Hi everyone. Bliss and I head back to Shanghai early tomorrow morning, and before we left we wanted to let you all know that we have had a wonderful time these past two weeks in Georgia. It was great spending time with friends and family, old and new. We hope those of you who visited Savannah enjoyed yourselves as much as we did. And for those who weren't able to make it, we hope to see you sometime soon. You all have a place to stay in Shanghai!

Click here to see the photos of our Georgia stay (including Jesup, Savannah, Baxley and some small parts in between) we have collected thus far. The bulk of the Savannah reception photos we have now were sent in by Lynn Rice, a Khaw family friend from Jesup, and John Tay, Bliss' uncle from Peoria, Ill.

We'd love to see your photos, as well! Please send us whatever you have (even if you think it's a duplicate of something) and we'll add the best ones to the online album. You can email photos to dan@blissanddan.com, or you can just tell me where I can go to download them. If neither of those options work for you, let me know and we'll figure something out.

Again, thanks for celebrating with us! We hope to see you all again very soon.

Continue reading "Send in your wedding photos!" »

Posted by Dan Washburn at 5:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Two quick notes:

• It's cold. At night, at least. We just saw on the TV it's supposed to be in the 20s Saturday evening. And last night, our light jackets weren't enough. Pack accordingly, if you haven't already packed.
• Bliss and I had an amazing Valentine's Day meal at the Sapphire Grill (thanks, Courtney and Paul!). Highly recommended if you have some free time while you are in Savannah. Try the crab cakes and red snapper ... and basically anything else on the menu.

Posted by Dan Washburn at 9:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I got a SunCom SIM card for my China phone. So you can also now reach us at:

912.572.4418

Our other number is:

912.294.3375

Posted by Dan Washburn at 5:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Greetings from winter-storm-free Savannah! We have been monitoring closely the messy weather conditions that have enveloped much of the northern United States, and we sincerely hope it doesn't affect any of your travel plans. If any of you who are snowed in on this Valentine's Day foresee a problem, tell us your situation in a comment. (And if you need any further motivation to get down here, it's supposed to be in the 50s and dry the whole week.)

One more thing: We have some folks arriving at the airport who weren't planning on renting cars (and our hotels don't appear to have airport shuttles). I conveniently have let my driver's license expire, so I won't be much help in getting people to and from the airport.

The Savannah International Airport has some ground transportation information on its website. There is an airport shuttle that you can book online — it looks like it would be $16 (per person) one-way to the Marshall House. There are also lots of taxi companies listed on the airport's page. The Yellow Cab Company has a website. I called them and they told me it would be $25 from the airport to the historic district (and $5 for each additional passenger). There also appears to be public transportation, but it doesn't appear to be exceptionally convenient.

One other idea: Carpooling. I know some people are renting cars. If they happen to be arriving at the same time as other people who aren't renting cars, perhaps there are some possibilities for sharing. The comments section of this post would be a good place to organize things.

For example: I have a friend who is scheduled to arrive at 10:20 am on Friday. Is anyone else arriving around that time and planning on renting a car? If so, leave a comment or call us at 912.294.3375 and we can help set things up.

Do you need a ride? Tell us your arrival time in a comment. Hopefully we can work something out.

Hope to see you all very soon!

Posted by Dan Washburn at 9:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

912.294.3375

It's Bliss' mom's phone, but we have it for the week.

Posted by Dan Washburn at 11:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Our flight leaves in three hours! Here's some online Savannah reading material for you while we are on the plane:

• The City Unfiltered's blog: Savannah news and politics
• Connect Savannah: Savannah entertainment
• The Savannah Morning News: Savannah's daily newspaper
• iTour Savannah: Here's how they describe themselves:

  We use mp3 audio technology to produce historic tours of Savannah, Georgia. Once posted to our website, the tours are downloaded to iPods, mp3 players, or cell phones for convenient playback. iTour Savannah combines technology and tourism to create a unique and contemporary way to explore Savannah.

• Flickr: Photos tagged "savannah"
• Blog Savannah: Group blog about Savannah. Has a good list of Savannah blogs. (But, I can't seem to access the site right now.)
• Savannah Weather: 73 degrees on Monday! (62 on Saturday.) Folks flying in from Hawaii bundle up!

See you soon!

