I think the best approach for the garden path is to use those reclaimed bricks we talked about. They will give it a more rustic feel and they are already weathered so they won't look out of place with the older plants. I was thinking we could lay them in a herringbone pattern but if that seems too complicated a simple running bond would work just as well.

The key is to make sure the base is leveled properly before you start laying anything down. You might want to rent a plate compactor from the hardware store to really tamp it down good. For the edges I would suggest some steel edging to keep everything in place over time.

You could also add some landscape fabric underneath to prevent weeds from coming up through the gaps. I have done this before at my place and it held up really well through a couple of winters so I think you will be happy with the result if you take your time with the prep work. Let me know if you want to borrow my level and string line for the layout.

We ended up going with the earlier flight because it gave us more time to settle in before the reception. The hotel is about twenty minutes from the venue so we figured we could drop our bags off and then head straight over to help with the setup.

They asked if we could bring some extra string lights and I think we have a couple of strands in the garage from last year. Just need to check if they still work. The weather forecast is looking pretty good for that weekend so we might be able to have the ceremony outside as planned.

I was told to bring a light jacket just in case the evening gets cool. We are also supposed to bring a side dish for the rehearsal dinner so I was thinking about making that pasta salad everyone liked at the picnic last summer. Let me know if you need me to pick up anything on the way over.