David Todak & Erin Arnst

David & Erin

September 15, 2012

David Todak & Erin Arnst

David & Erin

September 15, 2012

Hey everyone, thanks for stopping by to see our wedding registry. Given that the vast majority of our guests will have to travel just to attend our wedding, your presence there is is gift enough. Of course we couldn't invite every one of our friends, and there are others who had schedule conflicts, and we're sure some of you will want to follow the tradition of buying us a gift anyhow. Suffice it to say that if you've made it to this page, we're grateful for whatever you might choose to give.

Having already combined households and lived together for over five years, we struggled to think of any traditional wedding gifts that we don't already have. Pots, pans, kitchen gadgets, linens . . . these are things we're more likely to donate to Goodwill than ask for more of. A great honeymoon, on the other hand, is something we don't have yet, so that's what we're hoping we'll find ourselves thanking all of you for.

Our plan is to stay fairly close to home, in the Pacific Northwest, and do a week boating in the San Juan islands. While we do have a boat of our own, moving it across the mountains is troublesome. Also, its size and style are better suited for the Columbia River, near our home, than spending a week traveling between ports in the San Juans and Victoria BC. So instead, we're going to rent a boat thats a bit bigger, more comfortable, and better suited for an extended stay. Obviously such a trip will require a fair chunk of change, so whether you want to buy us a day rental on the boat, a couples massage at the Brentwood Resort, a dinner at the Rosario Resort, tickets to Buchart Gardens, or just a gallon or two of diesel, your generosity will certainly be appreciated.

We're going to San Juan Islands and Victoria BC!

Day 1 (5/24): Travel day. Drive to Bellingham, WA and spend the night at the <a href="http://hotelbellwether.com/">Hotel Bellwether</a> before an early morning appointment at the marina.

Day 2 (5/25): Rent a <a href="http://www.sanjuansailing.com/charters/SeaHawg/index.htm"> Nordic 37 trawler </a> from San Juan Yachting for the week. Load it up with groceries and head out on a 20 mile leg to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sucia_Island">Sucia Island</a> for a late afternoon hike, cooking our own dinner onboard, and spending the night at anchor.

Day 3 (5/26): Sleep in, walk the beach, then cruise 16 miles west to Bedwell Harbor on South Pender Island, where we'll invade Canada (after first clearing customs). Couple's massage at <a href="http://www.poetscove.com/site/spa.html">Poet's Cove Spa</a> followed by dinner and a movie onboard.

Day 3 (5/27): We'll start the day with another 10 mile cruise, this time crossing Boundary Pass and then heading southwest to Sidney, BC, where we'll rent a car and drive to <a href="http://www.butchartgardens.com/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1">Butchart Gardens</a>. Afterwards we'll do some shopping and enjoy a fantastic dinner and a night's stay in a 5-star hotel, at <a href="http://www.brentwoodbayresort.com/">Brentwood Bay Resort</a>.

Day 4 (5/28): Enough relaxing, today we'll try to throw in a little excitement, driving south to <a href="http://www.adrenalinezip.com/en/home.html">AdrenaLINE ziplines</a> . After a couple hours of ziplining, we'll head back to Sidney, replenishing boat supplies before returning the rental car, then cruise 10 miles west to <a href="http://www.rocheharbor.com/Home.html">Roche Harbor</a>, where we can proclaim our victory over Canada to the nice people at US customs, and find our own secluded spot to anchor up, cook dinner, and enjoy a nice evening by ourselves.

Day 5 (5/29): <a href="http://www.sanjuanislandoutfitters.com/kayaking_daytrips_rh.php">Rent kayaks</a>. Gather our own oysters at Westcott Bay, and make a leisurely cruise 10 miles southwest to Friday Harbor for the night.

Day 6 (5/30): Sleep in, shop & poke around town, basically play it by ear, but at some point make the 10 mile cruise northwest to Orcas Island's Eastsound to find anchorage and take the dinghy over to dinner at the <a href="http://www.rosarioresort.com/dining.htm">Rosario Resort</a>.

Day 7 (5/31) Finishing up the boat portion of the trip like we started, watching the sun come up, having a nice breakfast, then getting underway through Obstruction Pass (comforting name, eh?) on the 20 mile run back to Bellingham, where we have to turn the boat in at noon, fully fueled and reasonably clean. Make our way south to Seattle for the night...dinner, catch a Mariner's game if they're in town, and lodging TBD.

Our Registry

  • $0-$50
  • $50-$100
  • $100-$200
  • $200+
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Deluxe ocean suite at the Brentwood Bay Resort...not the cheapest room, but closer to that than a villa!
Gift Fulfilled
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Two Hearts couples massage at the Brentwood Bay Spa
Gift Fulfilled
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One night stay at the Hotel Bellwether in Bellingham on the first night of our honeymoon
$17500
1/1
$100
Giving Portions
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One night stay at a yet to be named hotel in Seattle on the last night of our honeymoon
$17500
1/1
$100
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Boat time! The most most important and expensive part, conveniently broken down into smaller chunks
$10000
23/30
$100
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A romantic dinner for two at SeaGrille restaurant at Brentwood Bay Resort
Gift Fulfilled
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A final meal...dinner at the Rosario Resort on the last evening we have the boat
$7500
2/2
$100
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Kayak rentals in Roche Harbor...and yes, Dave will scream like a little girl if orcas get too close.
$8000
2/2
$100
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Moorage - anchoring up is free when we find a safe spot, but when we're in a slip or on a mooring ball, we have to pay someone
$4000
2/3
$100
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Tickets to Buchart Gardens, where Erin can find an almost infinite assortment of flowers she's never killed
Gift Fulfilled
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Breakfast for two at SeaGrille restaurant...Erin has already placed an order for Brentwood Benedict
Gift Fulfilled
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An entirely unplanned lunch...wherever we happen to be mid-day Thursday (Friday Harbor seems the most likely port)
Gift Fulfilled
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Wine - Did you know the Canuckians will only allow us to bring 2 bottles across the border? So we'll be buying as we go in order to have a bottle with dinner, after we've safely moored each night.
$3000
4/6
$100
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Oysters for all - dinner Wednesday night will be the oysters we gather ourselves at Westcott Bay Sea Farm.
$3000
1/1
$100
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Groceries and other necessities - Would calling them "boat provisions" make them sound more exciting and romantic?
$3000
10/10
$100
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Diesel fuel - no telling how high prices will go this year, and the amount we burn will depend on how fast we drive and how many tides we fight, but hopefully this is a "worst case" estimate. :-)
$500
163/200
$100
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Pirate costumes - just to see the reactions when we tell the Canadian border patrol we're going to ravage and pillage and run all sorts of amuck
$4000
1/2
$100
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Bail money - in case the Canadian Border Patrol doesn't think our costumes or joke is funny
$5000
18/20
$100
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$000
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