included). We’d like you to check out the different locations and tell us your plans. We understand  that this is just preliminary, but it will help us secure the right number of rooms at the right places.

*For those who plan to be here on Columbus day, Erin and I hope to have a group activity planned so we can all spend some more time together!

The Marriott Residence Inn at Courthouse

Located just outside DC in the desirable Courthouse/Clarendon area of Arlington, VA, this hotel is within walking distance of lots of great restaurants, bars and shops. It’s only two stops (10 minutes) to DC from the Metro station located right across the street. Newly opened in 2009, this hotel features spacious studio suites with full kitchens, complimentary buffet breakfast and an indoor pool. (Splash!) If you have a car, on site parking is available at $14 p/day. Quoted group rate $129.00

The Hotel Palomar,

For those who prefer to stay in the heart of DC, this contemporary luxury boutique hotel is located right off Dupont Circle. It is a stones throw away from a metro stop and stumbling distance from plenty of DC nightlife. If you are looking for modern elegance in a prime location, this is a great option. Valet parking with full in-and-out privileges is available for $36 per night, although when in DC it is best to leave the car parked. Quoted group rate $229.00

The Tabard Inn

For those seeking the charm of historic DC, this option is for you. This is a 40 room historic Inn on a quiet street smack in the middle of everything. Rooms range from quaint with shared bath to luxurious with pianos, fireplaces and sitting rooms. National Geographic puts up their photographers here, and the bar/lounge and restaurant are among DC’s finest. Rates vary from $113 – $203 (No special group rate quoted yet)

Fall is a busy and popular time in the DC Metro area, and we know that two large conventions are scheduled for the same weekend; accommodations will be in demand so we will start reserving blocks of rooms next week. Here is what we need from you:

Please leave us a comment with:

• The day you’re planning to come to DC…
• The day you’re planning to leave…
• The hotel where you’d like to stay…
• And how many rooms you expect to occupy.

Thanks so much for your help! We’ll let you know when the “blocks of rooms” are reserved and how to go about booking yours.

**If you want to see the locations  of these hotels on a map…  click on the “maps and details” link at the top of the page. (You’ll have to enter the “guest code number” from your email to see that link)

On the top of this page you’ll see pages by topic. Two of those pages are protected. Enter the code we sent you and you’ll get access to those.  On this, the “Home” page we’ll post general information and fun stuff for those of you who just love wedding planning. We’d strongly suggest that you sign up for our email updates. That way you’ll know when we add important info. We promise not to overwhelm your inbox.

Weddings are all about a sense of community so Erin and I wanted our site to be INTERACTIVE! You can comment on any post.  Don’t wait until the middle of our ceremony to start chatting with each other. Go ahead and introduce yourselves now.

Finally… we want to keep you involved so check back later for ways to:

• Submit Song Requests,
• Volunteer for Wedding Projects,
• Organize Carpooling and
• Upload Photos of Erin and/or me.

-Posted by Groom

Welcome to our website!  After a brief lovely nine year courtship, Ben finally boldly popped the question on March 30, 2009 and we will officially tie the knot on October 10, 2010 in our hometown of Washington, D.C.  We’ve set up this site to provide our family and friends with any and all information about our special day so be sure to check back often!  We can’t wait to see everyone most of you in October!

-Posted by Bride

-Edited by Groom

Why We Picked October 10, 2010:

• We believe ten-ten-ten will look REALLY cool on our invites.
• We’ve been dating 10 years this year, and as Alie pointed out we started dating in tenth grade. (gasp)
• It makes our anniversary incredibly easy to remember.
• It’s the father of the bride’s birthday weekend.
• It’s a THREE-DAY weekend so all of you out-of-towners have time to explore D.C!