Hotels

Steph and I have not reserved any hotel room blocks... yet. Since we don't have an overwhelming number of out-of-towners, the area has a number of hotels, and there shouldn't be any major events that weekend. Depending on how far you want to drive to and from the reception, room rates should range between $80/night all the way up to $200/night.

A few of the highlights, moving from north to south:

• The Gettysburg Hotel - Rates start at $115/night, in beautiful and historic Gettysburg, PA, about 20 minutes from Antrim 1844 and an hour from Sacred Heart Church.
• Antrim 1844 - Rates start at $185/night, includes full breakfast and other amenities a bed-and-breakfast offers, about 40 minutes from the church and a convenient 20-second walk to the reception hall.  Likely to sell out on Friday night well in advance, so plan ahead.
• Best Western - Rates start at $85/night, conveniently located in Westminster, MD, about 15 minutes to Antrim 1844 and 25 minutes to the church.
• Marriott, Marriott Courtyard, and Residence Inn - Rates starting at $100/night, all three are located in Hunt Valley, MD, about an hour from Antrim 1844 and 20 minutes to the church. (This option allows you to drive by Cal Ripken, Jr.'s house, if that's a selling point for you.)
• Hyatt - Rates start at $125/night, located in Owings Mills, MD, about 10 minutes to the church and 50 minutes to Antrim 1844.

Baltimore itself has loads of hotels, but it's a healthy drive (at least a half hour to the church, add another 40 minutes to get to Antrim 1844). If you plan on spending an extra day or two in the area before or after the wedding and want to explore Baltimore, don't hesitate to ask for recommendations for hotels in the city.

We obviously encourage you to get your hotel room reservations early, but don't hesitate to contact Steph or myself if you run into any issues booking a room. We'll make sure everyone gets accommodated one way or another.

What is poussin?

Poussin, the other (other) white meat. Smaller than a spring chicken, poussin is a very young bird (less than 28 days old) that has been called the veal of the chicken family.

Benefits, in addition to its pleasing texture and delicious taste, include the fact that it allows the chef many options for preparation and presentation. It does not have too many bones and very little fat, so it's easy to cut on your plate, and it can easily be stuffed (with such things like crab and/or shrimp, cheese, sun dried tomatoes, etc., hint hint). It is a nice portion size, about the size of a closed fist (6-8 ounces), and it's far more interesting than *just* chicken (which is a common wedding dish, it seems, precisely because it doesn't elicit strong opinions one way or the other).

We hope you enjoy the poussin at our wedding, but don't hesitate to let us know if you have any allergies, health needs, are vegetarian or vegan, etc., so we can make sure everyone's happy with their meal!