Posted by Dan Washburn at 1:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Just a quick note letting you know that it's January 17, one month before the big party — and the day RSVPs are due. There are still a few of you we haven't heard from. So, if you haven't sent the mail-in version of the RSVP card or spoken with either me or Bliss, please shoot an email to either dan@blissanddan.com or bliss@blissanddan.com as soon as you can. We need to get a final number to the Marshall House soon. Thanks!

Posted by Dan Washburn at 11:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Sorry if we didn't. But it is ... or at least that is what everyone says. I was watching TV yesterday (Discovery Travel and Living on our illegal satellite system) and a show called Weird Travels came on. The title of the episode was "Haunted Hotels: Where Darkness Dwells" and the Marshall House was one of the haunted hotels profiled. Several people have reported hearing a woman singing in the hotel — but there is never anyone there. It is thought to be the spirit of Mary L. Marshall, who opened the place in 1851. There have also been sightings of ghosts of soldiers — the Marshall House has doubled as a hospital more than once in its long history.

For more, we turn to Bliss' favorite website* GhostlyTalk.com:

The Marshal House on 123 Broughton Street in Savannah Georgia. A 68-room, haunted bed and breakfast located in the downtown historic district. Absolutely beautiful establishment and charming.

The Marshall House was originally opened in 1851 as the first hotel in Savannah, although it did not remain so. Three times it was turned into a hospital. During the Civil War from 1864-1865, the Union Army occupied the Marshall House using it as a hospital. Twice during the 19th century, it became a hospital to accommodate two yellow fever epidemics. After forty years of lying dormant, the Marshall House reopened as a hotel in 1999.

During the renovation of the hotel in the 60s, bones were found below the flooring. It seems that this is where amputations were discarded and in later years an addition to the building was constructed over the site. During the construction process, a larger room was being divided to make a gift shop. A brick wall was being constructed to accommodate this. However, the project was abandoned after three attempts to construct a brick dividing-wall that collapsed three consecutive times. It was well constructed when workers left in the evening. When they returned in the morning, it had fallen down. There was no apparent cause for this, as it was not a supporting wall. Several workmen did not like the area and refused to work there. Eventually, the whole area was sealed off and has not used to this day.

The hotel is said to be very active with spirits. Guests as well as the staff have reported sighting ghosts in the hallways and in the foyer During GhostStock 2 this past January 27th through 29th, 2006, many attendees who stayed in the hotel reported having their own ghostly experiences. One attendant reported that, while watching TV at approximately 10:00 p.m., water was heard running in the bathroom. He got up to check and found the bathtub water was tuned on. The strange part was that the faucets are designed so that they have to be pushed up to turn them on. There were reports of children running up and down the hall in the wee hours of the morning. When the staff was asked about this, it was reported that there were no children staying in the hotel. Door knobs rattled as if someone was trying to get in. Another person awoke with someone holding his wrist but no one was there. This same experience has been reported, in the past. It was like a nurse taking the pulse of a patient. Loud crashes were heard in the wee hours of the morning in the hallway of the fourth floor. In room 205, someone heard a woman walking as if wearing high-heels in the room above, 305. The people in 305 were not in their room at the time but out on the midnight tour of the cemetery. These are some of the reports from our GhostStock group. The hotel had many other guests who were not with GhostStock…wonder what they experienced.

The staff is said to have a notebook containing many of the experiences of past visitors who have stayed. One such occasion involves the plumbing. For no apparent reason, the toilet began to overflow. The woman and her daughter hurriedly grabbed all the towels to soak up the water and called maintenance. Upon the arrival of maintenance, twovery flustered and bewildered people were found. Apparently, when the mother went back into the bathroom to see if the overflow had stopped, it not only had stopped but the towels and the floor were bone dry.

On the humorous side, is a little story about noisy children. One woman called down to the front desk in the wee hours of the morning. She reported very noisy children running up and down the hallway keeping her awake. She requested the staff come up and stop it. “What kind of parents would let their children behave in such a manner?” The desk clerk replied, “I’m very sorry madam but the parents are dead.” “That’s no excuse. Someone is responsible for them, “ retorted the upset visitor. In reply the clerk quickly added, “You see, we can’t stop them either because the children are dead as well.” There is a chronic problem with children running up and down the halls playing during the wee hours of the morning, noisy people walking through the corridors at night, and crashes and bangs. Hmmm, perhaps the Marshall House should have earplugs in ready issue as you check in!

