Our Story
    I moved back to Tempe from Lesotho in May of 1999.  Joel moved to Mesa from Los Angeles in June of 1999.  We both ended up working at Borders Books and Music in Mesa within a month of one another.  I would gaze longingly from the cafe (my station) at the very nice guy who worked in books and was everyone's friend.  There were a bunch of people from the store who would hang out regularly together, but I never felt comfortable talking with Joel.  In my mind, he was much too nice and good looking for me to be interested in him.  I'd have no chance.  Apparently, he felt that I was too sophisticated for him.  In short, we were both idiots for a good long while. 
    After attempting to ask him out several times and almost giving up all hope that he would realize that I was asking him out, he figured it out.  Our first date was a spring training baseball game.  I was very excited, having never been to a baseball game.  I showed up and found the three guys waiting for me.....John and Sid were there with Joel.  No pressure.  I tried to pay attention, drink some beer, not dehydrate, stay awake.  I had to leave early for a preplanned attendance at a concert that evening.  It was rough.  We celebrate this hallowed event at the end of every March, with a spring training game.  I still try not to dehydrate and pay attention.  Doesn't always work that way.  It's still a blast though.
    Joel and I moved in together after house sitting for five months.  We lived together for two years in a condo, with my cat Fred, and then bought our current homestead last year, right before the market blew up in Phoenix.  Since then, we've acquired a dog, Satchel.  Personally, I blame the dog for the recent turn of events.  He's made Joel soft in the head....

The Proposal
     Joel had asked for a "date night" on December 3, 2005.  Sure, whatever, said I.  Date night is code for when we need more attention paid to the relationship.  (Our schedules don't always match up - Joel works nights Tuesday through Friday and I work regular business hours.)  I offered to go downtown to the art fair with him.  I returned from my morning errands to find him awake, but after about an hour on the couch reading the paper, I collapsed in sleep.  I slept for three hours.  We didn't make the art fair.  Instead, we did dinner at the local pizzeria that we love - Nello's.  Afterwards, watched a movie downtown.  After the movie, Joel asked to go to Borders. 
     I don't like going to Borders with Joel.  Joel is a notorious impulse purchaser, except at Borders.  I end up spending 20 minutes and $50 at Borders.  Joel spends 2 hours and walks away scot free.  It irritates me.  I was reluctant and he persuaded me.  And of course, in 20 minutes I had spent my $50 and was waiting for him next to the door.  He came to get me, with a hand motion - "I have to show you something." 
    "What?"  I questioned.
    "Something.  Come here."
    "I saw what you were showing me."
    "Just come here!"
    I walked over to the history section suspiciously.  I saw the book he wanted to buy his mother, what more does he want?  He waited until I was right in front of him and he leaned in close to my face, "Will you marry me?"  he whispered. 
    "Are you serious?"  I asked incredulously.
    "Will you marry me?  I have a ring, but it won't fit."  He kept whispering.
    "Are you serious?"
    "Yes."
    He pulled the ring from his pocket, removed the lint.  I started crying.  I said yes.  The ring fit perfectly.

The Wedding
     Okay, so when you spend 5 and a half years together, you make a lot of friends and connections.  We of course want to celebrate with absolutely everyone.  We also want to recognize that all of our friends have contributed to our development as individuals as well as our relationship.  Of course, you understand that we can't invite EVERYONE.  In that same vein, we have a lot of what we want materially.  It is more important to us that you give us the gift of your attendance at our event, more than anything else.  There will be a brief reception after the ceremony at the church for everyone.  The Fiesta Inn reception is by invitation only.
     For those of you who are invited to both the ceremony and the reception, we've outlined a few items of interest below.  A MAP of everything is at the bottom of this page.

  • The ceremony will take place April 29, 2006 at 4pm, at the Valley Unitarian Universalist Church in Chandler, Arizona
         (www.vuu.org, 6400 W. Del Rio St. Chandler, Arizona 85226-1764).
  • The reception will take place April 29, 2006 at 6pm at Fiesta Inn in Tempe, Arizona
         (http://www.fiestainnresort.com/, 2100 South Priest Drive Tempe, AZ 85282).

You must reserve a room at Fiesta Inn by April 7th, 2006 to guarantee the $109 pp rate.

The wedding will be just this side of traditional, but remain informal.  (Guys in blazers or sport coats & women in spring dresses.)

Unfortunately, because of the number of invitees, we cannot accommodate children at the reception.  Babysitting will be provided only by pre-arrangement with Faye.

Gifts

     Only because people are bugging us....we're registered online at Macy's (www.macys.com) and Target (www.target.com).  We have a lot of stuff already, so as an alternative to abject consumerism, please feel free to donate in our name to Friends of Lesotho (www.JustGive.org).  An additional alternative is a small gift certificate to Lowe's or Home Depot.

