Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Any suggestions...?

Isn't it strange that May 29th was available at the church, but NO other weekend in spring? No, it's not strange, actually. May 29th is the weekend of the Nascar race in Charlotte. May 29th brings thousands of out-of-town guests/rednecks flooding into Uptown Charlotte. Planning a wedding on May 29th involves extra planning and has ultimately been the inspiration to starting this blog!
Some of my guests have already been asking where they should book a hotel and if I have any suggestions. The lengthy suggestion will be found below along with any directions you may need for navigating to and around Charlotte:

*All rooms are reserved under the Cohn/Ruffin Wedding*

Westin
704-375-2600
601 South College Street
Charlotte, NC 28202
~Located downtown and on the Lynx “light rail” system of Charlotte. Our reception is also located along this line making transportation at the end of the evening very convenient. A trolley will be available to usher guests from this hotel to the ceremony, and from the ceremony to the reception. No driving required!
* Of note: The Coca-Cola 600 Nascar race is in Charlotte this weekend. There will be activities downtown Friday including an outdoor concert series know as “Speed Street.” Saturday night will also be heavily populated with visitors for the race on Sunday. Some streets will be blocked off making navigating downtown more difficult.
Please consider this when booking your hotel and please reserve rooms early as hotels are typically at or near capacity this weekend!

Renaissance Charlotte South Park
704-501-2510
Carnegie Blvd
Charlotte, NC 28209
~Located away from “hustle and bustle” of downtown. While this hotel is slightly further away, there will be less traffic and it is also located next to South Park Mall.

Where would you like to go?

From the Westin to the Church
Start out going NE on College Street
Turn Left onto Stonewall St
Turn Right onto South Blvd and follow for 0.9 miles
Turn Left onto East Blvd and follow for 0.8 miles
Turn Left onto Dilworth Rd East
St. Patrick's Cathedral is on the right

From the Renaissance to the Church
Start out going East on Carnegie Blvd towards Barclay Downs
Turn Right onto Barclay Downs
Turn Right onto Fairview Rd and follow for 0.6 miles
Keep Right at the fork to continue on Fairview/Park Rd
Keep slight Right onto Park Rd and follow for 2.9 miles
Stay straight onto Kenilworth Ave (Park becomes Kenilworth, Kenilworth becomes Scott)
Turn Left onto East Blvd and follow for 0.2 miles
Turn Right onto Dilworth Rd East
St. Patrick's Cathedral is on the right

I-85 North (Atlanta) to St. Patricks Cathedral
St. Patricks Cathedral
1621 Dilworth Rd East
Charlotte NC 28203
I-85 North to Exit 34, NC 27E, Towards Downtown
Merge onto Freedom Drive, continue on Freedom Drive for 2.4 miles
Take the I-77 South/US 21S Ramp Towards Rock Hill
Take the West Blvd Exit 9A
Turn Left onto West Blvd
West Blvd becomes East Blvd, follow for a total of 1.8 miles
Turn Left onto Dilworth Rd East
St. Patricks Cathedral will be on your Right

Directions from St. Patrick’s Cathedral to Byron’s South End
Byron’s South End
101 West Worthington Ave.
Charlotte NC 28203
Start South on Dilworth Road East towards East Blvd
Turn right onto East Blvd and follow for 0.9 miles
Turn left onto Camden (first light after the tracks)
Parking Lot on Right
Byron’s South End is located inside the Design Center

Thursday, March 4, 2010

Honey...soon?!

Winter this year has seemed longer and colder than ever before! I don't know if it's the snow in March, the Cabin Fever, or the obvious, but I CANNOT WAIT to go on our honeymoon! Josh booked what appears to be my PERFECT vacation complete with a swim-up bar, private plunge pool, beach access, and all-inclusive fun at Sandals resort in St. Lucia! I've heard so many great things about St. Lucia and May 30th can't come fast enough! Not that I am wishing away the time in between, because there is a lot more to look forward to that I wouldn't trade for the world. But when you drive a car without fully functioning heat and seem to stay cold the whole day, there is something very enticing about spending an uninterrupted week with my new hubby and having "my toes in the water, ass in the sand, not a worry in the world, a cold beer in my hand" - Zac Brown

The swim-up bar!

Where I will likely spend most of my time

The famous "Pitons" of St. Lucia