Bliss' second-favorite website** — GhostHounds.com — has even more:

Built in 1852 The Marshall House is now and originally a hotel, but its also served as a hospital during the civil war and a volunteer fire department in 1867. During its 12 million dollar restoration in 1998, workmen were constructing some structural checks in the crawl space under the building. They continuously bumped into objects they assumed were rocks and tossed them aside. Eventually, they shined there flashlights to discover they were not rocks but, human bones. Specifically arms and legs. During the civil war, when a limb was hit by the heavily damaging bullets the usual recourse was amputation. I assume the usual recourse was also to discard the limbs on site. Sick The ghosts of both children and soldiers have been spotted on the 3rd floor of this hotel and was featured by the Travel Channel show, Haunted Hotels.

The Marshall House doesn't deny any of this — Savannah is supposed to be one of America's most haunted cities, after all. In fact, they even offer a Haunted Hotel Package. But don't be scared:

All ghosts at The Marshall House are friendly. Don't worry...only the nice ones are allowed to visit with guests!

* That is a lie
** Also a lie.

Posted by Dan Washburn at 12:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Pictured above is the lobby of the Marshall House, the exact spot where we are planning to hold a short vow renewal ceremony. We are very honored to have the Reverend Bernie Khaw (my dad) performing the ceremony for us. And when exactly will we be renewing our vows? That's a good question, and we thought you all might like to see a rough sketch of a schedule of events for the evening of February 17:

• 6:00 p.m. Drinks and hors d'oeuvres, featuring A.J. Khaw on piano
• 6:50 p.m. Renewal of vows
• 7:00 p.m. Dinner, featuring A.J. Khaw on piano
• 8:00 p.m. The band, Junkyard Angel starts, featuring a couple songs with Heather Shayne Blakeslee
• 10:30 p.m. Band stops so other guests in the Marshall House can sleep

At some point during the reception we will also be cutting the cake and having a first dance. But we'll just kind of play it by ear for these types of things. Sometime after the band stops, and things start to wind down, we'll likely move on to another of Savannah's fine historic area venues to finish off the night.

Posted by Bliss Khaw at 7:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

There was some confusion recently as to the wedding's policy concerning children. Basically, there is no policy concerning kids — they are welcome to join in the celebration! Sorry we didn't make that clear on the invitation. (What do we know? We are dog owners.)

If you do bring your kids, they will have plenty of playmates, including Sam and Lily, my nephew and niece, pictured above. Awwww.

Posted by Dan Washburn at 6:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A few people have asked how long Bliss and I will be back home in February, and where exactly we will be. Here it goes:

Sunday, February 11 to Friday, February 16:
We'll get into Savannah sometime in the evening on the 11th and we'll be staying at the palatial La Quinta Midtown.

Friday, February 16 to Monday, February 19:
We'll upgrade to the Marshall House for three nights. We have a BBQ to go to on Friday, and a wedding on Saturday. We'll be in Savannah until Monday night ... and we may stay in Savannah Monday night if it looks like people will be sticking around.

Tuesday, February 20 to Saturday, February 24:
We'll be within a two-hour radius of Savannah on these days, leaving for Shanghai bright and early on Saturday morning.

Other than the above, our schedule is pretty much wide open, although I have a feeling it won't be long before it fills up.

If you'd like to schedule a group outing/activity during this time, our much-neglected wedding forum would be a great place to do that.

Here is where I was going to tell you my mobile phone number in the US — but I was just informed by Cingular that they have canceled that number (good thing I put it on all my business cards). I'll let you know when I have a new phone number.

Posted by Dan Washburn at 2:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

OK. We've nailed down the plan for the barbecue dinner on Friday, the day before the wedding. Everyone is welcome to come! We do need to give the restaurant an idea of how many people will be showing up, however — so please let us know if you will be making an appearance and how many people will be coming with you (you can leave a comment on this post or you can email dan@blissanddan.com or bliss@blissanddan.com).

