We've got an officiant

JC & I decided to have a civil ceremony for our wedding so we've been searching for officiants in the Stonington area. Connecticut laws state that we can only get our license in Stonington, and Justices of the Peace are elected in Connecticut, so we had a short list to interview. Fortunately, Chaz Zezulka was on the top of that list.

To open our first phone conversation, Chaz told me that he'd met me a few years ago at a David Copperfield show at Foxwoods. Apparently we go way back! He also asked me close to a million questions that I didn't have answers to, making me acutely aware of how little JC & I have planned for this part of our wedding. I guess we thought we'd show up, a little man would say "Man and Wife", and then we'd have food, friends, and fun!

(Chaz actually mentioned that he doesn't say "Man and Wife," he says "Husband and Wife" because, really, how archaic is that?)

Clearly JC & I have some more planning to do but we can breathe a sigh of relief now because Chaz has performed hundreds of ceremonies and is more than happy to help us along the way. He's pretty fun, too, which should make for a more interesting ceremony. Doesn't he look fun??

Finalizing the Menu

I spent 2 1/2 hours last night on the phone w/ Anna, our caterer, finalizing the wedding menu. (Ok, we actually only discussed the menu w/ JC for one hour and then Anna and I chatted about anything and everything for the next 90 minutes...honestly, I love her! My new best friend...)

JC & I had a lot of input into our menu (shocker) since the food is so important to us. I'll leave most of it for a surprise, but expect classic JC & E: Fresh. Local. Seasonal. Delicious. I'm talking fresh off the boat New England seafood (lobster, crab, scallops), local farm cheeses (Cato Corner Farm), artisan breads (no, I'm not letting JC bake the bread because I don't want to be sneezing for our whole wedding), and late summer seasonal fruits and vegetables. My mouth is already watering!

Connecticut's hottest dj

I can't believe we actually did this, but we booked our dj without even talking to him, let alone hearing/seeing his work.

For 2 people as obsessed w/ data and research as JC & I, to not even interview or research another "music" option for our wedding seems crazy at best, scary at worst. The music is half the party! JC & I both hate the traditional "wedding songs" and we have different taste in music so I was concerned that this would be one of our toughest decisions. Nope.

Every vendor we've spoken to in CT has referred us to the same person: DJ Doug Jastremski of Power Posse Productions (yes, that is actually the name...apparently he started the company when he was 14 with a boombox and some cassette tapes he recorded off the radio). Caterers, florists, photographers...everyone knows DJ Doug. In small towns like Mystic and Stonington, people in the same industry (Weddings) have probably worked with everyone else at one time or another. They are really quick and happy to give referrals and let you know if they think another vendor would be a "good fit" for your personality and wedding style. During every vendor meeting we've had so far, when the subject of music came up the first and sometimes ONLY reference we got was, "Oh, you have to book DJ Doug." or "You should call Power Posse Productions as soon as possible." Really??

So last week I left a message for DJ Doug and got a prompt return call from Mia in his office (30 minutes on the phone and I find out Mia is Doug's wife). Surprisingly, they don't have a website or media package but apparently they only work off referrals, do no advertising, and are slammed with business. Doug did the Victoria's Secret fashion show after party, Kevin Bacon's 20th wedding anniversary (ha! 2 degrees of separation), a Rockefeller wedding, and a party for Justin Timberlake at 50 Cent's CT mansion, among other big names. They have a small staff of dj's and production people but fortunately, Doug was actually open for September 6 so Mia penciled us in and told me she'd send out a hard copy of their proposal. In the time it took to get the package, we were referred back to him by 3 more vendors. Time to make the call.

Ok, I literally just got off the phone with Doug and he's great. Done deal. Actually, I spent 45 minutes on the phone w/ Doug and then called Mia and I just got off the phone w/ her after another 45 minute conversation. I love these two! I feel completely confident that our wedding is going to be so much fun and you're all going to have the best time ever!