Just a quick note:
DF has very simple taste, and he prefers things to be practical, utilitarian, and uncomplicated. Boy, does he have his hands full with me sometimes . . .
I always like to present what I want as a question when I think he won't go with it. He has surprised me many times with agreeing to things that are outside his usual tastes, mainly, a Disney wedding (and, the occasional piece of antique furniture).
Let me just note that I can have a good, reined-in taste when the need arises, but sometimes I just jump head first into the lavish pool. I have always wanted to really be treated like a real princess (not that DF doesn't do a good job), but I want one day where I can supremely pampered and feel like royalty.
DF agreed to stay at the Grand Floridian the night before and night of our wedding. That was step #1 in my master plan to be a princess for a day. Steps #2 and #3 came from some careful planning, research, and 100% from other areas of the DISboards. Mainly, the Grand Floridian sections.
I have never been to a spa, nor have I ever received a massage above DF's always-welcome 15-minute mostly-just-a-hard-back-scratch ones before he falls asleep. I have attempted to go to a professional before, but I always save the money for something else (the same goes with a manicure and pedicure, but those will happen when I need some super-de-stressing some time soon).
I got this brilliant plan to have a couple's massage at the GF spa the day after our wedding. We already decided to just lounge about that day and simply enjoy each other's company. I thought this would be perfect. I find the site, scroll down, and . . . *gasp* . . . $275 for 50 minutes. Take a deep breath and write it down.
Then, I thought, ok let's eat at Victoria and Albert's for dinner that night. It would be the most expensive place we have and ever will eat, and it will likely only happen once. I figured why not the night after we get married? I find the menu, read through the items, have to look some of them up (a successful endeavour thanks to the dining reviews forum), and look at the price . . . $125 per person (not including tax, gratuity, wine/alcohol, or any add-ons). Not as bad at I expected, but still a lot.
I figured $350 for the meal at V&A's plus about $300 for the massage (I like to tip if they let me). So, that's another $650 onto the budget. After having just updated flights, hotel (to add the GF for two nights), car rental, extending the honeymoon by 3 days, and the rise in annual passes (for my parents). That out the total additions for one day to over $5k, bringing the estimated budget up to $33.5k for the whole shebang.
To me, even though I knew it would be high, I was a bit shocked that it would be so much. Especially since we had done some cutting and changing to bring the price down to just over $28k the week before. I honestly thought he would have a heart attack when I approached him about another $650.
I sucked it up and just told him my plan last night. I said I wanted to do something really special the day after the wedding. I told him I wanted to do massages in the afternoon and go to V&A's that night. I showed him the menu and told him the cost. A few moments of silence while he mulled it over . . .
His response: "That sounds like a really special way to celebrate our first day married." He agrees it will be totally worth the cost to do it. He also said it would be really fun to get dressed up and eat in a super-expensive restaurant. I love that man!