Here are the details:

When: Friday, February 17, 2007, 4-7 pm (you can show up any time within that window)
Where: B. Matthews Eatery, 325 East Bay Street, near Habersham (map), Tel: 912-233-1319. I found this somewhere online: "Built in 1792 as one of the first taverns in Georgia and the oldest tavern still standing, B. Matthew's Eatery is a delight to the senses ..."
Menu: Hand pulled pork shoulder, Beef brisket, Smoked chicken, Jalapeno cheddar corn bread, Creamy garden cole slaw, BBQ baked beans, Grilled marinated vegetables, Double fudge chocolate butterscotch cake (there may also be a couple additions)
Beverages: Keg of beer, case of wine, and other non-alcoholic beverages
Music: The great Heather Shayne Blakeslee has agreed to play a set, and Brian Huskey, owner of B. Matthews, said this: "We welcome any musical endeavors, maybe we will pitch in!!" So, who knows what will happen! I have asked if they have a piano. If so, Bliss' brother A.J. can blow you away with his skills. If they don't have a piano, maybe we can convince him to pack his melodica.
Dress Code: None.

Should be a great time. Hope to see you all there! Again, please drop us a note if you think you'll be able to make it.

UPDATE: More about B. Matthews from the owner: "The earliest records regarding the building date from 1792. It is the oldest tavern in the south. The bar is on the National Historic Register. It has been a brothel, strip bar, Lamp Post Tavern, and several other restaurants ..."

Posted by Dan Washburn at 11:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Good question. Let me ask Bliss.

Me: Honey*, what is the dress code for the reception?
Bliss: I guess say "semi-formal."
Me: OK.
Bliss: Because "formal" would mean a tuxedo, and that would be bad news.
Me: OK.
Bliss: Semi-formal means a suit, right?
Me: Sure.

So, I guess the dress code is "semi-formal."

The following people will be wearing tuxedos (not pictured): Me (groom), David E. Washburn (father of the groom), David T. Washburn (brother of the groom), Sam Washburn (two-year-old nephew of the groom), Bernie Khaw (father of the bride) and A.J. Khaw (brother of the bride). Sadly, the puppy named Tux, will not be making the trip.

Bliss will be wearing the same dress she wore for our ceremony in Thailand. And Ruth Khaw (mother of the bride) and Sandy Washburn (mother of the groom) will be wearing dresses made by the same tailor who made Bliss' wedding dress.

(Between you and me, wear what you want. No one will be getting turned away at the door.)

* I don't really call Bliss "honey."

Posted by Dan Washburn at 10:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We've got connections in Savannah. OK, we just have room blocks.

If you are about to make a new hotel reservation at either the Marshall House or Hampton Inn & Suites Historic District, be sure to mention that you are a part of the Khaw-Washburn wedding group. We think some of you may have already made reservations, but forgot to mention our names ... which means you would be paying more than you need to pay. So you may want to call back and check on this since being a part of the group gives you a discount we've already worked out with each hotel.

Posted by Dan Washburn at 9:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

So, what is the weather going to be like in Savannah? Good question. According to weather.com tomorrow will have a high of 62 degrees and a low of 32. And Wednesday it's not supposed to get out of the 50s. But then on Saturday and Sunday, it's going to be nearly 80, with a low in the 50s. Also, you can see here that averages for Savannah on February 17 are a high of 64 and a low of 41. Then again, it has hit 83 on that day ... and sunk as low as 15.

Basically what were are trying to say is — we have no idea. Just watch the weather and don't start packing too early.

Posted by Dan Washburn at 8:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

If this is your first trip to Savannah, or even if you've been there before, you're in for a treat. This beautiful city is rich with art, culture and a particularly interesting history. The combination of the classic architecture, massive live oak trees draped with moss and the stately squares dotted throughout the historic district gives Savannah quite an air of sophistication and a feeling that the city has been through quite a lot. And it has ... thanks to General Sherman.

One of the best ways to really take in the sights is probably through one of the historic district's many fine tours. There are a number of different tours, both walking and carriage, ranging from tours of the historic squares and architecture, to spooky nighttime ghost tours.

Here are just a few links to get you started. We'll start with the more traditional historical tour offerings (some also offer haunted tours):

• Scenic Tours
• A Saunter in Savannah
• Historic Savannah Carriage Tours

• Ghost Walk
• The Ghosts of Savannah
• Cobblestone Tours



Posted by Bliss Khaw at 10:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

At our ceremony in Thailand, an extremely nice photographer named "A" followed us around for about 5-6 hours ... we have a lot of wedding photos. We're putting together a selection of these photos into an album which will be at the reception for any of you that would like to see where we got married.