Timeline (Last Updated: 12/21/2005)

Thursday April 27th

  • 10am - Golf with the Reynolds, contact Joel (tinystag at aol dot com) for more info (OPEN TO EVERYONE, BUT SPACE IS LIMITED)
  • Open House at the "Farm-Molds" Household - 6pm, 2612 E. Geneva Drive (We're taking the week off - you should too!!)  - sign up for Sunday activities begins (OPEN INVITATION TO EVERYONE!!)

Friday April 28th

  • 12pm - Girls' lunch at the Ethiopian restaurant (SEATING LIMITED, CONTACT FAYE)
  • Rehearsal - 5pm @ the church, wedding party only please (INVITATION ONLY)
  • Rehearsal Dinner - 7pm @ Nello's in Chandler, again with the wedding party (INVITATION ONLY))
  • 8pm - Evening reception on the patio @ Fiesta Inn with the Reynolds' (OPEN TO EVERYONE, CASH BAR)

Saturday April 29th

  • Ceremony - 4pm @ the church
  • Reception - Doors & bar open at 6pm @ Fiesta Inn (need to RSVP before the 15th of April)

Sunday April 30th

  • 10 am Brunch @ Fiesta Inn (OPEN TO EVERYONE, BUT SEATING MAY BE LIMITED, CONTACT FAYE FOR MORE INFO)

Sunday Outdoor Activities:  you'll need to purchase your own way and ensure that you have transportation, but carpooling should be available.  Sign up sheets will be available throughout the weekend, beginning during our open house on Thursday evening.  If you wish to guarantee a spot in a particular activity, contact Faye (f underscore e underscore at hotmail dot com) or Joel (tinystag at aol dot com).

Please wear a hat and sun block and bring water!!!  It will be warm to hot for all activities. 

  • All activities are OPEN TO EVERYONE, BUT YOU NEED TO SIGN UP PRIOR TO THIS DAY
  • 12 pm (leave from Fiesta Inn for launch @ 1pm) Kayaking down the Salt River - http://www.saguarolakeranch.com/kayaking.html, 2 hours @ $30 per person (Group leader: Faye Farmer)
  • 11 am Golfing - $40 @ Foothills (Group leader: Joel Reynolds)
  • 12 pm (leave Fiesta Inn, tour starts at 1pm) Visit to the Desert Botanical Gardens - $13 pp (Group leaders: Mary Reynolds and DiAnna Farmer)

  • 7pm Dinner @ Four Peaks Brewery  (OPEN TO EVERYONE, A LA CARTE DINNER)

Getting Here & Staying Here

Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is located in south Phoenix, about 2 miles from the reception and about 8 miles from the church.  Flying in and out of PHX is not a huge deal.  There's a large effort to streamline visitors to awaiting areas.  There's supposedly a "rental car" center being built, soon to open.  All major airlines fly in and out of PHX, and all major rental car agencies are located at the airport or near it. 

Accommodations will be block reserved for our wedding at Fiesta Inn for approximately $109/night ($$) - the DEADLINE to guarantee that price is April 7th.  We have heard, through a good source, that you can use priceline.com to get a better deal, but it would have to be last minute. 

Other ideas on possibly cheaper or more "local" accommodations are below.  Take into consideration how close you want to be to freeways and/or night life.  The end of April is shoulder season in Phoenix and hotels should be relatively cheaper starting at the beginning of April and continue their downward spiral, which is inversely proportional to the temperatures.

$ = $40 - $100
$$ = $100 - $150
$$$ = $150+

***All of these suggested hotels will have transport between hotel and airport.

***Many hotels have swimming pools and many of them are heated!  Make sure you plan for some swimming while you're here.

Miscellaneous Items

There are a variety of activities in the Phoenix area and the surrounding suburbs.  The day time temps during this week should hover between 85 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit (29 - 32°C), with the low between 55 and 60°F (12 - 15°C).  The sun sets around 7pm. 

  • Downtown Tempe is known for its nightlife.
  • Downtown Scottsdale is known for its art & nightlife.
  • We have an IKEA (www.ikea.com), silly, but a true regional mecca!
  • If you wish to know more about sporting events or golfing, contact Joel (tinystag at aol dot com).
  • We have a beautiful zoo (www.phoenixzoo.org).
  • We have a botanical gardens (arboretum.ag.arizona.edu).
  • There's lots of camping and hiking regionally. Half of Arizona is Federal land with many areas developed for camping and hiking.  You can find much of this information at www.fs.fed.us.  (My favorite is the Coconino National Forest For the more adventurous, to the north there's the Grand Canyon, Canyon De Chelly, Jerome, Flagstaff, and Lake Havasu.  And to the south, there's Mexico, Nogales, Tucson, Bisbee, Kartchner Caverns, and Tombstone.