Since we already have a great collection of very professional wedding photographs from Thailand, we decided to forgo the considerable (shocking) expense required to hire another professional photographer to take pictures at the reception. We know there are a number of professional/semi-professional/amateur/enthusiastic photographers among you. So we're hoping that some of you might be willing–and also hopefully enjoy–snapping a few shots at the reception. We thought this would be a great way to get a wide variety of perspectives and styles and moments to help us capture the highlights of the reception.

We'd love to see what your pictures say about Savannah, the reception, and everybody there.

Posted by Bliss Khaw at 7:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Just thought we'd give you a few ideas for other lodging options in Savannah in case the reception venue, The Marshall House, or the Hampton Inn & Suites Historic District don't suit your taste or budget. All quotes are based on standard 2-person rooms from February 16-18.

High

• Mansion on Forsyth Park $259 per night.
Very interesting, plush boutique hotel located a mile or two from the reception venue.
• Hyatt Regency Savannah $229 per night.
Located right on the river, a short walk to The Marshall House.
• Westin Savannah Harbor Golf Resort & Spa $249 per night. The Westin is actually located across the river from the reception venue.

Low

We went through the reviews, and weeded out all of the ones that included customer comments that included keywords such as "cockroaches," "bugs," "dirty" and "scary." All of these budget options received good customer satisfaction ratings:

• Baymont Inn & Suites, Garden City $89 per night. 4 miles from the reception venue.
• Sans Boutique Hotel & Suites (through Expedia.com) $87 per night. 10 miles from the reception venue.
• La Quinta: 3 options, all 10-15 miles from reception venue. All $75 per night.
  La Quinta Inn Savannah I-95
  La Quinta Inn Savannah Midtown
  La Quinta Inn Savannah Southside

Posted by Bliss Khaw at 4:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

One comment we heard pretty consistently when we were checking out potential wedding reception venues back in June was that the Marshall House has pretty great food. Things on the culinary front only seemed to get better when the reception manager pulled out a long list of menu options, all of which looked so tasty it was difficult to make a final decision. Here's a preview of what we came up with for the reception menu:

• Carving Station with Uniformed Chef: Prime Rib of Beef with Cocktail Rolls, Horseradish Cream Whole Breast of Oven Roasted Turkey with Creamy Mustard, Mayonnaise
• Fresh Steamed Shrimp with Cheese Grits
• Brochette with Diced Onions, Tomatoes, Calamata Olive Tapenade, Mozzarella Cheese and Fresh Basil
• Caesar Style Salad with Shaved Whole Block Parmesan Cheese and Herbed Croutons
• Grilled and Marinated Vegetables including Zucchini, Squash, Onions and Tomatoes
• Crisped Flounder Strips with Dill Shallot Sauce
• Sesame Glazed Chicken Tenderloin with Asian Ponzu Dipping Sauce
• Domestic and Imported Cheese with Fresh Fruits

Posted by Bliss Khaw at 3:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Hopefully you've all received formal invitations in the mail by now. Don't forget that the requested RSVP date is January 17. We need to start getting a final count together for the reception venue.

Now that we've rung in the new year, January 17 is coming up very quickly. Even if you've responded to the Evite save-the-date note, it would be really great if you could at least send over an updated email letting us know whether you're planning to attend.

We hope to see you soon!

Posted by Bliss Khaw at 2:34 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A quick note to let you know that we plan on arriving in Savannah the weekend prior to the wedding reception and we plan on staying in Savannah a few days after the reception -- Monday, February 19 is President's Day -- so if at all possible, we encourage you to make a vacation out of your trip to Savannah. It's a great town and we'd love to spend some time with all of you. We'll be posting about various Savannah activities as the big day gets closer. We are staying at the Marshall House the weekend of the reception, but we haven't yet figured out where we are staying the rest of the time -- we'll keep you posted.

If you'd like to organize outings during the week -- dinners, golfing, tours, etc. -- the wedding forum is a great place to do that.

See you soon!

Posted by Dan Washburn at 12:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We have snagged a great band to play our reception. With members from Savannah and Athens, they go by the name Junkyard Angel, and they specialize in Southern-fried country rock and Americana. Should be a fun time. Here is what ConnectSavannaah.com said about the band not too long ago:

Junkyard Angel, the latest project from The Marshall Brothers, Stewart (of established Americana act Stewart & Winfield) and Jim (of the defunct local cover band Backwoods), this straight-up rock and roll act’s members are based in both Savannah and Athens, and established in each town’s music scenes. The new group (which is just beginning to gig out with some regularity during a slow period in Stewart & Winfield’s touring schedule) boasts four songwriters, and plans to cut their first album in August. Additional members include guitarist Scotty Rahn from local Stones tribute band Monkey Man, and Rick Williams, drummer for the Park Bench Trio (and roots-rock semi-stars Bloodkin). At times, Junkyard Angel is joined by pedal steel man A.J. Adams. In addition to their own material, the group augments their sets with nuggets from The Flying Burrito Brothers, Johnny Cash and George Jones catalogs, as well as plenty of “old-school” Dead, and Dylan tunes.

We asked Stewart for a song list a while back, and this is what he sent us (it's not complete ... just to give you an idea):

Big Brown Eyes - Old 97's
Blistered - Johnny Cash
Comes a Time - Neil Young
Cowgirl In The Sand - Neil Young
Devil in Disguise (Christine's Tune) - Flying Burrito Bros.
Down In The Flood - Dylan
Everybody Knows This is Nowhere- Neil Young
Folsom Prison Blues - Johnny Cash
From A Buick 6 - Dylan
Give Me Back The Key To My Heart - Uncle Tupelo
Good Hearted Woman - Waylon Jennings
Hard Luck Story - Whiskeytown
I'm The Man Who Loves You - Wilco
In My Hour of Darkness - GP
Miss You - Stones
Tumbling Dice - Stones
Next Time You See Me - Grateful Dead
Return of the Grievous Angel - Gram Parsons
Sin City - Gram Parsons
Six Days on the Road
Stuck Inside of Mobile - Dylan
The Race Is On -George Jones
To Be Young (Is To Be Sad Is To Be High) - Ryan Adams
Tonight I'll Be Staying Here With You - Dylan
Waitin Around To Die - Townes Van Zant
Willin' - Little Feet
Windfall - Son Volt
Wreckers Ball - Jim Marshall

You can find Junkyard Angel on MySpace here, but unfortunately there are no sound clips. However, Stewart Marshall's other band, Stewart & Winfield, does have a nice website with plenty of sound files. Check them out.

We have secured one Junkyard Angel mp3 -- a cover of Bob Dylan's "Down in the Flood." You can listen to it here:

powered by ODEO

Posted by Dan Washburn at 10:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

You know how some wedding receptions have slide shows or movies that show images of the bride and groom from birth until death marriage set to music intended to make the audience laugh and/or cry? Well, we are not doing that. But we will have some photo albums at the party that accomplish the same goal (without the music). You can see how Bliss went from cute baby to really cute bride and I went from dimpled baby to aging hipster with a gray beard (actually, we can take that out with Photoshop). Our moms are putting the albums together, but ...

Your contributions would be greatly appreciated!

Got any old photos of us lying around (or on your hard drive)? Feel free to mail or email copies of photos you would like included in the albums to Ruth Khaw (for Bliss) or Sandy Washburn (for me) -- we'd love to see them ... we think. Thanks!

Ruth Khaw
ruth_khaw at yahoo.com
136 Altamaha School Road
Baxley, GA 31513

Sandy Washburn
bloomsburgsandy at yahoo.com
350 Market Street
Bloomsburg, PA 17815

Posted by Dan Washburn at 11:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Since some of you are starting to ask, we want to let you know that we aren't registered anywhere. And we won't be registering anywhere because any gifts that any of you are generous enough to have shipped to our tiny apartment in China will likely either have to be left in China when we leave, or will be difficult and costly to ship back to the States. Gifts that are given in the States will end up being put in storage at a parents' house, or will be difficult and costly to ship back to China. And then eventually back again to the States.

So as you can see, gifts would be difficult, and ultimately the thought and time put into purchasing a gift would in some way end up being wasted.

We are afraid that we can't subscribe to proper Emily Post wedding etiquette, and ask that you'll be understanding in our decision to adopt a tradition more in the spirit of a Chinese wedding and Chinese New Year, as the reception will actually be happening on Chinese New Years Eve. While your presence at our reception is all we ask for, if you would like to give a gift, we ask that it comes in the form of a hong bao, or red envelope. While a hong bao in Chinese tradition typically involves money, we understand that Western traditionalists would simply find this practice in bad taste. We would love to see what some of you come up with for your hong bao. Don't be afraid to be creative, many things other than money can fit in an envelope.

But really, the best gift by far would be having the opportunity to see you at the reception in February. It's coming up soon!

Posted by Bliss Khaw at 12:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I won't get mad if you call me "Mrs. Washburn," but I probably won't respond either, because I'll assume you're trying to get Sandy Washburn's attention, rather than mine. (You can just call me Bliss, but Ms. Khaw would be fine, too.)

I'm not just trying to be contradictory — I have full respect for those who choose to adopt a centuries-old tradition. And my decision not to take Dan's name is no personal affront to him and the Washburns. I have no problem with the Washburn name — I think it's a perfectly wonderful family name. But like any other family name, it's not my family name. I can still remember being rather bewildered as a little girl when I first found out that my mother had not always been a Khaw. I asked her if it was difficult to start signing her name as "Khaw" rather than her maiden name after she got married, thinking I would never be able to sign my name as anything but "Khaw." Somehow it would never feel quite right.

I also can't say that I've ever liked the idea of being forced to go through the tremendous hassle of officially changing my name on everything from bank accounts to various forms of ID ... especially on any sort of official document that has anything to do with China. Just the thought of all that inevitable running around, confusion, paperwork and red-stamping scares me.

Posted by Bliss Khaw at 8:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We just got back late last night from an amazing wedding ceremony and honeymoon in Koh Samui, Thailand. No signs at all that a military coup had just taken place in the country just weeks before. The sun came out just in time for our ceremony. The staff at the resort where we stayed couldn't have been friendlier, and the food couldn't have been tastier.

We're still unpacking and cleaning up, and we just picked up Ozzie from the sitter, but we've got almost 300 photos to share with you from both the ceremony on the west coast of the island, as well as from the rest of our time in Koh Samui.

Posted by Bliss Khaw at 2:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

So after a lot of searching and deliberation, we've decided to go with the Hampton Inn & Suites Historic District for our second room block. This was by far the best value, certainly the nicest accomodations in its range. The hotel gave us a great discount, and while it's not exactly in the center of town, it is still located at the edge of the beautiful historic disrict, and the hotel is brand new and gorgeous, as you can see from the picture I've included in this post. Some other places were more central, but offered prices that may have been slightly higher and comparably dumpy accomodations that couldn't even begin to compete with the classy Hampton Inn.

So here's the important information:

You can take a look at the website for more information. This rate applies to the nights of both February 16 and February 17 -- we've blocked off 20 rooms per night. To take advantage of this rate, reservations must be made by January 17, 2006. Cancellations also must happen by January 17, 2006. This hotel offers parking at $12 per day. Also, up to 5 people can stay in one room. If you want to make your reservation online, be sure that you use this group code: KWW. Or you can simply call (912) 721-1600 and mention that you're part of the Khaw/Washburn wedding reception group.

Posted by Bliss Khaw at 10:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Yes, today is the one month anniversary of our marriage. Surprised? On August 12, 2006, so were we. We decided to get started on the paperwork to register for marriage, find out the designated hospital for those health tests we kept hearing about, and the first set of what was bound to be a ridiculous number of red stamped documents. Half an hour and $1.12 later, the Chinese government proclaimed us husband and wife. The bride was dressed in a beautiful, brown Chinglish-nonsense t-shirt, and the groom wore a handsome navy blue Bloomsburg Fair t-shirt.

I still find it kind of difficult to fully describe the sheer disorientation and confusion of our little Chinese "ceremony," so you can start here with Dan's blog entry on what is sure to be one of the most surreal experiences of our lives. He's also put together a photo essay, with the help of the friendly government photographers in the Shanghai Marriage Service Center.

So technically we're already married. But I'm not sure that I can say that we were both fully convinced by the surprise ceremony the government threw at us. Thankfully, we're still having our real ceremony, which we fully expect to be a thousand times more meaningful, in Koh Samui, Thailand, on September 30. We'll finally exchange vows and the rings that have stayed in the box, as it somehow didn't feel right to start wearing them yet, despite being married. We expect to have a bunch of photos to share upon our return. We both promise to clean up and dress nicely this time.

Posted by Bliss Khaw at 11:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Name: Bliss Immanuel Khaw

Birthdate: March 1, 1982

Hometown: Shelton, WA

Chinese zodiac sign: Dog






Name: Daniel Christopher Washburn

Birthdate October 31, 1973

Hometown: Bloomsburg, PA

Chinese zodiac sign: Ox




How did you meet? Dan and Bliss happened to be meeting the same person for dinner in Shanghai. Dan was was meeting him because he was the founder of a popular Shanghai website and had helped answer some of Dan's questions about the city before he made the move. Bliss was meeting him because he was the uncle of a good friend back in Georgia.

When was this? September 2002, a week after Dan and Bliss both arrived in Shanghai. They both arrived on the same day.

What was the distance between Dan and Bliss' respective homes prior to moving to China? About 35 miles. Dan was a sportswriter for the Gainesville Times in Gainesville, GA, about a 45-minute drive to Athens, where Bliss was at the time attending the University of Georgia. Dan often attended University of Georgia Bulldogs football games and live music shows in Athens — which explains why he never met Bliss there.

When did you start dating? A few weeks after meeting.

Why did Dan go to China? He got bored of being a sports writer in Georgia and wanted a change.

Why did Bliss go to China? She wanted to see whether any of her research on China's economy made any sense if she was actually in China.

When did you get engaged? New Year's Eve 2005.

How did you get engaged? Dan decided that he wanted to propose in his hometown of Bloomsburg, PA, and started planning a New Year's Eve proposal in May. After dinner at the Inn at Turkey Hill, a hostess nearly blew the surprise. Then Dan surprised Bliss by leading her not to the car, but to a suite at the Inn and asking her there whether she would marry him.

Was Bliss surprised? Yes. Dan reports feeling a long pause before Bliss said "yes". Bliss doesn't remember taking a long time answering, but thinks being caught off guard might have something to do with that.

Were Bliss' parents surprised? Dan went on a "guys outing" with Bliss' dad, Bernie, to the Okeefenokee Swamp in the first half of the holidays in Georgia. After their alligator-less boat ride through this alligator-infested area, Dan asked for Bernie's blessing before Bliss and Dan headed up to Pennsylvania for the other half of the holidays and Dan's proposal. Bernie said yes, and now the word "Okeefenokee" will forever be a part of the Bliss and Dan story, as it should be.

Was Dan nervous? Dan wasn't nervous about Bliss' answer, but was worried about everything going as he had planned. Earlier in the day, a shopping trip an hour outside of town threatened to ruin all of those big plans as a mild snow storm hit with the keys locked in the car. While waiting for someone to show up and get the car unlocked on the afernoon of New Year's Eve, the snow started falling pretty heavily. But they did make it back in time, and the snow made for a pretty beautiful New Year's Eve.

What about the ring? The ring Dan gave to Bliss is set with an antique, mine-cut diamond from his grandmother. The diamond is believed to be from South Africa. We are not sure if it is a "conflict diamond."

Posted by Bliss Khaw at 10:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

So now that you're here, and hopefully thinking about coming down to Savannah in February, I need you all to help me out with a little input on what you're thinking in terms of lodging.

I've been doing some work to help you all get some good deals at good places to stay, and at the moment we have a nice arrangement with the Marshall House:

One sticking point: if you want to stay at the Marshall House under our room block, you'll have to stay not only the night of Saturday, February 17, but also Friday, February 16. I went ahead and agreed on this arrangement with the Marshall House since I know that for most of you, Savannah isn't anywhere near where you live. So I presume many of you may be coming in for more than just one night.

These rooms are all blocked under Bliss Khaw & Dan Washburn, and you can simply call up and mention our names and make a reservation at any time. This is the policy regarding the room block:

"Rooms not reserved 45 days prior to arrival will be reduced by 50%. All rooms not individually reserved in room block 30 (thirty) days prior to arrival will be released. In order to receive discounted rate all reservations must me made before this time. No discounts will be given after cut-off. Guests may still be able to make reservations at regular rack rate based on availability. Individual cancellations must be made 7 (seven) days prior to avoid charge of first nights room and tax."

We will be reserving a block of rooms at one other place, which we haven't yet decided upon. If you would like to stay somewhere other than the Marshall House, you can help us choose the second location by taking this very quick, easy to use blog poll:

While we're only reserving blocks of rooms at two locations, we'll also be posting information here about some other places around town to help you choose your own place if you would like to stay elsewhere. Don't forget to check back every once in a while -- we'll be updating the blog with new information ... and just whenever the mood strikes.

We hope to see you in Savannah!

Posted by Bliss Khaw at 7:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)